Procrastination

TABLE OF CONTENTS
......................................................The Mystery of Procrastination
4
..................................Evaluating Your Strengths and Weaknesses
7
......................................................................................Past Performance
7
...............................................................................................Goal Setting
8
........................................................................Will Power and Motivation
9
...............................................................................Taking Responsibility
9
.........................................................................................Fear of Failure
10
.............................................................Prioritizing and Managing Time
10
.....................................Evaluating Your Skills and Personal Qualities
12
.................................................Assertiveness and Inﬂuencing Others
12
................................................Procrastination-Be-Gone Toolbox
14
.............................................................................................Self-Esteem
14
.................................................................Dealing with Inner Negativity
16
......................................................................Motivation and Will Power
19
.........................................................................................Assertiveness
20
.....................................................Anger and Frustration Management
22
................................................................................Stress Management
23
.....................................................................................Causes of Stress
24
..................................................Prioritizing, Organizing, and Planning
26
....................................................................Putting It All Together
29

INTRO
Do you often ﬁnd yourself putting off things you know you need to
do? Even things that are in you own best interest?
Are you late for appointments? Do you miss deadlines? Ignore tasks,
even important ones?
Have you ever wanted something very much but found it impossible
to get started on it? ...And the more you wanted it, the more difﬁcult
it was to take action?
Not a good feeling, right? You’re frustrated and angry with yourself,
and the worst part of it all is that you don’t understand why it’s
happening. You’re falling behind on the job and frustrated at home,
and it just seems to be getting worse. You want to achieve more. You
see other people making progress.
Whatever it is that you want to accomplish, there is a way for you to
accomplish it. By the end of this book, you’ll understand what’s
holding you back, and you’ll be able to make a practical plan you
can count on to help you achieve the things you want.
Increased understanding of the primary causes of procrastination
and the most effective techniques for dealing with it will give you
emotional freedom and a secure, positive self image. You will be on
your way to creating your optimum life.

THE MYSTERY OF PROCRASTINATION
Whether it’s a discussion of setting goals, time management, or
procrastination, they all begin with a discussion of attitude. That
might seem strange, but there are very good reasons for it. We all
have strengths and weaknesses, and some of those weaknesses are
very likely at the root of our procrastination.
Some of us think we lack willpower, and some of us think we just
don't have the determination to follow through, no matter how much
we want something. Sometimes we say to ourselves," When this
thing happens (whatever it is), I'll be ready to work for that goal." But
putting things off that way is just another way of not taking
responsibility.
Some of us really don't know what we want for ourselves. You see
people all around you achieving things, but sometimes it can be
difﬁcult to know what you want, what your own special priorities
should be, and the things unique to your own life that would make
you happy.
Some of us enjoy being carefree and living for today. We have an
actual resistance to setting goals, but goal setting is crucial to
achieving the life we want to live.
Sometimes, we do the opposite and set goals that are so daunting
that we think we can never achieve them. We can become
overwhelmed, and not realize we can accomplish our goals one step
at a time, one part at a time. A little organizational skill can help us

break those goals down, make them manageable, and help us
sustain our motivation while reaching those goals.
Some of us are perfectionists and are afraid that any failure means
that we as human beings are failures. This can be a paralyzing idea,
and it's just wrong. Most of us learn best from the things that do go
wrong in our lives. You may have heard this before, but it's true. We
enjoy the good times, but we learn from the bad times. Here's a
great saying for your arsenal: "The greatest failure is not having
tried."
Comparing ourselves with others is another bad habit that can be
paralyzing. Often, we endure self-inflicted blows to our self-esteem
when we think that others are smarter, better educated, more
attractive, or nicer than we are. Again, this kind of thinking is wrong.
We all have the strengths and skills that we need to achieve the
goals that are right for us.
Some of us are loners who just can't stand to ask for help. But
obviously, large projects need to be done with the assistance of
others. And most of us need cooperation and support in one way or
another in our lives.
Others of us have real difficulty in prioritizing and managing our time.
This can be difficult since life has a way of intervening to upset our
plans. Luckily, setting priorities and managing time are skills that can
be learned when you have the right attitude.

