How to deal with laziness and procrastination is a common question we encounter in our day-to-day lives. Like most people, we tend to find reasons to not continue what we started and what actually matters to us. Instead of hitting the gym regularly or working on something important, we make excuses and rarely make an effort to hit the finish line. However, realizing what is beyond the edge and how it can change our lives forever is what we all need to eliminate obstinate laziness and procrastination. Here are five ways to help you overcome procrastination and attract the life you want.
1. Observe Your Daily Pattern
Sometimes, knowingly or unknowingly, we fall into a trap of constant repetitive cycle and fail to recognize things that actually matter to us. Some may have a goal to achieve or some may just want to live an unencumbered life. But, all these desires remain locked in our subconscious mind as soon as we allow laziness and procrastination to become part of our daily life.
What’s the solution? The solution is simple; focus on the things that add value to your life, or better yet motivate you to work harder, no matter how hard it may sound. This way, you will leave no room for laziness and procrastination, and will be able to design the life you want.
2. Identify Your “Why”
Most procrastinators have a habit of convincing themselves that they are doing something really productive, even if it means spending 8 to 9 hours in a stagnant job. No matter how strenuous their lives become, they keep doing things they don’t like, as if they are gaining some kind of satisfaction or reward in return. But, somewhere deep inside, they know that they are going nowhere and are just allowing laziness and procrastination to ruin their lives. However, once they accept this fact, they begin to see the vast ocean of opportunities ready to unwind in their presence, no matter how far they appear.
3. Visualize The Final Outcome
Think ahead 5 years, and imagine the life you want and things you want to accomplish. Now start doing things that will help you get closer to your future vision. If you want to become a motivational speaker, then start reading self-development books, blogs, attend conferences and meet people who have already walked that path. This way you would attract energies and store significant information you may need to manifest your dreams. If you can dream it, you can do it – says Walt Disney, a great futurist and visionary, who began his carrier as a small cartoonist, and later became an inspiration for all of us. When you grasp the essence of visualization subtly, you would begin to diminish the effects of laziness and procrastination and transform your life for the better.
4. Change Your Environment
Changing the environment is a very crucial step to overcoming the habits of laziness and procrastination. In fact, the way you handle your emotions, and the way you react in different circumstances have a direct correlation with the environment you live in, and it somehow has the power to control your thoughts, behavior, and actions. Changing it will help you make better decisions and present your ideas in the best way possible. No matter how intricate your goal is, if your surrounding environment is conducive and inspiring, then the chances of your success will be greater than your failure.
5. Stop Living In Guilt
The common reason for living in guilt is failing to fulfill a promise we made to ourselves, whether it is completing a task before the afternoon or going on a date with someone. It often happens when we tend to focus on things that are less important to us and procrastinate on things that have a greater potential to change our lives. Gradually, our inaction leads to a constant repetitive cycle and makes us procrastinate even more, which means even more guilt. Though, understanding how practicing mindfulness, compassion, and forgiveness can change our lives will eventually help us break free from the guilt cycle, and help us overcome stubborn laziness and procrastination.
6. Listen To Your Inner Critic
Whenever you feel like giving up or procrastinating, go deep down within, and ask yourself, “Do you really want to do this?” If so, then why? Questions like these will develop a strong bond with your inner critic, and will help you find the best solution you could ever ask for from yourself. Your intuition, or your inner voice, somehow knows who you are from within, and what your aspirations are, how you operate, and what you like the most. Knowing no one knows you better than you know yourself will help you gain a better understanding of the situation and help you overcome the procrastination habit.