Posts Tagged ‘procrastination’

How to Create Self Help Momentum

Human Statues In order to get anywhere - either literally or metaphorically - we need to create and maintain a certain level of momentum. Sitting in your very-capable Porsche won't get you anywhere unless you choose to start the engine, engage a gear (or six), steer the car and operate the pedals. In my time as a coach, trainer and teacher I've encountered many people who have not only been sitting… Continue reading

April 6 2009 | By Craig | Tagged: personal-development, procrastination, self-help, self-improvement | 5 comments»

How to Procrastinate Productively

There's a popular quote floating around productivity circles that says, "eat a live toad in the morning, and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day." Many people apply this to getting things done, saying that if you tackle your most difficult and overbearing task first, nothing else will seem so difficult. I disagree. The way I see it, the thought of having to eat a live toad… Continue reading

February 5 2009 | By David | Tagged: cleaning, errands, gtd, organization, procrastination, Productivity | 13 comments»

Reaching Your Goals – Dutch Style

The famous ‘New Year’s Resolutions’ are upon us again, and those of us jaded enough to realize all our previous year’s failures may not even bother anymore. This is not a good strategy either, as it promotes fewer goals and dreams. It’s good to know the difference between a reasonable new year’s resolution – which is more like a goal – and one that is just plain silly: if… Continue reading

January 9 2009 | By Christine | Tagged: action, dutch, gaol, procrastination, resolution | 24 comments»

Procrastination Makes for Easy Frugality

We're used to thinking of procrastination as a bad thing. We should avoid procrastinating; if we do something now, we don't have to worry about it later. But when it comes to our personal finances, procrastination isn't necessarily a bad thing. Sure, we need to get our bills paid on time, but by practicing putting off other expenses we can save money in the long-term. Procrastination and Saving The longer we… Continue reading

December 26 2008 | By Thursday | Tagged: frugality, procrastination, saving | 4 comments»

How to Procrastinate

In December 2005, Paul Graham published an excellent essay entitled "Good and Bad Procrastination." It is an essay that is worth revisiting from time to time. In it, he argued that at all times we can work on one of three things: a) nothing, b) things that are less important, and c) things that are important. He refers to these as type A, type B, and type C procrastination. Type… Continue reading

December 26 2008 | By Art | Tagged: cleaning, clutter, interruption, procrastination, work | 7 comments»

How to Stop Being an Over-Thinker

As a rule, thinking is a good thing and while some people don't do it enough, some over-think everything. Both genders can fall into either category - today we're going to chat about the one who does too much. Some people think themselves into stagnation, frustration, exhaustion, anxiety and even illness. They have an aptitude for making the simple, complex, the easy, hard, the minor issue, a major drama and… Continue reading

December 22 2008 | By Craig | Tagged: action, overthinking, personal-development, procrastination, self-help, self-improvement | 44 comments»

Back to Basics: Procrastination - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Procrastination is very literally the opposite of productivity. To produce something is to pull it forward, while to procrastinate is to push it forward -- to tomorrow, to next week, or ultimately to never. Procrastination fills us with shame -- we curse ourselves for our laziness, our inability to focus on the task at hand, our tendency to be easily led into easier and more immediate gratifications. And with good reason… Continue reading

September 19 2008 | By Dustin | Tagged: back-to-basics, concepting, idea, planning, procrastination, task | 24 comments»

Back to Basics: Setting Priorities

It is easy, in the onrush of life, to become a reactor – to respond to everything that comes up, the moment it comes up, and give it your undivided attention until the next thing comes up. This is, of course, a recipe for madness. The feeling of loss of control over what you do and when is enough to drive you over the edge, and if that doesn’t get you… Continue reading

July 11 2008 | By Dustin | Tagged: back-to-basics, covey, goals, priorities, procrastination, quadrant | 15 comments»

How to Be On Time Every Time

In my last post, I talked about why being punctual matters. The short version: people who are habitually late (or are late even once, when it counts) project incompetence, self-centeredness, and even a lack of integrity.

In the comments, lapka asked if there were any tricks for people who have a hard time showing up on time, and through a little bit of research and a little bit of… Continue reading

May 16 2008 | By Dustin | Tagged: planning, procrastination, punctuality, time-management, trick | 20 comments»

Read This Now! Stop Procrastinating and Get Stuff Done — or Else!

OK, I'm done with procrastinating. I'm done with the guilt, anxiety, stress -- and, of course, the not getting stuff done. I'm tired of answering "what'd you do today" with "nothing...". Of course, it's a lie -- I did do something, just not anything important. Not anything that made me feel happier, more complete, or more relaxed. What I did today was spend 8 hours kicking myself, putting myself down… Continue reading

April 30 2008 | By Dustin | Tagged: getting_started, motivation, procrastination, reward, timer | 21 comments»

Working in Project Space

One of the givens in David Allen's Getting Things Done is that you can't "do" a project. Instead, Allen recommends you break projects down into immediate "next actions", discrete doable chunks that can be "cranked through" with a minimum of effort.

While this approach works pretty well for a lot of tasks, it falls short for a lot of creative people for whom the "meat" of their work cannot… Continue reading

April 14 2008 | By Dustin | Tagged: creativity, distraction, gtd, procrastination, Productivity | 18 comments»

5 Ways to get out of faffing mode

Faffing - The art of doing something without achieving anything” Faffing affects all of us, in all areas of life and it means doing something without achieving an outcome. It affects business, personal life, writing, internet surfing, and domestic life. To give you an example: As I am writing an article I am aware that I have to do a bit of stumbling in order to… Continue reading

April 2 2008 | By Steven | Tagged: faffing, gtd, procrastination, Productivity | 23 comments»

Getting to Good Enough

Do you strive for perfection? Do you spend hours obsessing over the tiniest details of your life until they're exactly right? Do you feel uncomfortable when everything in your life isn't "just so"? Are you prepared for every eventuality, even the most unlikely? In short, are you a perfectionist? There are times when perfection is called for, of course, but allow me to suggest to you that most

March 21 2008 | By Dustin | Tagged: confidence, getting_things_done, perfectionism, procrastination | 40 comments»

Determine Never to Be Idle: A Simple Productivity Strategy

Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time who never loses any. It is wonderful how much can be done if we are always doing.Thomas Jefferson

We lack time not because there is not enough time but because we lose too much of it. That's why I believe this quote represents a simple but effective strategy to boost our productivity… Continue reading

February 20 2008 | By Donald | Tagged: Lifehack, procrastination, Productivity, time, work | 17 comments»

The Power of Ritual: Conquer Procrastination, Time Wasters and Laziness

Life is wasted in the in-between times. The time between when your alarm first rings and when you finally decide to get out of bed. The time between when you sit at your desk and when productive work begins. The time between making a decision and doing something about it. Slowly your day is whittled away from all the unused in-between moments. The solution to reclaim… Continue reading

January 22 2008 | By Scott H | Tagged: energy, habits, procrastination, Productivity, ritual, time | 37 comments»