Sometimes, we lack self-conﬁdence because we don't have the
necessary skills. While this may be true, often we don't recognize the
skills we do have. Once you recognize your strengths and skills,
you'll be able to start using those in your favor. This will increase
your self-conﬁdence and keep you moving toward your goals.
If you're one of those people who think you have no willpower, you
might be right. That’s a big club! But the secret here is that
developing willpower comes from a combination of using self-
discipline and managing the fears that are holding you back. Once
again, we're in luck: both of those skills can be learned.
You might have a few ideas of your own about why you
procrastinate. Add those to this list. When you know a few key things
about yourself -- your strengths and weaknesses, you skills, and
your patterns of behavior -- you'll be able to develop some key skills
to help you stop procrastinating and achieve your goals.

EVALUATING YOUR STRENGTHS AND
WEAKNESSES
So, who are you, anyway? First, let me tell you the end right now at
the beginning. When we come to the end of this section and you
have learned a few things about yourself that you didn't know, you’re
very likely going to approve of the person you ﬁnd. When most
people ﬁnish taking a good look at themselves, they’re pretty happy
with what they see.
Second, some of the exercises might ask you questions you haven’t
thought about before, but do your best to answer them because they
will give you insight into your preferences. An important part of
overcoming procrastination is getting to a point where you want to
do the things you need to do because you like them. The more you
know yourself, the better you’ll be at framing your tasks in terms of
your preferences.
Past Performance
This exercise should give you an idea about how you perform on
projects currently. Think about a project you have successfully
completed -- at work, at home, or in a social situation. Answer the
following questions:
1. What did you do to make the project successful?

2. What skills did you use?
3. What support did you have?
4. Did you encounter barriers? How did you overcome them?
5. Think of at least three things that made the project successful.
What were they?
6. Try to remember the feelings you experienced at different stages
during the project – what were they?
7. Try to remember what strengths and weaknesses you displayed
during that project. Name as many as you can.
8. If you had a similar project to do in the future, what skills would
you carry over from the ﬁrst project?
9. Overall, what did you learn from the project?
10. Ask these questions to other people who were involved in the
project. Compare their answers with yours. Did you learn anything
new from their answers?
Goal Setting
This exercise will tell you something about your attitude toward goal
setting. Which of the following statements apply to you?
1. Generally I like to plan things in my life.
2. I like to live for today and not think about tomorrow.
3. I know what I like to be doing in ﬁve years and in 10 years.
4. I love surprises.
5. I have a clear idea of what to focus on at work and in my life.
6. I only like change when I have a plan.

Whether you prefer planning or spontaneity, there is a planning style
that is perfect for you. What changes planning from drudgery to
something positive is flexibility and the ability to make alterations
when necessary.
Will Power and Motivation
Let's talk about willpower and motivation next. To some extent, they
go hand-in-hand because the more willpower you have, the less
easily you give in to distractions and the more motivated you are to
begin a task and to complete it. Which of the following statements fit
your personality?
1. “Work before play” are words I live by.
2. I can play anytime.
3. I am easily distracted.
4. I don’t like to be interrupted when I’m working.
5. If I don’t finish it today, I can do it tomorrow.
Taking Responsibility
It’s easy to put things off for all kinds of valid reasons. But if you’re
procrastinating for other reasons, you need to identify those reasons.
Do you really want to take on this project? Is there any common
thread running through all the tasks you are putting off? Do you feel
anxious about your skills? Your ability to complete the task? Try to
understand why you are unable to start – or finish – certain tasks.

Fear of Failure
Fear of failure can stop you dead in your tracks even though
everyone fails sometimes. It can interfere with your time
management, your productivity, and even your relationships. High
standards are a good thing; unrealistically high standards
(perfectionism) can lower your self-esteem and immobilize you.
Answer often, sometimes, or never to the following questions:
1. Do you see failure as something that happens to everyone?
2. Do maintain your positive attitude after suffering a defeat?
3. Do you network to ﬁnd out what went wrong?
4. Do you support the decision that was made?
5. Do you try to learn from your failures?
6. Do you keep your allies so you can win in the future?
The more times you answered often or sometimes, the more
effectively you cope with failure. Feeling rejected or threatened when
something doesn’t turn out as you had hoped is somewhat natural,
but passion and anger can be destructive if they’re not managed.
Prioritizing and Managing Time
Sometimes, we procrastinate because we believe we don’t have
time, but the truth is that we don’t know how to manage our time or
how to prioritize. Use the following questions to assess your time-
management skills.

