The Painless Solution To Procrastination

I have a confession to make. Once upon a time, I had a bad case of procrastination. I could find all sorts of excuses for putting off any activity which I just didn't feel like doing!

Big ideas - I had them. But the follow-through was not there. So I wasted years not working on my ideas. I'd see other people come up with the same ideas and even make a career of them or write a book, and I'd think - hey, I had the same idea several years ago...but never did anything about it.

But this is the worst part: procrastination can drive you crazy. When you have a big assignment that must be done, a presentation, a project, a goal - yes, you want to get it done, but you might be dreading the hard work involved!

It's not that you're lazy - in fact, once you get going, you might charge along like a house afire - but you just might not be able to GET STARTED! And if you don't get started - if you aren't working on your project or goal - then you aren't getting anywhere.

I spent more time dreading something than I would finally spend actually getting it done. That was the ironic part! If I had just worked for the same amount of time I spent dreading the task in my mind - I'd have been done a long time ago! I started to realize just how ridiculous this was.

But then I discovered a secret that is unlocking many, many doors for me. And it's so simple you will be amazed. Oddly, I have not read this elsewhere - but it works for me. Doing this, I am learning another language, attacking my projects, and am teaching a teenage girl to play the piano - a girl who did not think she wanted to learn the piano but who is willing to do this under these circumstances, and is showing remarkable talent and progress - painlessly.

Now I'm going to share this secret with you. I promise that this will stick with you and you won't be able to forget it because it's so incredibly simple. Not only that, but you won't be able to resist trying it out! You will definitely get something done this week and make progress on something - even if it's cleaning out that closet. Yes, doing that will make you feel much, much better every time you look at it.

What's the secret? Here it is:

I call it the Five Minute Solution. Here is how it works: Do you have one of those little wind-up timers? Get one. They're at the grocery store and don't need batteries. I've been using the same one for years. That little thing is saving my life.

Decide what you want to accomplish - whether it's improving a room, cleaning, exercising, writing a letter, working on a project, or whatever your own goal is. Set the timer or just look at the clock.

You are going to work on this for FIVE MINUTES. Yes, that's all. Just five minutes. Set the timer and GO.

Five minutes later, you are done. You have just improved one room in your house significantly. You have just written that thank-you letter that you needed to write - or maybe you just located the stationery and stamps! The point is - you made progress toward your goal.

Tomorrow - guess what? You are going to work for five minutes again. It wasn't hard, was it? You might have even wanted to continue working longer - but you don't have to.

If you do this every day - a miracle will happen. You will finish that project. You will get your taxes done painlessly. You will see and feel results if you exercise or stretch for five minutes. You will learn that other language. Your home will start to look better than ever. You will read that book you didn't think you could get through.

I do this every single day now! There are about four things I use this for - so this takes a whole twenty minutes of my day. One thing I do is pick the room in my home that needs the most improvement. (I'm talking about the junk repository that most of us have somewhere - in a closet, room, garage, drawer, or storage place.)

That's something that tends to overwhelm me and get very frustrating. When a task gets unpleasant, I use the Five Minute Solution. After only five minutes, I see an improvement and I'm done!

You can adapt the Five-Minute Solution in a number of ways that will work for you - for many projects, or for just one at a time.

Have you ever purchased something online, then never really used it? If so, you're not alone. In fact, online "gurus" often feel frustrated that so many people do exactly that - buy their products, then never put them to use to make more money. The Five-Minute Solution is useful here.

I broke down and bought one legendary program that costs four figures - I kid you not. I spent several hours a day at first listening to this program and watching the videos. But after a few days, the newness wore off, and I could see where this was headed - other projects were calling me, and this expensive program which promised so much was at risk of sitting on my shelf - postponed indefinitely!

What did I do? I made this a special Twenty-Minute Solution. No matter what happens, I spend at least twenty minutes a day studying this program and putting it into action. I also purchased a notebook to write down the new things I am learning. This is working for me.

I hope you find success with this technique. It can produce amazing results, and the encouragement you will get produces even more motivation and builds on itself.

Yes, you can make it ten or twenty minutes if you wish - it's entirely up to you.

But start with five! It will show you a lot about self-discipline in the process. You will see what I mean.

Sarah Tanner writes about relationships and charm. Visit her websites http://www.howtohavecharm.com, http://www.stopyourbreakupnow.com, and http://www.marriageandwealth.com. Sign up for her unique emails and receive free ebooks!

---

Maximizing The Time of Your Life

Setting goalsSetting personal and business goals are a must if... Read More

Intense Desire: Rocket Fuel When You Set Goals!

Have you set goals, personal or business, and failed to... Read More

Elephants Are Really Big, Arent They?

In fact, this very type font I am using is... Read More

Ready, Set, Change!

I was at work one day, calling on a customer... Read More

Achieve Your Goals By Eating The Frog And The Elephant

Brian Tracy, the great motivational guru, often suggests that people... Read More

Goal Setting and Goal Getting: Go Use This Stuff!

Q. I have always had such trouble with doing this... Read More

Creativity Management ? Short Term Goal Setting

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

The Psychology Of Success

Everybody has a dream. A fantasy, if you like. Usually... Read More

Successful Goal Setting and Achievement

The first step to success, of course, is to set... Read More

The 12 Commandments of Goal Setting

Many professionals have a basic idea of what they want... Read More

Living The Real Life Beyond Goal Setting

In many of his wonderful talks the motivational speaker Zig... Read More

The Top 10 Steps to Set and Achieve Your Goals - Every Time!

It's been said that everyone has goals, whether we know... Read More

The Importance Of Having A Goal In Life

At the age of twenty two, I read a book... Read More

Goal Setting and Goal Getting: Here Are Some Quotes that Can Change Your Life

Here are several quotes about setting and achieving goals. My... Read More

Goalsetting: Must We?

All goals take time to accomplish. But most people are... Read More

Got Purpose?

Is your life on purpose? Does just the question stop... Read More

Obtaining Your Desires

For one to achieve their goals or obtain their desires,... Read More

Do Not Let Anyone Dissuade You From Reaching Your Goals!

Years back when I was formulating my plans for life,... Read More

Setting S.M.A.R.T. Goals

I cannot stress the importance of setting goals enough. Goals... Read More

Productive Goal Setting

There's been a lot written about goal setting and there... Read More

Make 2005 Your Best Year Ever - Its Not Too Late!

We are moving rapidly through 2005, and you'll find previously... Read More

Go For Success! Creating Business and Personal Goals that Inspire and Motivate

Are you feeling motivated to set some strong goals for... Read More

Why You Must Stop Setting Goals

My goal in life is to have no goals. They... Read More

How To Choose The Right Goals To Focus On

Sometimes setting goals alone is not the only problem that... Read More

How to Keep Your Focus on Your Home Business Goals

As you begin your new home business you will find... Read More

Hustle While You Wait

Everything comes to those who hustle while they wait -Thomas... Read More

Create Your Path to Success - Achieve Key Goals

Creating your path to success depends on walking on a... Read More

Figure Out the Pebble in Your Shoe

"By asking for the impossible, we obtain the best possible."... Read More

The Stories We Tell Ourselves

The Hasidic master, Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach taught that on Passover... Read More

The Synergy of Vision

Over the years I have experienced some amazing results with... Read More

Simple Ways to Super-Charge Your Goals and Make Them Work!

Goals. Most people have a love-hate relationship with goals. They... Read More

Resolutions? Try this!

Several articles and newsletters with the message that New Year's... Read More

Five Steps to Goal-Setting

What would you like to achieve in your lifetime?Author Basil... Read More