The Mirage of Tomorrow — How to Stop Procrastinating Today

small steps

Small steps get you there…

What makes tomorrow a mirage? After all, it’s the day after today.

Well, tomorrow is a mirage because, if you pause to think about it you’ll notice that it never actually arrives.

So, making time choices that help you stop delegating tasks to endless “tomorrow’s” is a skill worth cultivating.

Mirage vs. Reality

I use the words skill and choices very much on purpose here. That’s because it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking of procrastination as a character flaw.  But that roots your procrastination in who you are rather than what you do. So, in effect, you’re making it a much bigger hurdle than it needs to be.

Time management skills and helpful time choices can help you move past the mirage of tomorrow and anchor you in the reality of today.

On the other hand, thinking of procrastination as a character flaw will keep you stuck in self-criticism.

Near vs. Far

Some years ago I remember reading about a study that looked at one possible rationale for procrastination.  Specifically, the study asked, if we see a task as psychologically distant, are we more likely to postpone it?

The experimenters found that subjects who were asked to answer a question with an abstract response were likely to take longer to answer (or not answer at all) than those asked for a concrete response.  This supports the notion that we are more likely to tackle a task immediately if it is concrete, rather than abstract.

That makes good, intuitive sense to me.  Breaking a task down into smaller, concrete steps gives you an entrance into the activity.

First steps…

The first step is less daunting to contemplate than the entire journey. So, the more concrete you can be, the more accessible each step is, and the more likely you are to take it.

Remember, every journey takes place one step at a time. And a first step is something you can always take today, rather than putting it off until the mirage of tomorrow arrives.

But it’s different if you’re looking ahead to a long journey. Often, a journey is something that is too big to start today. So it’s easily put off ’til tomorrow.

So, for example, if you’re thinking about starting a new exercise regimen in January, try this. Rather than focusing on how healthy or confident you’re going to feel, make it very concrete for yourself. Think about:

  • Putting on your sneakers;
  • Tying them, one at a time;
  • Walking into the front door of the gym;
  • Going up to the first treadmill you see;
  • Stepping aboard; and
  • Starting to move your legs, right leg first.

One step at a time, is how you let go of the mirage of tomorrow and stop procrastinating, today.

So, what works best for you, when it comes to procrastination?

Here’s something to help avoid the mirage…

If procrastination holds you back, you’re certainly not alone. Millions of people struggle with this energy draining time thief. Procrastination’s costs include lost productivity, lost income, lost opportunities, frazzled nerves and damaged relationships.

My accessible and immediately actionable E-Guide Book titled I Don’t Know Where to Start!” How to Stop Stalling, Get Clear, and Turn Procrastination into Productivity offers you a clear path to get to the roots of your procrastination and start doing rather than delaying — today.

“I Don’t Know Where to Start!” unmasks this time thief with exercises to help you identify your own unique brand of procrastination. And it provides insights to help you successfully address what you discover.

That’s the good news! You really can make conscious choices about your time and how to use it. And you really can change old habits and patterns. Using the tools and skills you’ll learn in “I Don’t Know Where to Start” you’ll get started and keep going!

To learn more about this powerful E-Guide Book and its accompanying bonuses, just click this link.

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