1. Do you tackle the most difﬁcult tasks ﬁrst?
2. Do you have a “to do” list?
3. Do you say no at times when asked to do something?
4. Do you prioritize your tasks and work on them in that order?
5. Do you allow a lot of introductions?
6. Do you do things yourself instead of delegating them?
No worries, these skills are ones you can learn.

Evaluating Your Skills and Personal Qualities
In this exercise we’re going to think about what we do well. Make a
list of all the things you are good at. You could ask somebody who
knows you well. Now, make a list of all your positive qualities. These
lists will help you determine your strengths.
Assertiveness and Inﬂuencing Others
How assertive you are and how you interact with others can directly
affect how much you procrastinate, and also how well you initiate
and negotiate tasks. Your answers to the following questions will let
you know how assertive you are in four areas: at work, at home, in
public, and with friends.
1. How do you respond when you were criticized by a superior?
2. What do you do when you notice that somebody has worked
especially well or extra hard?
3. If you have to confront a subordinate or coworker for lateness,
and productivity, or dishonesty, how easy is it for you to act?
4. What do you when you ﬁnd yourself with a store clerk who ignores
you?
5. How do you react in a movie when the people next to you are
continuously talking?
6. How do you respond when a friend persistently uses you to
complain to?
7. When you want to ask a friend to repay a loan, how do you
proceed?
8. What do you do when you feel put down my friend?

9. When one of your parents criticizes you, how do you respond?
10. What do you do when everyone leaves the house cleaning to
you?
Now, let's think about how you react in these situations.
1. What do you say and do?
2. How do you feel about the behavior?
3. What are your short-term gains or payoffs?
4. What are the long-term negative effects?
5. What are the risks in behaving more assertively?
Awareness about your skills and personality traits is the ﬁrst step
toward strength. You can't change what you’re not aware of. So,
take a look at all your responses and ask yourself what they tell you.
Please remember that this is not about focusing on your weaknesses
alone. Your strengths are just as important in helping you to
succeed.
The next section will help you build on your strengths, improve on
your weaknesses, and develop your skills.

PROCRASTINATION-BE-GONE TOOLBOX
Self-Esteem
Procrastination always has two elements: the task you’re putting off
and the internal forces that are causing you to do so. The more you
deal with your inner “demons,” the easier it will be to take action.
First on the list of these inner demons is self-esteem. Feelings of
guilt and worthlessness fuel procrastination.
When you start to get things done, you experience these feelings
less and less.
In our projects as in life, we come up against obstacles. We need to
handle those obstacles in order to see the task through to the end.
Self-esteem helps us to do that because it helps us develop
resilience and the belief that we can succeed despite barriers. Self-
esteem can grow or it can diminish, and we can control that.
So, what is self-esteem? The most important component of self-
esteem is internal. It’s the ability to like and accept yourself with all
your strengths and weaknesses, and in spite of the mistakes you
make. It’s understanding that you are equal to anyone else and you,
like anyone else, are unique and one-of-a-kind. It's not ego driven.
It's not a belief that you’re superior to anyone. It's the understanding
that each one of us is unique, special, and important.

Another component of self-esteem comes from the reflection of
ourselves that we get from other people. We get either positive or
negative feedback from people in obvious or subtle ways all the
time. We get from the media, from work, and from our relationships.
Unfortunately, we can't always depend on outside sources to have
our best interests at heart or even to be honest. So, although it's
inevitable that some of our self-concept comes from outside
sources, a much better, more fulfilling approach to our lives is to
develop our internal self-esteem and diminish the effects of external
self-esteem.
Our job, then, is to build a solid foundation of internal self-esteem.
The key to doing this is to be aware of what's going on in your
thoughts and your emotions and then taking action based on that
awareness. Here are the questions to ask yourself:
1. How many of the things I do are based on the need for others'
approval?
2. Whose approval do I seek in order to feel accepted?
3. What are my own personal standards? In other words, what
standards do I need to meet in order to approve of myself at work, at
home, and in relationships?
4. Is there a conflict between what I really want to do and obtaining
approval from others?
The answers to these questions should give you an awareness of
yourself that will strengthen your internal self-esteem and lessen
your need for approval of others.

