Stop Procrastination. Tame the Tiger and Get Momentum

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Step 1. Write It Down

Is your to-do list just a sophisticated form procrastination? If you're like most people, the answer is yes.

Well, I'm here to tell you it doesn't have to be that way. Instead of merely writing down your tasks, the method I'm going to teach you will force you to actually take action.

Here's how it works:

• Every morning, write down some tasks that you've been putting off.
• Next, circle the most important ones, those that really need to get done.
• Finally, pick the most dreaded task. The one that scares you the most. I call this the "top tiger."

Now, get ready to get in the cage and tame that tiger!

Step 2. Set a Timer

Yes, you're going to start your day with your most dreaded task! Sound like fun? Of course not. That's why most people procrastinate. We hate doing painful things.

But don't worry, this method is not that painful. Set your timer for 5 minutes. That's it. Now dive in and start your task. Don't worry about getting it done, just work as hard as you can for 5 minutes. Let the timer do it's thing; you just get to work.

When the timer goes off, you stop. You move on completely from the task. This is going to feel awkward but that's okay. 

What you are doing is hacking into your nervous system. You are short circuiting your usual procrastination dance. You know, the "start-stop-distraction-guilt" dance.

Go ahead and walk away from your task, even if it's not completed.

Step 3. Increase the Timer

The next day, do the same thing. Write down your number one most urgent and most dreaded task. Then, increase your timer setting. Can you do 10 minutes? How about 15? Maybe a half hour?

Whatever you commit to, the rule is you cannot stop when you're "in the cage." You only get let out when the timer goes off. It's like a referee keeping track of things. Your job is to work. Your job is to wrestle the tiger, and win.

When the timer goes off, do the same thing as before: stop working. You may want to keep going, but resist. You want to create a hunger in you to complete the task.

Remember, you are rewiring your brain to have a new relationship with so-called painful tasks. If you slip back into your default mode of dabbling at your task, you will not master your time.

And timing is everything, as they say. That's why TED Talks are timed. It creates focus and efficiency.

You are the Creator

Keep using this technique for three days. Then reassess. Most likely you will notice that you made more progress with the timer than you would have normally.

If you like your results, keep using your timer. Need to clean the house? Set a timer. Need to go jogging? Set a timer. You will be amazed by how much stuff you start getting done. You will start to see that the pain of getting started is really just an illusion!

As the creator of your life, it's time to rewrite your previous programming. You know, the story you tell yourself that you "deserve" to look at social media, that you need "a break" while you're doing an important task.

Remember, you are IN FACT the creator of your own life, and it starts with you calling yourself out on your own B.S., and I don't mean bachelor of science!

Now, go set that timer and get after it!

Also, If this method works for you, please share this post on social media or send it to a friend who needs to read it! 

If you have questions about how therapy works, feel free to reach out to me and schedule your free phone consultation today.