Page 190 - End Procrastination Now Get it Done with a Proven Psychological Approach

154 End Procrastination Now!

• And then? I feel uncomfortable and insecure.
• And then? I want to do something else.
• And then? I promise myself that I’ll get to learning the new
program as soon as I can,
• And then? I busy myself elsewhere.
• And then? I nag myself about learning the program and
feel stressed.
• And then? I keep finding other things to do.
• And then? I cram at the last minute.
• And then? My mind feels stuffed, and I have trouble focusing.
• And then? I swear I’ll start earlier next time to avoid last-
minute pressure.

The and then question-and-answer sequence can help you flesh
out what you do when you procrastinate. It can give you concrete
information that you can flow into a general counter-procrastination
strategy.

Set a Direction

The five-phase self-regulation approach builds upon self-aware-
ness and a problem-solving awareness and follows a sequence of
steps that has often proved successful for profitable business en-
terprises. The process of setting a direction, however, starts with
defining a mission and specifying your supporting goals that sup-
port the mission.
A mission to address procrastination is a special charge that
you assign to yourself. It’s a vision that gives you a broad direction.
Some missions are so broad that they are perhaps too nonspecific
and all-encompassing:

• Paving over the gossamer path of procrastination with self-
mastery achieved by following through and performing at
higher levels