Next, here are some powerful actions that you can take to
strengthen your self-esteem and diminish your tendency to
procrastinate:
1. Being aware of your self-growth and development.
2. Taking the initiative.
3. Practicing assertive behavior.
4. Talking back to your negative inner voice.
5. Setting goals.
6. Taking physical and emotional care of yourself. This includes
giving yourself quality time, exercising, eating right, and relaxation.
Here's one non-negotiable law for living the life you dream of: self-
esteem is essential to our well-being. It's not selﬁshness; it's just the
opposite.
Dealing with Inner Negativity
It’s possible that you are not even aware of the negative inner voices
that keep harping at you. Science has shown, though, that the vast
majority of our thoughts are negative, and a lot of those thoughts are
about ourselves. It's natural that this is true because these thoughts
are an accumulation of judgments we received in childhood, then
from our peers, and eventually from ourselves. These thoughts are
even more frequent when we're feeling vulnerable or facing
obstacles.
How many times have you said things like if yourself:

" What a stupid thing I did!
" I'm ugly… lazy… stupid… mean."
" This is too hard! I can't do it! "
" I have to do this!" " I ought to…" " I should…"
" Everything depends on this!"
All of this self talk puts pressure on us, unnecessary pressure. This is
the inner saboteur at work. The way to combat these messages is to
see them for what they are: unreasonable and irrational. Being aware
of them is the ﬁrst step. Can you see how they can interfere with
your ability to succeed?
The next step is easy and even fun. Start talking back to those
thoughts.
Say things like
" It's okay to make mistakes."
" I'm not stupid, this is just something new for me."
" This is not too hard – I just have to take it one step at a time."
" Everything does not depend on this. If this doesn't work out, I'll
ﬁnd another way."
See, wasn't it fun? Won’t you feel a lot better doing that than giving
in to negative thinking?
The next step is to reinforce your self-esteem with some positive
thoughts about yourself. Remember the list you made of the things
you're good at and your positive qualities? Repeat a few of those

things to yourself after you've had some negative self talk. Then give
yourself a small reward (talking to a friend, reading a book for a little
while, taking a time out for yourself, etc.). These positive thoughts
and actions reinforce your positive feeling about yourself.
Our negative self talk tries to protect us from taking risks and things
we fear, but it also puts up barriers to opportunities and challenges
and changes that would enhance our lives. And think about this:
research has shown that four out of five of our fears never
materialize. The fears that do materialize, we can handle, especially
after we build our strengths.
Fear is a powerful negative emotion that can cause procrastination in
all areas of life. We all have fears; the difference is in how we handle
them. Here are some strategies for managing your fears:
• Take some small risks at first. Notice the feeling of well-being
when you succeed.
• Talk to people you trust about your fears – get their opinion
about how valid your fears are.
• Allow yourself to feel the fear. Then talk to it, watch it recede or
disappear, and enjoy your feeling of satisfaction at bringing that
about.
• Gradually increase the size of the risks you take, while keeping
those risks reasonable, not irrational.
Handling fear is not easy for any of us. But facing it leads to a more
fulfilling, productive life.

Motivation and Will Power
Of course, it's obvious that we have to have some degree of
motivation in order to overcome procrastination. And it's also
obvious that we need some willpower in order to want things to
change so that we do follow through on our projects.
You very likely have some degree of motivation and willpower in
general or you wouldn't be reading this. If you can't come up with
any motivation or willpower in regard to a certain project or projects,
this is probably not the right time to be tackling them. A better idea
would be to choose projects and tasks for now that can help you
build your motivation and willpower in general. Try these exercises to
increase your willpower:
• Try something that you never tried before – it can be something
simple like trying a new restaurant or driving a different way to
work.
• When you want to say something you know you shouldn't, don't
say it.
• Do something you really don't want to do but have to do. This
can be anything – something small is ﬁne. The idea is that you
do it.
• Find a way to say something nice to someone. Make a genuine
compliment. It can be any small thing you think of.
• When you want to say something appropriate but feel shy about
it, say it.

