Procrastination is probably one of the biggest challenges we all face. It really doesn’t matter what line of work you are in. We’ve all experienced bouts of procrastination. I can whole heartily tell you that I do at times! There’s no doubt about it.

There is a distinction to be made. There is a difference between procrastinating and “mulling things over” or “considering” a particular situation. These are vital periods of time where we are processing our thoughts & formulating a plan. However, true procrastination is an avoidance technique deployed when we are actually afraid to move forward.

What does procrastination cost you?

This is actually a brilliant way to truly get you to clearly see what procrastination costs monetarily. Let’s imagine that you want to earn $200k per year. Now divide that sum by 50 weeks (of course you want at least 2 weeks vacation a year).

Desired Income 200,000 annually

Divided by 50 weeks = $4,000 a week

Divided by 5 days = $800 a day

Divided by 5 productive hours = $160 gross per hour

Most business owners will tack on 100% to that hourly number just to account for overhead costs. So that brings us to a grand total of $320 per hour. So if you’re procrastinating for 1 or 2 hours you can simply do the math to see the value you lose. Ok, now do I have your attention?! :)

Have you ever use any or all of the techniques below to procrastinate?

- You go to Starbucks for the 3rd time in a 2 hour period

- All of a sudden you have become enchanted with watching “Passions” or “Days of Our Lives” – this becomes a “must” time for a break each day.

- You drag out your day dealing with little tasks so that you’re only left with a half hour to perform whatever the dreaded task is.

Ok, so what’s really going on here? Clearly no one needs that much Starbucks coffee! At times the reasons why we procrastinate are baffling. You can find yourself feeling confused and angry with yourself about wasting time. This only reinforces the self sabotage pattern.

We procrastinate when we are afraid of something: it’s usually that the fear of failure is so consuming it manifests in procrastination. How often have you thought: “I don’t know if I can do this”, “I’m afraid the work I do on this project isn’t going to be very good” or “I just don’t want to look stupid.” Some people are actually very aware and experience the blatant thought that they simply are afraid of failing. They can even imagine the embarrassment of doing so. The COST is your self-esteem.

I want to remind you that the Universe blessed you will a bounty of skills and talents. Some you know of & others are foreign at the moment. We are all multi-faceted human beings. Being pushed out of your comfort zone to do new things is a way your guidance is telling you that there’s more beneath the surface of what you know you can do. Drop your fears and go for it!

If you think procrastination is about being lazy, think again! Dig deep in your memory – who have you viewed as lazy & ineffective? Someone who procrastinates more than they actually take action? Now put on a different pair of glasses and ask yourself: Is this person feeling confident enough to succeed? Do they truly believe that they can? What about you? When you were procrastinating on that particular project today were you being lazy or were you feeling a bit insecure and afraid of failing? Chances are it’s the later and THIS is what sabotages your ability to move forward.

Easy does it!

1. It’s important to recognize your sabotaging pattern and thought process as soon as they pop up.

2. The next step is to pull your head out of that bad neighborhood as quickly as you can. Call a friend or mentor & use the following dialogue;

“I am procrastinating because I am so afraid that I’m going to fail. This would make me feel embarrassed, ashamed or stupid (use whatever feelings you may experience). I’m telling on myself so that I can move forward. I’m changing my thoughts by talking to you and now I am telling you that I will finish this project by tomorrow morning. I am a capable and confident person who is worthy of success”