5 Minute Plan to Stop Procrastination

Do you have a list of mundane tasks that need to get done but can’t seem to come up with the energy to do them?  Are you able to tackle new exciting projects but these everyday jobs seem overwhelming?  

You’re not alone–many people that I talk to have this same problem.  

A client of mine, Sara, was struggling with this.  At work Sara was known to be able to come up with creative solutions to problems and develop a plan to solve them.  When it came to responding to emails on time and delivering reports she was typically late. This was preventing her from moving ahead in her career and gaining the respect she knew she deserved.   She couldn’t understand why she was able to start and finish the big jobs that were presented to her but when it came to keeping up with the tedious paperwork she was falling behind.

This behavior is a common problem for people who thrive on creativity, excitement, and deadlines.  Many people are able to come up with fantastic ideas then work hard to see it through to completion.  When it comes to responding to emails, filing taxes, and other necessary but mundane tasks they just can’t seem to find the energy to begin.  The problem begins when those necessary tasks start to pile up and even thinking about them can be overwhelming.

FINDING A COMMON THEME

When we started working together we first looked at the jobs she struggled with the most. Sara made a list of the things that she just seemed to have no energy to do and realized that they all had one thing in common–they were typically “boring” tasks that didn’t stimulate her creativity.

CREATING A PLAN

Once she saw the common theme we were able to come up with a plan.  First, she looked at which of these tasks could be delegated to someone else.  Then she took a good look at what really didn’t need to be completed at all.  After that she was left with things that she really had to deal with,like responding to emails.

THE FIVE MINUTE PLAN

Now that Sara whittled down her list to a few boring tasks, she needed a plan to get them done.  We came up with a “5-minute plan.”  She put on some motivating music, set her timer for 5 minutes and then tackled one of these mundane tasks.  By knowing she only had to work on it for 5 minutes, she was able to get started without a feeling of dread.  And often she found that she worked longer than the five minutes, she just needed that push to get started!

This plan could easily work for household chores that you’ve been putting off as well.  The next time you’re looking at the pile of laundry to fold, put on some music and set a timer for 5 minutes.  You may be surprised how much you get done!

REACH OUT FOR HELP

If you would like some help with starting or finishing what you start, reach out to me for a Discovery Call.