These are all small steps, as you can see. You can and should
substitute as many small steps as you can think of. The point is that
you're building your willpower. This in turn builds your self-
confidence: you begin to realize that you can depend on yourself to
follow through.
Assertiveness
What is assertiveness? And why are some people so much better at
being assertive than others? How can we be appropriately assertive
without being aggressive and overbearing?
Acting assertively can be complicated because how we behave
stems from a combination of our beliefs and values, our attitudes,
our thoughts and feelings, and our self-esteem. It comes down to
choosing the way we will behave in order to get what we want. We
have basically four choices: first, being assertive; second, being
aggressive; third, being passive; fourth, being indirectly assertive or
manipulative.
Many of us use more than one of these techniques, and while we
probably know that the first choice is the best choice, many more of
us don't know how to go about being assertive.
Being assertive means acknowledging our needs and asking in an
open and direct manner for those needs to be fulfilled. It implies
respect for the people we’re asking, respect for ourselves, and
respect for the task at hand. If our needs in this particular situation

are not met, it is not a blow to our self-esteem because our self-
esteem is not based on the approval of others.
Assertiveness is not always the easiest behavior choice, but it is the
one most likely to get what we want. It is the win-win approach.
Being aggressive is often a compulsive overreaction; it’s competitive
and leads to win-lose situation.
Being passive is negative behavior with negative results. It creates
victims who allow other people to decide their fate. But the truth is
that those people are victims of their own passivity.
The indirectly aggressive or manipulative approach also rises from
low self-esteem. For these people it’s safer to control and manipulate
rather than face confrontation and the possibility of being rejected.
This behavior shows a lack of respect for the initiator and the other
people involved. Manipulative behavior can be effective, but the cost
is continued low self-esteem and confusion on the part of the people
the manipulator interacts with.
There are some techniques you can use to maintain an assertive
attitude without becoming aggressive or passive. Try some of these
to keep you on track. You don't need to use all of them; use the ones
that work for you in a given situation.
• Be specific about what it is that you want. Clarify first in your
own head and then be prepared to ask for it specifically and
directly.

• Repetition can be a handy tool. Stay on track by repeating your
simple, clear request. This technique prevents you from being
manipulated or getting off-track.
• If you're dealing with the manipulator, acknowledge that you
hear what they are saying, but repeat your own simple, clear
request without allowing yourself to be manipulated or
becoming aggressive.
• Remember, your best solution is a win win for you and the
others involved. The way to achieve this is to be clear in your
own mind about the ideal outcome, a realistic outcome, and a
fallback position (bottom line) for you.
• Some people find it helpful to disclose their honest feelings
during the interaction. For some people this alleviates guilt and
anxiety.
Remember that being assertive is often about negotiation and
compromise. It's about not being aggressive or passive or
manipulative. It's about the win-win for everyone involved.
Anger and Frustration Management
Few things encourage procrastination better than anger and
frustration, yet anger and frustration are inevitable in life and in
projects. The first thing you must do is recognize when you're
frustrated or angry. Many of us are so proficient at hiding these
feelings from other people that we've become great at hiding them
from ourselves. That is usually a problem because the anger and
frustration show themselves in other ways. One of these ways is to
discontinue whatever we’ve started. Another outcome is that we

show our anger toward other things or people that are unrelated to
the real cause. All of this is unproductive.
First, recognize your frustration. After that, decide how to handle it.
You could walk away from the situation until you feel you're in control
of your emotions. You could channel that frustration into finding
other solutions for the problem. Or you could find other projects to
work on temporarily. Next, find a productive way to release your
anger and frustration. It might be through exercise or even
household chores.
Pay attention to what causes you anger and frustration. Try to make
sure that you're separating your current anger from past situations
that cause anger. One thing that many of us do is bring old anger
that has been dealt with to new situations. Find means to deal with
anger and frustration as they appear. A good idea is to come up with
solutions in advance. Since we know for certain that the feelings will
come up again, channeling them in a positive way will produce the
best outcome.
Stress Management
Another enemy of productivity, closely related to frustration and
anger, is stress. Stress is our body's way of letting us know that we
are confronting something beyond our coping ability. On a physical
level, much less an emotional level, our instinct is to flee. This is the
point where many of us give up on our projects. Again, a lot of us

