If you can’t get anything done, you need to confront these seven harsh truths that reveal why you procrastinate.
1. You let distractions interrupt you constantly.
I’d like to emphasize the word LET. People like to complain about how “distracted” they are, and most of them aren’t willing to accept that they are responsible for that reality.
No one is holding a gun to your head and demanding you to answer texts the second you receive them or accept more responsibilities than you could possibly handle.
If you feel overwhelmed, you need to deal with the fact that it is your fault. I don’t say this to judge you, because I’ve been guilty of both those things myself, but you need to accept personal responsibility; if you can’t do that, don’t even bother reading the rest of this article.
2. You brag about your ability to “multitask.”
Focus is a skill that is in short supply in the information age. Everyone is so obsessed with doing more things that they never stop to consider the fact that it might be more productive to do fewer things more effectively.
How productive would it be to take a customer phone call while performing a transaction in person if juggling those two things results in mistakes that otherwise could have been avoided? How efficient is it to stop writing an article or essay every five minutes to answer a text that isn’t urgent? How successful do you think you will be if you’re so accustomed to distraction, that you don’t even know what concentration feels like?
If you really think multitasking is a good idea, I dare you to answer those questions to prove me wrong.
3. You think long and hard, but don’t do much.
Planning is a prerequisite for long-term success, but as the saying goes, “there can always be too much of a good thing.” The best plan in the world is worthless if you never take action. George Patton summarized this point nicely when he said, “A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.”
4. You blame your problems on other people.
If you get upset when another person gets a promotion instead of you, I’d like to take this opportunity to invite you to cry me a river. Look — even if you deserved the position, how productive is it to gossip about another person? If anything, you’ll just alienate that coworker and make yourself look like a sore loser, which isn’t going to help your cause the next time you pursue an opportunity for advancement.
5. You obsess over stuff you have no control over.
“Obsessing over things I can’t do anything about sure makes me feel better about myself,” said nobody — anywhere — ever. Do NOT fall into this trap, because it will only result in self-inflicted stress and regret.
6. You can’t say “no” to anything, ever.
While it’s great to have friends you love to hang out with, you can’t expect to achieve anything worth talking about if you spend all of your time with other people. Highly effective hustlers know they must spend the occasional night working alone if they want to achieve their goals.
7. You read articles like this all the time, but never actually apply them.
I love to read, because it gives me the opportunity to discover new thoughts and ideas that challenge me to grow; however, the best self-help article in the world can’t save you if you’re not willing to implement the material in your life. Leave a comment below telling us how you’re going to take action.
And if you’d like to help your fellow procrastinators who can’t get anything done, make sure to check out this article too: What Is Procrastination and How to Stop It (The Complete Guide)
Featured photo credit: Zohre Nemati via unsplash.com
