Are you a procrastinator?
Have you have just committed to a new project only to start procrastinating getting started?
As a Business Coach I see how when it comes to procrastination, planning can be a solution or the obstacle. Creating a time line and process for the project sometimes can help you to stop putting things off and managing the fear of the new commitment.
However, if you have trouble moving beyond the planning stage into action you may end up bogged down in analysis paralysis.
Perhaps you already see signs of over-planning in your life.
You want to start a business, but you do so much research that conditions change before you are ready to launch. Or, you want to start new marketing for your services, you write 3 newsletters but you are stuck in editing stage to make them “perfect”.
5 Tips to Help You Move from Thinking To Doing
Accept Uncertainty
There is no predicting the future. Embracing change and starting something new is more effective than resisting it. Resistance is normal, it is a reaction to fear of failure we are biologically wired to fear change. Action is the best fear buster. Accept uncertainty and do it anyway!
Make the Effort
Stop talking about your goals, put down the how-to-books and get going, act. Planning can go awry if you start obsessing about the small details. You do not have to have it all figured out, as Brene Brown says: get in the arena.
Learn from Experience
There is no reason to fear making mistakes, you will turn them into lessons on what to do next time. You are making progress regardless of the immediate outcome.
Live in the Present
It is motivating to imagine how your actions will affect your future self in a positive way; however, do not ignore the here and now. Live mindfully and celebrate your accomplishments and where you are today.
Build your Confidence
Doubting your abilities and fearing failure will cause resistance in the form of procrastination. Find a mentor who will remind you of your past accomplishments and keep you focused on your next steps. Use self-talk to motivate yourself.
Remind yourself of past accomplishments and choose activities that leverage your personal strengths.
7 Practical Strategies to Avoid Excess Planning
Set a Deadline for Planning
Take 10 to 15 minutes to plan out your day the evening prior. The next day execute the plan. If un-expected items come up deal with them in a realistic manner: do they have to be done right now or can you plug them into my calendar for another time? Keep yourself honest.
Proceed in Reverse
When you arrange a wedding or dinner party, you set the date and then work backwards from the final date. Use the same strategy to projects to keep yourself on track.
Break Things Down
Cut monster projects down to actionable small steps, chunk-it-down. Setting big goals is necessary for growth and progress; however, your brain will message you that “it’s too big”, you will likely feel over-whelmed. Identifying the small steps will, settle your inner game down and make it doable.
Take the First Step
Pick out at least one thing you can do today. Look for something you are confident you have the resources to do today. Make sure you can live with the level of risk involved.
Enlist Support
You can accomplish more when you surround yourself with a coach or mentor, a team that encourage you, give you objective feedback and are your accountability partners.
Review your Progress
Constant evaluation and adjustments increase your chances of success. Develop measurable milestones and target dates to evaluate your performance and refine your plans.
Be Flexible
Success has more to do with spending your time in the most important and meaningful activities than it does with sticking to a rigid plan. Keep your purpose, your big Why? and core values in site.
Planning needs to work to your advantage.
While there are many good reasons to think and plan before acting, you need to do something if you are going to reach your goals.
Let your plans give you a clear outcome, ownership and a sense of direction instead of holding you back.