have a tendency to ignore stress until it causes major problems
physically, emotionally, and even in all areas of our lives.
Symptoms of Stress
The symptoms of stress can vary from person to person, but we all
need to know what they are so that we can deal with them if and
when they arise.
Physical symptoms – heart palpitations, nausea, muscle cramps,
colds, infections, fatigue, body aches, and indigestion
Emotional symptoms – mood swings, irritability, tension, anxiety,
and powerlessness
Behavioral symptoms – accidents, inferior job performance,
overeating or not eating, lack of concentration, general exhaustion
Mental symptoms – indecision, memory failure, worrying, loss of
perspective, lack of empathy
Get to know your particular signs of stress and recognize when
you’re experiencing …the sooner you do, the better for your health.
Causes of Stress
Knowing the factors that cause stress will help you anticipate when
you might be experiencing them. We have different levels of stress

tolerance, and many times different types of stressors can combine
to cause serious stress. The four types of stressors are
Situational stressors – these include unexpected situations,
change, bad news, heavy workloads, and negative environmental
factors
Life events stressors – these include marriage, divorce, death, birth
of a child, moving, ill health, and ﬁnancial concerns
Stressors caused by others – these include unreasonable demands
by others, unreasonable expectations from others, and a negative
atmosphere at work or at home
Internal stressors – these include perfectionism, unreasonable
expectations from ourselves, feelings of inadequacy, unmet needs
for acceptance and love, and the need to control
Stress can be debilitating and lead to many physical problems if you
don’t deal with it. The way to handle stress is to recognize it,
interrupt the pattern, and use the tools available to reduce it.
In order to recognize stress in your life, ask yourself these questions:
• What's causing my stress?
• When does this happen?
• Where does it happen?
• What symptoms do I show?

• Why do I react this way?
• What can I do to reduce the stress in the situation?
Once you recognize that you're feeling stress, come to terms with
those feelings. Don't run away from your feelings but accept them as
signs that are showing you the need to take action.
Take responsibility for the situation. You might not have created it,
but you need to take responsibility to face it and create the best
possible outcome for yourself and possibly others. Take the time to
do what you need: some free time, saying no to demands, self-care.
Develop a support network. Let your friends know when you need
them, and make sure they know that you're grateful for their help.
Take a good look at your lifestyle. What changes do you need to
make? Make the time for some exercise and some relaxation. Eat a
healthy diet, don't smoke, and drink moderately. Think positively and
handle your negative inner thoughts.
All of these things that you build into your lifestyle will strengthen you
against stress.
Prioritizing, Organizing, and Planning
The feeling of overwhelm is a major cause of procrastination. It is so
uncomfortable it can cause us to put off doing projects or ﬂee from
them faster than just about anything else will. The good news is that

prioritizing, organizing, and planning – tools that can easily diminish
this feeling – are not that difficult to learn.
I know that you know that old expression:" How do you eat an
elephant?" "One bite at a time." We all know that breaking things
down into parts make sense. It makes difficult things easy by putting
them in logical order so that we can address each step and go on to
the next one. For some of us, it's difficult to do. Here are the steps:
1. Know what your overall goals are
2. Have a thorough knowledge of your project or task
3. Know all the resources needed to complete the task
4. Give yourself some flexibility with your deadlines
5. Understand that unexpected obstacles will probably show up so
build in some time to resolve those
6. Take the time to make the best plan you can come up with. Time
you spend here will save you time later and cause you not to feel
overwhelmed
Once you begin your project, you may discover efficiencies that will
help with your time management. For instance, are the right people
performing the right tasks? Could you improve performance by
switching people's functions? Would it be more effective to bring in a
specialist for part of the task? Are all the steps in your project still
necessary? What modifications can be made? These are just
examples of efficiencies that you may find what you're going through
the project. The point is to monitor your progress to reduce
unexpected, unwanted surprises, and to keep you on track.

