Procrastination has been a common ailment of just about every business owner I know. Some learn how to overcome it and others struggle with it for years.
I have to admit, one of my big vices is warm drinks (tea, hot cocoa, apple cider,etc.). I drink different kinds, but as I sit and write or do any other work at my desk in the evening and into the night, you will usually see a cup close to me.
To make this posting make any sense, I must also admit that I really don't like to do laundry, to take out garbage or to deal with dirty or clean dishes. (a domestic goddess I am not…)
A while ago, I decided to use this habit to my advantage. It now helps me fight procrastination.
Now, when I decide to brew my tea, it takes about 8 minutes from the time I get out the stuff to make it and the time it is done. If I heat a cup of cider I might have it on the stove for 1 minute.
That is not long . . .
Most you will agree that neither 8 minutes or 1 minute times are very long and that most people could sustain undesired activities for that long. Thinking that through for a moment, I decided to give it a try. I decided to decide that I would use those few minutes every so often in my day to get the things done that I did not want to do.
Why domestic type items during that time?
I picked activities that were close in proximity to where I made or heated my drink. Since the activities were close, it has been easy to do one or two things and then move on with my day.
It is working
Now that I have personally tested this for a while, I can tell you that it is working for me!
After doing this for a while, I have found that there are a lot of activities that I had put off that I could get done in that time. It is amazing what can get done in 8 minutes!
You could easily switch it up to any activity that you don't want to do or are avoiding.
I work quickly and efficiently because I have made it a game. How much can I get through before the tea pot whistles? I have even surprised myself.
Your Turn!
How do you use “beat the clock?” What things do you do to fight procrastination? I'd love to hear what you think.
To your success!
Jan Masching says
I enjoy playing “Beat the Clock” with myself. I time myself to see how much I can get accomplished in a certain amount of time. I continue the challenge as long as I am progressing. As a reward, I sometimes set the timer for a 30-minute break and have a little spa time with a hot drink and some reading material. Then, I go back to working on the project after I have refreshed myself with tea, a piece of chocolate, or something enjoyable to read.
Stephanie LH Calahan says
Jan – Thanks for the comment! I like your idea of a reward. Mint tea with some milk chocolate sounds awesome to me! Steph
Shelley says
I do non-habitual/special tasks FIRST, and creatively procrastinate on established habits such as household work, because I know at the end of the day, I will say, “I CAN’T go to bed without doing THAT!” Plus, things that I have down take less time, and I have promise of a gratifying sense of accomplishment every day, even if some things didn’t go well! It’s absolutely amazing how quickly you can get things in order around the house if you have made it a habit!
Stephanie LH Calahan says
@Shelly – Yes! Habits make things much easier. One illustration would be to look at simple addition. 2 + 2 = 4 4 + 4 = 8 8 + 8 = 16 Back when you were a kid, you probably used your fingers and counted to get to the 2+2 answer. Now, because it has become a habit through practice, answering the question is easy. The same applies to many other habits in our lives.
lynn says
Clever idea. Count me in for this game! I also use a kitchen timer in the my home office. I’ll set the timer for 30 or 45 minutes and then handle those projects that tend to stay at the bottom of the to-do list (filing, sorting, etc).
Stephanie LH Calahan says
Lynn – Excellent! Love your strategy using a timer. Awesome technique.