Are you one of those people who can’t seem to pull the trigger on difficult tasks that you know you must do for your camming career?
If so, it’s time to deal with the issue of procrastination.
For many cammers, “putting it off until tomorrow” is one of the biggest roadblocks to achieving success. It’s those who DO that get ahead, and those who DON’T that are left behind. And don’t think of yourself as the Tortoise from the Tortoise in the Hare either – the tortoise moved slow… but he moved.
You’re not gonna win the race if you keep putting it off.
But how do you combat the issue?
Read below for some tips that may help put the kibosh on procrastination once and for all so you can obtain the camming career you deserve and desire.
- Change your thinking – Stop calling yourself a procrastinator! If you believe you are, you will be. FACT – your brain is the most sophisticated computer on the planet. If you feed into it that you can’t finish what you set out to it will do its job and make sure you don’t. Tell your noggin that you are able to accomplish your goals!
- Don’t overwhelm yourself – Writing down what you need to do is great, but you’ll fail if you overwhelm yourself. Make one list for the week that’s realistic, then divvy up your days. For example, give yourself ten tasks total which works out to two for each weekday. Anyone can finish or get a start on two! Ten, not so much.
- Rewards help – Promise yourself a gift when you finish something that’s really hard – whether it’s a mocha, a new pair of shoes, or an extra twenty minutes of sleep in the morning. Bribing yourself works!
- Tackle your “To Do” first thing in the morning – Complete your most difficult list item as soon as you “clock in.” Do not allow yourself to look at email, social media, or text. It will take away your focus – you’ll be surprised how fast you can get things done when you avoid these procrastination helpers.
- Shut off all notifications – Going hand and hand with number four, shut off all pop ups that that will interrupt you while working on your task – no calls, no texts – you need to concentrate and knock it out!
- Write down the worst-case scenario – If you’re afraid to do what you know you need to do – perhaps it’s a difficult call – write down the worst that can happen if you complete it. Once you see that on paper and face your fear, it becomes easier to do the task. By the way, 90% of the time, your most unfavorable outcome never comes to fruition.
- Inspire Yourself: Write down all the positive juju you’ll feel when you complete what you’ve been dodging – be your biggest cheerleader.
- Post It Notes – Put your list up all around your living space – that way you cannot escape what you’ve been sidestepping.
- Get a Buddy – Tell someone you feel accountable to that you are finishing the “To Do” that you’ve been avoiding. Ask them to call you later and see if you’ve succeeded. There’s nothing like a little peer pressure to light a fire under you’re a*s.
- Stop trying to be perfect – We often put things off because we feel we can’t do it “right.” Get over your ego – you’re not perfect and no one is – what’s important is showing up, doing the job, and getting sh*t done!
Main Photo credit: iStock.com/GoodIdeas
Second photo credit: iStock.com/ronstik
Third photo credit: iStock.com/IvelinRadkov
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Alyssa Collins hails from Minnesota, where snowy days were the perfect excuse to stay warm inside and write. Over the years, she turned that joy into a career and has authored numerous articles for various publications (under pen names). Email Alyssa via alyssa@ynot.com.
