Vaporize Procrastination for the New Year ll By Brenda Bomgardner
How many times have you said, “One of these days I will, blah, blah blah….” and end up regretting not having a solid plan. The results – it never happened. Worst yet, were you dreading the day someone said, “I told you so.” Furthermore, procrastinating to make a plan can increase stress making life less enjoyable with possible side effects that are harmful to the body.
You can have a great start for the New Year and beyond with intentional focus.
You can achieve desired results with a few simple steps. Find yourself an accountability and planning partner. Someone you can trust to be honest with and trust they will be honest back. This does not mean your best friend or partner. Pick a person who you have a little distance with or form a small accountability team of three to four people.
Before you read any further, let me ask you? Does accountability make you want to run the other way? Does it remind you of being micro-managed or does it cause fear of failure to rumble under your skin? If you feel insecure about having an accountability and planning partner because you’re not sure how or what to work on, that is okay. A like-minded accountability and planning partner will help you get outside the box beyond your blind spots.
Accountability is defined as being responsible for the results of your choices.
Most people see themselves as being responsible or striving to be responsible. People get stuck in procrastinating because of feeling ambivalent. Ambivalence is an indicator that something is actually really important to you. So important, it is risky to go after it because failure is painful. With an accountability and planning partner or and accountability team you can vaporize procrastination. With the right fit you can put on your brainstorming hat and open your mind to the possibilities of building long term momentum in achieving your dreams.
No need to push uphill alone when you can have a team pushing with you. You can create a life of intentional focus on what matters most to you.
The next step to vaporizing procrastination is to make a schedule on a calendar. Start by printing up a blank one for the entire year from the internet. Start with a paper calendar and then transfer it to your favorite electronic calendar. You can do this any time of year.
1. Lay out all twelve months so you can see them all at the same time.
2. Mark off special occasions such as birthdays, holidays and anniversaries.
3. Mark off extra days off beyond the weekend. For example, if a holiday falls on a Monday, I take off the Friday before the holiday which results in a four day weekend.
4. Mark off your vacation time. If you have children find out their school vacation schedule. Schedules are posted a year in advance.
5. Now that you have marked off your personal time, you can get down to business.
6. If you are self-employed, mark the days you will see customers or clients.
7. Then include days you plan to do bookkeeping, marketing, networking or other duties needed to keep your business running smoothly.
8. If you are not self-employed, do you have upcoming work projects that need completed by particular deadlines.
Take a few days to do this and be sure to include the days you will meet with your accountability and planning partner or team. Bring your full attention into focus when completing your calendar and the results will be an increase in self-efficacy and empowerment. You will be the change agent in your own life. You can find an accountability partner before or after you complete your calendar. One thing for sure, share it with your accountability and planning partner. They can help you vaporize procrastination and live life beyond the ordinary.
To learn more about Brenda visit her About Me page
Brenda Bomgardner is in her encore career. One of her greatest joys in her career is seeing people move beyond life’s roadblocks toward a fulfilling and meaningful life. She believes each person has a purpose in life waiting to be realized and that purpose continues to evolve over a lifetime. The path to reaching your life’s purpose is as unique as each individual. We all have dreams. Step by step she will walk with you on uncovering how to bring your dreams to fruition. Brenda is a counselor, coach and clinical supervisor and specializes in practicing Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) which is a cutting edge evidence-based process. This means there is scientific research to show ACT works. Before becoming a therapist and life coach, she completed a successful 17-year career in Human Resources at a Fortune 500 company. On a personal note she loves the great outdoors, ATV riding, adventure travel and family.
