Read the autobiographies of people who accomplish things. Do they procrastinate? No! They work, play golf, sail their yachts and, when the time came for them to write their autobiography, they proactively hired a ghost writer. So, read their lives and absorb their message whenever you get around to it.
Make sure all of your friends know what your goals are, so you are committed to achieving them. If one of your goals is making friends, make sure that is first on your list.
Get organized; and, I mean OCD, anal-retentive level organized. Become so inflexible that your family and friends beg for the old you.
Remove distractions that usually cause you to procrastinate. For example, many people never get to the task at hand because they are too busy getting organized and waiting for their family and friends to beg for the old them.
Use incentives like chocolate or a movie as a reward. I completed a particularly nasty project by promising myself, as a reward, that I’d NEVER have to do anything ever again…
Do the difficult part first. After that, not doing the easy part of the task will reinforce the fact that you are screwed up beyond repair and nobody will ever love you.
Take frequent breaks from a task so it becomes less onerous. Personally, I like to take all my breaks at the beginning and then I log into Ebay and SELL SOME CABINETS (see below).
Set a timer so you can work in structured short bursts. If you don’t have a timer, buy one; or, better yet, do the difficult work of picking out the desired timer, leaving the easy work of ordering it for later.
Get rid of distractions. Start with this list of tips…
Finally, break large tasks up into smaller ones: For example: Let’s say you are replacing the cabinets in your kitchen. Break the task up as follows:
- Resolve to choose a cabinet style from catalog
- Find catalogs
- Organize all of your catalogs
- Check current catalog for that particular style
- Come to conclusion that you cannot afford that particular style of cabinet
- Look for a better-paying job on Indeed.
- Get depressed that the only job you can find listed is the one you are currently at and that your boss wants someone asap. Choose appropriate comfort food. (I recommend cottage cheese and French fries covered with beef gravy)
- Eat comfort food.
- Realize that you need to exercise or you’ll never lose weight.
- Walk to the mailbox
- Carefully add newly received cabinet catalog to organized stacks of catalogs.
- If your timer has gone off, resist the urge to drop it to the floor and step on it.
- Realize that putting up cabinets is a kind of exercise.
- Go to home supply store and buy first cabinets you see in your price range.
- Realize that your Honda will not hold even one of the cabinets
- Call your brother-in-law and ask for the use of his truck.
- Tell him you’ll call back when he sobers up.
- Rent truck from home supply store, bring home cabinets, return truck, drive to Arby’s because it’s been a while since you’ve been to Arby’s…
- Stop at the drug store for Imodium.
- Decide your old cabinets look okay.
- Resolve to sell the new ones on Ebay.
- Eat more comfort food.
Potatoes and the Promise of More Potatoes 
Seriously are you a Peeping Tom ‘cos that sounds like my yesterday 🙂
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I think the proper term is “voyeur”…
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Well apprehended post
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Thank you. I was pretty apprehensive when I wrote it…
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Cottage cheese, French fries and beef gravy – now that is a mix!
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Outside of Canada, it’s the closest to poutine that you’ll get…
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I like your thought process. Last week I was fed up with bedroom furniture and some spilled perfume in a drawer. Varnished said drawer which now smells of varnish not scent. Obsessively cleaned the bedroom furniture. Decided to keep present bedroom furniture until I go into a home.
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Forever decisions take a lot of pressure off, don’t they?
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They absolutely do!
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Excellent list.
It is easy to get overwhelmed but I have discovered if I break it down into tiny groups things aren’t always that bad. It also helps if you are a habit forming person. It usually takes me a few weeks to develop a habit. That has helped me a lot.
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I think the more interesting aspect of procrastination is “why do we do it?”…
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The question of the day.
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And then there’s the procrastinator whose excuse is that he’s too heavy for light work and too light for heavy work. Come to think of it, that’s probably the reason I spend so much time blogging.
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‘Cause you’re too idle for busywork?
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So… How DO your new cabinets look?
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Exactly like the old ones…
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😀 It just sounded like The Story of the Cabinets may have been autobiographical.
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Nothing I write is autobiographical… they are just stories from my life, thinly veiled and slightly exaggerated.
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This is very good. I especially like #14…this is where I have to start. How do you like them?
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They sold on eBay in six hours!
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I thought I wanted to replace our cabinets, but after reading how exhausting it can be? I believe I’ve changed my mind….
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It’s easier just to leave stuff on the floor, anyway…
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And think of the added cardio you’ll get from running the obstacles in your kitchen.
It’s a win win situation.
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As a severely depressed bachelor, I often leave grocery bags (no refrigerated stuff) on the floor until the contents are consumed. If my son took some of that food, he’d probably put the remainder back in the bag on the floor…
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