People are more likely to delay taking action when they perceive that something is difficult, unpleasant, or represents a tough choice. This can become a serious problem when trying to achieve set goals. Those adept at setting and reaching their goals understand the importance of setting time lines and adhering to them so that procrastination cannot become an issue.

Does this sound like you?

• You’re late filing your taxes (now that you know that multimillions of others do so as well, that’s still not an excuse).
• You send greeting cards too late to arrive on time.
• You shop for Christmas presents on December 24th.
• You have a health check-up only months after suspecting that something is wrong.
• You have drawers in your desk, files in your cabinet, whole closets, or whole rooms that are total disaster areas and you’ve been “meaning to get to” for oh so long.
• You actually begin some projects after the deadline because you need that kind of anxiety to get you going.

Unpleasing Means for Pleasing Ends

Much of what you may need to do to achieve a desired outcome may not please you while you’re doing it. Jogging for many miles to reduce your waistline, or saving more and spending less will not necessarily make you feel better on any given day. One fine day, however, when your waistline is at the trim target you’ve chosen, or your savings account has grown to a healthy balance, you begin to understand that less than pleasing means contributed to the highly pleasing outcome.

One of the better ways to handle critical tasks that you prefer not to do is to handle them first. That way, you have something to look forward to given, that the more pleasing tasks await. Anytime you have discretion over the order in which you tackle steps or subgoals on the way to achieving a goal, attempt to handle the seemingly unpleasant elements first. If you don’t, and if you practice the converse — doing what you like to do first, and saving the unpleasant things for last — the probability of procrastinating increases.

Keep the Excuses Under Control

You don’t want to let procrastination prevent you from your successful conclusion. When you handle the unpleasant tasks first, you diminish the possibility of procrastination becoming an issue.

If you put off engaging in activities and experiences that are truly meaningful for you, over and over again, you will miss out on the magic and majesty of your life.

When you plot on paper what you’re going to do and by when, you reduce the incidences of not getting started on time. However, since you’re a full-fledged human being and may tend to procrastinate more times than you care to admit, here are a variety of ideas for helping you to break through any self-imposed limits to getting started on something:

• Share your deadlines with others to engender the support they may provide.
• Visualize yourself having completed the task you’re having trouble getting started on.
• Offer yourself small rewards, reinforcement, as you complete certain aspects of the undesirable task.
• Set up rest or break times, so that the activity doesn’t seem so onerous.
• If you’re having a hard time getting started, promise yourself that you’ll engage in the task for only five minutes. After five minutes, you have the option of stopping or continuing. Fortunately, many times once you get in motion, you’re more than willing to continue.
• As cited previously, schedule the less enjoyable tasks first. However, if you still can’t get started, start anywhere, even on something you enjoy doing, because that may be a spur for you to tackle the less enjoyable portions of the task.
• Clear your desk of everything, except the materials related to the task at hand. The less visual distractions that you have, the greater is the probability you can stay focused on the task at hand.
• Look for a partner, even for a few minutes, who can help you get started. It helps especially if you can find a trail blazer, someone who’s already had to tackle what you currently face.
• Play one task off against another. If task A is terrible, but task B is worse, perhaps in this context, A doesn’t look so bad, and you can get started on it.
• Give yourself a preview. If you have to tackle something on Monday that you’ve been putting off, it’s often helpful to briefly view the project on Friday, so that when you return to it on Monday you have some semblance of familiarity with the particulars. This can also work during the middle of the week, before you leave for vacation, and anytime when there will be a few days or a few hours between when you preview the item and actually work on it.

If All Else Fails, Do Something

If none of the above get you going, then be prepared to miss out on achieving your goal. Get real with yourself, and admit to yourself when you procrastinate. If you make excuses or rationalize as to why you’re not getting started, you open up the door to doing it again and again. If you’re honest with yourself and acknowledge when you are procrastinating, then you’re that much closer to taking action.

Even the smallest action pursued of some action or long term goal is far better than nothing.

Small Steps Do Add Up

Suppose you want to make a major job change entirely out of your field into something you’ve never attempted before. Rather than contemplating week after week, month after month, and even year after year of how it will be when you make the change, accomplish one small task in pursuit of your desired outcome starting now.

One man wanted to be a movie script writer but didn’t know how he would ever make the transition from his job as a foreman in a manufacturing plant. So, he initiated a three year goal of leaving his job to become a full-time script writer. During the interim, he established a daily goal of spending a minimum of fifteen minutes working on scripts. Some evenings he was able to get two or three pages completed. Some evenings, he was only able to go as far as a paragraph. He also scheduled to attend script writing seminars and workshops, read articles and books on the topic, and even join an association of script writers and attend their meetings.

A year and a half into his program, he still checks in every day at the manufacturing plant and still draws 100% of his pay as a foreman. Yet, he is enthusiastic about the progress he’s making and is mustering a growing potential for making his living as a movie script writer.

Using a Time Log

Some people find it useful to use a time log to record exactly how they use their time in a given day or week, and see how that aligns with the goals they’ve set for themselves.

A time log can be as simple as a two-column chart down the page that chronologically lists each activity and how much time you engage in it, as you proceed throughout a day. Here is the simplest of time logs:

Two-column Time log If it’s helpful and convenient for you, separate your time log into personal time versus professional time or before work, during work, and after work or any other division that suits your purpose.

Arise, shower and dress for work Eat breakfast, read paper Commute to work Review in basket mail and e-mail	30 minutes 30 minutes 45 minutes 45 minutes
Meet with staff Dictate three letters Continue adding to project report Lunch at desk	25 minutes 30 minutes 90 minutes 30 minutes
Continue on project report Meet with division boss Attend expansion project meeting Make personal calls	35 minutes 15 minutes 60 minutes 10 minutes
Online research Online fooling around Respond to today’s mail Commute home	20 minutes 10 minutes 20 minutes 45 minutes
Pick up a few items Dinner with family Review projects brought home from work Spend 10 minutes with child	15 minutes 35 minutes 30 minutes 20 minutes
Watch a hour television program Spend time with spouse Read for a few minutes Get ready for bed	60 minutes 15 minutes 10 minutes 15 minutes

What Do You Notice?

Often, after reviewing several days or weeks worth of time logs, you’ll notice some trends. Nothing eye popping or earth shaking. Nevertheless, for many people there is a curious phenomenon at play. Those things that they’ve selected as important to achieve, their goals, do not seem to be getting the time and attention based on the time logs, that such important and desirable outcomes would merit.

Most people have little correlation between their stated goals and how they expend their time on any given day. Some find that they have to simply drop activities altogether in pursuit of what’s truly important to them. If you find that your activities do not support your goals, a change in either your goal statement or your activities is necessary. With the necessary accomodations, you will be well on your way toward achieving your goals!