So you’ve been procrastinating…
Well, at least that’s what you think is going on!
Procrastination is one of those head turning topics. It gets a lot of attention, as if it’s walking in a pair of red bottoms!
And personally, when I read anything about procrastination and how to “overcome it”, my mind starts racing. I start thinking about all the things I should be doing but continuously put off. Then I feel guilty, again.
I’m sure you can relate! You’ve got a lot on your plate right now and the reality is that something isn’t going to get done. And with that said, you might think that you’re procrastinating. However, there’s a catch!
Are you really procrastinating or is there something deeper going on?
Chances are, there’s something deeper going on and we’ll get to the bottom of it so that you can finally get things done!
Let’s draw a fine line (with my gold sharpie) between Procrastination and its evil cousin Akrasia.
They are closely related but they aren’t the same thing. Let me explain the difference between the two…
Procrastination
Procrastination is when you’ve already decided to do something and you just don’t do it. It usually sounds like this:
“This week I’ll reach out to other lifestyle bloggers for collaboration opportunities to build my email list for my upcoming launch.”
However, instead of doing what you decided to do, you’re killing time on Instagram spying on her feed 12 weeks back being verrryyyy careful not to double tap! =)
So even though you’ve decided to do something, you don’t do it. Then when other things “come up”, you tell yourself, “I’ll do it next week.”
Then you keep pushing the activity back without consciously deciding when you’ll do it “later”. This is a common occurrence in our lives because it’s so easy to get distracted or become consumed with what seems to be urgent or important. Therefore, it’s only natural that some “to-do’s” will get pushed back.
How to Beat Procrastination
The best way to beat procrastination is to focus on one thing at a time. I love to use this acronym to help me stay on course with what’s most important:
F.O.C.U.S.
Follow One Course Until Success
Having focus helps you have the clarity you need to know the NEXT step you need to take to get closer to your goal. We have so many things going on in our business & life and it makes it difficult for us to sort through priorities. So if you’re are in fact procrastinating, be sure to FOCUS!
So let’s talk about Akrasia, what might really be going on when you think you’re “procrastinating”.
Akrasia
Now, this issue is a little deeper than procrastination. It’s most likely the biggest problem you run into when you find that you’re not getting things done. The word “akrasia” traces all the way back to Socrates, Plato & Aristotle.
Akrasia is that nagging feeling you can’t seem to shake when you know you should be doing something. It usually sounds like this:
“I should be doing video to connect, engage and add value to my audience.”
As you can see, it’s not something that you’ve decided you’re going to do yet. it’s just something that you feel you should be doing. The feeling doesn’t leads to a decision and you don’t take action. In most cases, it’s resistance stopping you from making the decision to just do it.
Here’s the recipe for Akrasia:
Task + Desire + Should + Resistance = Akrasia
So instead of “procrastinating” you may be experiencing akrasia, that nagging feeling that you should be doing something but haven’t actually decided to do it.
How to Beat Akrasia
1. Define Exactly What You Want
When you don’t know what you want, it’s more difficult to make a decision and commit to what you should be doing. If you don’t define what you want, resistance will keep you stuck on “should island” where you’ll be in a state of guilt. And that’s not what you want!
2. Plan
When you don’t have a plan you’ll feel resistance because there’s no clarity in how you’ll get what you want. When you have a solid plan, it’s easier to see HOW you’ll get from point A to point B, making it easier to take action.
3. Think Long-term
Thinking short-term can cause resistance because it’s difficult to commit to something that doesn’t give you instant gratification. It’s much easier to be motivated to take action on what will get you what you want right now! However, thinking long-term will help you take action on what’s most important to you in the long-run to create a more fulfilling life.
So now you know the difference between procrastinating and akrasia!
No matter what you’re experiencing right now, you know exactly how to overcome what’s stopping you from taking action so you can see results in your business & life.
I hope this serves you today!
With Love,
Noelle