Prioritize your tasks on a daily basis because the priority can change
quickly.
Priority one – important and urgent, tasks to do immediately
Priority two – important but not urgent, tasks that can't be planned
for a future time
Priority three – urgent but not important, tasks that can be
delegated
Priority four – routine, tasks that need to be done but can be
deferred or delegated

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
Now that you know all the components of procrastination, you've
had a chance to determine which ones might apply to you, and
you’ve learned the skills you need to get rid of or diminish them in
your life. Let’s put it all together so that you have a coherent
assessment of yourself to bring to your tasks, your projects, and
your life going forward.
Using your computer or a paper and pen, answer the following
questions in as much detail as possible:
1. Identify the areas in your life where you procrastinate. It could be
with tasks or projects or relationships. It could be in your home, on
your job, in public situations, or with friends and relatives. Where do
you want to make changes? What are you dissatisﬁed with?
Write down a description of the situation you want to change. What
is it like right now? Give as much detail as you can.
How do you see it changing? What is your vision for the future?
Write this in as much detail as possible.
Remember, you achieve change through a combination of
dissatisfaction with the present plus a vision for the future plus a
plan plus taking the ﬁrst steps.

2. Now, give yourself a challenge. Write down each change you want
to make in phrases starting with," I will…….…" Look at each thing
you want to change and ask yourself
• What's my payoff if I leave things the way they are now?
• What are the negative consequences if I don't change?
• What are the beneﬁts if I do change?
• Are there any negative effects if I do change?
• Can I handle them?
• Prioritize your changes in the order you want to tackle them.
3. Next, turn your challenges into goals. Decide when you want
to achieve the goal, and write this down for each goal," It is(the date)
and I have achieved this goal. Make these goals real in whatever way
you want: for instance, a vision board, a journal, or by telling your
friends about them.
4. You need a way to measure your success. How will you know if
you've reached your target goal? What will success means you?
Write it down." My success criteria are……." Do that for each goal.
5. Write down each goal, leaving some space beneath each one.
Think through all of the negative things associated with that goal.
What will the obstacles be? What can you do in advance to diminish
the obstacles? For each goal, ﬁnish this statement," I am removing
the barriers to success with this goal by………"
6. Now it's time to break your project into steps. We know by now
that this will make it much more manageable and give us reason not

to be overwhelmed or afraid. Develop two or three first steps for
achieving your goal and write them down.
7. Now take a look at your first steps. What are the positives? What
are the negatives? Choose the first steps for each goal that you
determine to be the best ones.
8. Next, plan the rest of your project step by step, going back and
assessing each step as you did in number seven. Remember to build
in flexibility in time constraints to allow for unforeseen events and
obstacles. Remember also that it's completely acceptable to amend
these steps as you go along.
A few more pointers to remember when you're actually working
in your project:
1. Review your goals and projects periodically. Ask yourself these
questions:
• What's going well with my project?
• Am I on track to achieve my goal?
• What adjustments do I need to make?
• Is there anything new that I need to do to keep my project on
track?
• Do I need to get help in any area to achieve my goal?
2. Assess whether you're using the skills you've learned in this book.
Ask yourself how well you're using them. Be honest about your
strengths and weaknesses. Make a written note of what you're

learning about yourself. You'll be able to use it in the future for your
next project.
3. Remember to take care of yourself as you’re working toward your
goals. Get regular exercise, eat right, and practice some stress
relieving activities. Don't forget to give yourself some treats along the
way. You deserve them, especially if you're doing well. Change isn't
easy.
4. When your project is almost completed, take time to evaluate your
achievements – that is, how well you’re completing your project and
how you’ve changed for the positive internally. Look at your goals
and see how close you’ve come to achieving them. Are you falling
short? Are you exceeding your goals? Which aspects of overcoming
procrastination have you conquered? Which ones do you still need
to work on? Make a written note of what you've achieved, point by
point. That is, after all, your most important goal.
5. Now your project or your task is completed. It's time to celebrate.
Allow yourself this luxury. Do it now! Go big, and put yourself ﬁrst!
Even if you didn't achieve everything you set out to, you’ve ﬁnished
your project and you’ve made progress. You have the skills to
overcome procrastination, and you have the rest of your life to
improve on your progress.
Well done! Celebrate you!

Procrastination

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Procrastination