Sleights of hand to beat procrastination

I’ve been putting off writing a blog about procrastinating for long enough now. Ayn Rand, the novelist  said “You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality.” And aside from the obvious consequences of putting things off (that tax bill, going to the gym or making that important call) there are consequences to how you feel about yourself.  We’ve all got our favourite ways to avoid reality – watching TV (reruns of Judge Judy in my case) , surfing the net, trawling facebook whatever, but I’ve discovered a way you can turn these things to your own advantage, get it done and feel justifiably great.

If NLP teaches us anything its that we need to be  flexible and ingenious in how we deal with problems.  My favourite trick is a form of sleight of hand -  if you’ve got something to do that seems overwhelming, sneak up on yourself and start small. I read that great writers such as Ernest Hemingway  would sit down to write every day without fail and if temporarily uninspired would begin by writing  anything (even his name over and over) until the words started to flow. Some people copy out work from the day before.  Just getting started is the key but why not get really clever and use your own preferred way to procrastinate as a way in? My chosen method of procrastination is often visual (TV, Internet), so if I have seminars to write or written work to do (or blog to write) I deliberately go and find something inspiring on TV or t’internet to watch to put me in the right state.  Once you get in the right state, those ideas just start coming and before you know it you’re off!  You will know your own way in, and  you could apply this to anything. Rather than say “I’m going to do those accounts now” Tell yourself “I’ll just read up how to do a great spread sheet, or look through my receipts, or file that one bank statement or read or listen to something motivating and hey presto you’re up and running before your conscious mind has chance to object.

And imagine how happy you will be with yourself once its all out of the way, finished and completed successfully and you’re enjoying the positive consequences of that? That’s right. Do it now.

For more tips on writing from famous authors check out : http://writetodone.com/2008/09/04/learn-from-the-greats-7-writing-habits-of-amazing-writers/