Are there any coaching tips that can help with procrastination?
Here’s a great technique for moving forward when you feel stuck by things you “have to” do. I put “have to” in quotation marks because it is, in fact, almost always not true that we have to do anything. Other than breathing, eating, drinking water and sleeping, most of what we do is a matter of choice. Assuming authority for your circumstances is the first (sometimes very big) step in moving forward.
To help you get unstuck, do this:
- Make a list of five to ten things on your “have to-do” list.
- Starting with the first item, picture and feel yourself doing the task.
- Rate it on a scale of -10 to +10, where -10 feels dreadful, horrible, repulsive, vile; 0 feels neutral and +10 feels freeing, liberating, exciting and wonderful.
- Repeat this with all the items on your list.
Now, for the items with the lowest scores, ask yourself the “three Bs” – How can I:
- Bag it? – Can I just say no?
- Barter it? – Is there some way to get someone else to help? Can I trade something with them? An example could be doing a spreadsheet for someone in exchange for their help writing a report, or getting your spouse to make dinner in exchange for a backrub – you get the idea.
- Better it? – How can you make yourself feel better while you do this odious task? A friend of mine uses the lovely example of disliking doing her finances but improving the situation by drinking a nice cup of herbal tea while she does them. What do you love? Music, chocolate, a sunny spot? Find a way to be nice to yourself while doing a “have to” and you can raise its score by a few points.