Sometimes, even though we know we need to do something, there’s this resistance inside us, and we just can’t bring ourselves to do it. A day goes by, and then another, and then a week or two or a month…and as time passes, we start to feel bad about ourselves and go down a bit of a shame spiral. Getting out of that funk is really hard, so a lot of times, we can end up deciding it’s easier to do nothing at all. I’ve found that procrastination usually takes over when we’re feeling unsure. After all, if you don’t know where you want to go, how can you move forward?
Then once you know the direction you’re aiming for, the other thing that can hold people back is not knowing exactly how to take that next step.
Here’s the thing: you don’t need to have all the answers to get started.
How can you break the cycle of procrastination? By taking a small step.
So many people make things more difficult for themselves by trying to tackle the hardest piece first. For example, instead of opening your Inbox, sighing, and tackling the hardest email first, hit the easy button. To me, that means: quickly clear the subscription/receipts/notifications. Then I clear any email that will take me 1 minute to reply to (usually documents or data I need to organize and archive). Then I’ll reply to emails that are easy and take 3-5min to reply to. I have so much momentum built up at this point that responding to time-consuming emails is cake.
To stop procrastinating, you have to set yourself up for success by getting some momentum going.
If you’re feeling stuck because you’re lacking clarity… talking things out with a friend, or doing some journaling and self-reflection, can help you generate ideas and figure out your next move.
Seriously…just start inching in the direction you want to go.
The reality is, having a list of things on your mind that aren’t moving forward can really slow your progress way down overall. It can make you feel insecure, weighed down, and like everything is difficult – and that doesn’t set you up to be your highest and best self.
I want you to show up as your highest and best self every day.
If there’s something else you’re struggling with, let me know so we can support each other through it and hold each other accountable. 🙂
And remember…No Guts, No Glory!
