I’m usually the kind of person who says, “Why put off until tomorrow what you can do today?”  “If not now, when?” and other witty isms to keep me motivated.  Yet, recently a few writing assignments have left me thinking about tomorrow, the mystical land where 99% of all motivation is stored!  I’ve had a few big blocks of time that I could have used for writing but instead I cleaned my office (you can’t write in a messy office), caught up on Facebook (don’t want to miss anything exciting) and started some dough for deep dish pizza that needed hours to raise.  It’ starting to feel like I’m a procrastinator.

Everyone procrastinates from time to time.  There are those one or two things at the bottom of your to-do list that just keep getting moved to the next list.  There are the looming deadlines that create panic and more adrenaline than caffeine.   There are any number of reasons to avoid doing the things we least like to do.

Sometimes just white-knuckling it can bring about the desired results….grin and bear it and, poof, you are finished.  Check it off the list!  Other times, a little insight into the reason behind your procrastination can help move things off the mark.  Procrastination is often a symptom, not the cause.  Maybe you’re tired and actually do need a break before taking on something new.  Maybe you have too many things on your plate.  Or maybe you are simply overwhelmed by the task at hand.  And, this is where coaching comes in.

A good coaching session can help you get off the procrastination treadmill and back into productivity.  If the task feels to large or too overwhelming, let’s break it down into manageable pieces.  What do you need to do first?  When can you get just that first step completed?  What do you need in order to make that happen?  What obstacles or challenges could get in your way?  Who will you ask to hold you accountable?  And on we go until each step of the task or project is laid out in a realistic, achievable plan.

As a coach myself, the idea that a coach could help me get back on track with my writing did not escape me (oh, the irony).  Through coaching, I realized that the lack of a routine for writing was holding me back.  So, today I am white-knuckling it and getting the job done (yes, you are reading the results) but moving forward I’m putting writing time into my weekly calendar.  I’m getting back into a routine.

Got something you’ve been putting off?  We can help you move from procrastination to productivity today, not tomorrow.