NEVER...EVER...GIVE UP HOPE : That Dirty Little 15 Letter Word

There is a word that almost always brings groans and utterances under one's breath. People often talk about this word and wish they could remove it from their vocabulary. That word is 'procrastination.' Many people hate to admit they are procrastinators, yet some are proud they can put things off until the last moment and still get them done.

Maybe you have monthly, weekly, daily even half-daily lists. When crossing tasks off those lists, it can bring you great pleasure. The tricky part is to be flexible and spontaneous when something fun or necessary takes priority and totally messes with your lists! To do this without getting flustered is an art, creativity at its best. It takes practice and a lot of patience.

Only you can choose

I have lived with the world's greatest procrastinator for the past 40 plus years. I may have learned a thing or two about coping with HIS problem. If you happen to be one of those lucky people who live with one -- hang on -- here are some synonyms for procrastinator and they aren't pretty:

If I called my hubby any one of those names, I would be in serious jeopardy of dirty looks or worse. Hey, I didn't write the dictionary!

My question to you is this: Who is the most stressed? The procrastinator or the other person? I have learned not to care if he doesn't get done what he would like to do -- that's his problem.

H O W E V E R......... if I want him to do something, there is a trick that has worked for a couple decades. I honestly don't think he has figured it out.

I never, I repeat...., NEVER ask him when he would like to do something. Yet, I always give him a choice -- that is crucial. If you don't give a choice, it sounds like nagging.

Instead of saying, "Would you please fix the door? It has not been closing properly for six months." Get creative. "With winter coming, the front door needs to be fixed. Do you want to fix it today or should I call a carpenter?"

Instead of "I have to work late tomorrow. Could you fix dinner?" Try...."I'll be home late tomorrow. Do you want to order in or meet me at the restaurant?"

When you do this, the procrastinator actually thinks it is his idea. So get creative in how you approach each situation or you will come off as the "nag."

Now, here are some questions to ask yourself to see if you are a procrastinator:

Have you spent countless minutes, hours or days searching for something you misplaced because you did not take the time to put it where it belonged?

Have you had an argument with someone you live with for misplacing something of his or hers?

Have you missed an appointment because you forgot?

Have you been halfway to your destination and remembered you didn’t bring what you needed?

Do you have piles of papers, or unopened mail that you will get to....... someday?

Do you have that nagging notion telling you to get organized?

Have you read books and/or articles on how to get organized?

Have you purchased organizational aids to help you and then never used them?

If you answered yes to even one of these questions, you are not organized to the point you want to be. There is a simple solution to this problem. I am quite sure you are thinking, “Yeah, right.” You have tried everything and nothing has worked so far.

I have a tried and proven method to get organized and eliminate all that wasted time you spent trying to get organized. I know there are countless books on the subject. I know you can spend money on books, videos and even go to seminars to get the desired results, but I am going to give you a secret.

If you are serious about getting organized, you will get the results using ONE little secret. It is a secret my father taught me when I was a little girl and it still works today – every time!

REMEMBER -- It has been said that it takes 30 days to break a habit and form a new one. But, the exciting part is that you can get results immediately. Each time you take a baby step in the right direction, it will pay off in the end. The more progress you make, the closer you are to becoming ORGANIZED.

clock showing the stress of procrastinating

Remove the stress - Do it NOW

Do you have any idea how much time you will have to do the things you want to do when you are not wasting your time trying to find something?

You may be thinking that it is easy to be organized when you are not a busy person. Please realize that I speak from a position of being extremely busy -- click here to see why the busier you are, the more important it is to do things in a timely manner and stay organized. It can be done!

My father drilled this into my psyche. It has helped me to be organized, on time, and a lot less frustrated.

Six magic words that can change your life

Before I tell you the words, be prepared to say them a hundred times a day, if needed. Make some post-it notes; put them all over the house, your office, and your car. Don't put it off -- starting now is the first step to possibly changing your life forever.

Those six words are – DO IT RIGHT – DO IT NOW! Just that simple. Saying them out loud requires commitment.

Even after all these years, sometimes I want to choose to put something off or not do it properly. But I say DO IT RIGHT – DO IT NOW! As soon as I make the effort, I reap the benefits.

If I am ever tempted to put something off, I will say it immediately out loud and the few seconds or minutes it took me to DO IT RIGHT and DO IT NOW will pay off big time in the long run.

Reap in the benefits

I rarely lose or misplace something because it was not put back where it belonged. It is easy to put off doing something now by making the excuse that you don't have time. Take the time. You will learn to make the time to do it now and properly.

If it is a big job that needs doing, make a point of putting it at the top of your priority list to do before you take on any other task, which may be more pleasant. For the bigger jobs, you can also schedule it onto your lists in segments. Then the job does not appear to be as overwhelming.

It may sound too simple to work, but it does! I challenge you to be diligent for 30 days and the benefits and rewards will be incredible.

You can thank me now (or later) but please send me your thoughts, ask me questions or tell me about your victories!