Week 45: Stop Stalling and Get It Done

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"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there." It's a famous Will Rogers quote - perfect for recovering procrastinators, like me. How about you? What are you stalling on right now? It only takes a moment to get unstuck. It's a decision. And takes just a little discipline to get focused and get busy. Take these five steps to get started:

1. Stop and refocus.
Whatever you are doing that is not really a priority right now - watching TV, checking email, whatever - stop it. Take a deep breath. Ask yourself, "What do I need to do right now?"

2. Take a step, any step.
Immediately after stopping, take a step in the right direction. If you need to clean up, start picking things up. If you need to write a report, open up Word and start typing. If you need to take control of your finances, gather up your bills and get yourself organized.

3. Be willing to do badly.
One of the reasons many people stall is that they are afraid of doing it wrong - whatever "it" is. Don't worry about that. Just get started. Most people never get started, so you are ahead of the game if you just get in the game. You can go back later and edit, fix or improve upon your first effort. Don't let perfectionism hold you hostage.

4. Tell somebody.
When you tell somebody else what you are going to do, you are far more likely to actually do it. If you keep it to yourself, no one has to know when you don't take action. Use accountability as a tool to get things done.

5. Create some pressure.
Sometimes having too much time to do something can be your biggest problem. You take a leisurely attitude because you have "so much time." Before you know it, you have no time at all. If you know you tend to procrastinate, create some structure that gives you a specific window of time to accomplish your task. Ever notice how productive you are right before you go on vacation? You know that in order to leave, you have to get these things done. And you do. Create pressure, if you need it, and it can be the catalyst to get you going.

My challenge to you this week:
Stop stalling. Just do it!

Coaching question:
What next step will you take now to move in the right direction?