10 Easy Ways to Beat Procrastination

When we are facing the roadblock of procrastination, it helps to use different strategies to move us along.
We all procrastinate at one time or another. We do this mainly because we dread facing the task at hand. However, there are many other reasons that can play an additional factor in our procrastination, such as fear of failure, fear of success, or just plain old passive- aggression. When we are facing the roadblock of procrastination, it helps to use different strategies to move us along.

Here are ten: 1) Gamble - Make an actual bet against yourself, for money, really!; 2) Barter - Write down all the things that you will get in return for completing the project; 3) Bribe - Go out and buy yourself something that you really want, but only open it upon completion of your project; 4) Penalty - Give yourself a productive penalty for not completing the task, i.e. $10 of your spending money goes to the bank, or run 2 miles on the treadmill, etc; 5) Perform - Pick a favorite character on TV or from the movies and complete the project as if you were them. How would Steve Martin complete the task?; 6) Fantasize - Imagine something out of the ordinary would happen if you completed the project, i.e. your boss would give you a raise, you would win the lottery, etc; 7) Beat the Clock - Time yourself and see how fast you can complete the task. This especially helps if the task is repetitive; you can try to beat your time!; 8) Tell Someone - When we involve other people, we tend to follow through more. Tell someone what you plan to accomplish!; 9) Post It - Remind yourself like crazy; Place Post-it notes all over your mirror, your desk, your car? Call your voicemail and leave a message. Be persistant; 10) Deadline - Most importantly, set a deadline. You will never complete the project, lest start it, without one.

About the Author

Ray Kadkhodaian, along with his wife, is a published author and personal coach. He co-authored the book, Good Boudaries - Great Relationships, and coaches clients on maximizing their relationships through his company, The Lighthouse.