{Personal Image}
Have you ever noticed that it’s harder to get started on something than it is to actually do it?
I have a battle within my head every morning when I decide whether or not to exercise. I don’t want to get out of my warm, comfortable bed. I want to turn over and cuddle up to my husband {Or do something a little dirtier that I really shouldn’t be talking about. Hey, I’m married–it’s allowed!}. I want to hit snooze and catch another hour of sleep.
I’m always happier when I overcome the resistance and get my butt to the gym {Even the dirty things are better when those endorphins are buzzing and I’m feeling good about myself}. It’s not difficult for me to get going once I’m at the gym. I turn on my iPod and stretch before hopping on the treadmill or grabbing a set of weights. When I’m into the workout, I’m not thinking that I wish it was over. Okay, I think that every once in a while. But, usually I enjoy the music or book I’m listening to and feel good about moving my body. It’s not difficult to do the work once I’ve started—it’s the starting that’s tough.
You have to learn how to push past that resistance and get started.
Dipping your paintbrush into the paint and making your first swipe on a canvas can often be the hardest part of painting. It’s the same with any creative venture. Do you frequently think about making your own knitting patterns but never get around to it? Do you say to yourself, “It’s fine if I put off writing my first blog post until tomorrow. What’s another day?” I’m telling you: IT’S NOT FINE! You’ll just keep putting it off.
When I notice that I’m procrastinating, these are the 3 steps I implement to get started:
1. Set a timer for 20 minutes.
Instead of telling myself that I have to complete the task at hand, I decide to work on it for 20 minutes. That’s doable even if it’s something that I don’t really want to be doing. Often times, the timer will go off and I’ll keep working to finish the task, because I’ve already gotten past the difficult part of getting started.
2. Shut off all distractions.
If I want to get distracted, it’s easy to do. I know when I’m procrastinating that I need to get rid of any and all distractions. For instance, if I’m sitting down to write, I’ll close out all social media pages and my email and put my phone on silence. This way I don’t have any excuses but to work on what’s in front of me.
3. Allow myself to produce crap.
You might not have expected this one, but it’s true, especially if fear is holding me back. If I’m staring at a blank page, I’ll remind myself that I can edit things later. If I’m staring at a blank canvas, I’ll tell myself that I can paint over it if I don’t love it. I don’t let that inner critic win—the one that says, “You’re not good enough.” Instead, I say, “If it’s not good enough, that’s okay.” I take away the power of fear by allowing for imperfection.
Even if I produce crap, I usually learn something from it {like never do that again}. I can take some of the ideas and use them in a new piece of writing or a new painting.
Read below to find out what I’m up to and why you should stay tuned.
Last Wednesday, I provided free consulting sessions in order to get to know some of my readers even better, and I loved every minute of delving into some major frustrations. With the exception of two people that I talked to, everyone spoke about time management and getting things done.
After those sessions, I thought about how I can reorganize my plans over the next few months to focus on helping you with these issues. I talked to my husband while we cooked breakfast and he smiled at me and said, “That’s perfect. You have a background in psychology and helped lots of people change their habits. Replicate that by putting together some kind of program.”
Note to husband: Thanks for that–sounds like the easiest thing ever. NOT! But, it is something I’m going to work on over the next couple of months.
I don’t know what form it’s going to come in. I’m still in the beginning stages of planning, but I wanted you to know what’s coming up on the agenda. I’ll be writing articles and making videos for Blacksburg Belle on the topics of time management, resistance, getting stuff done, prioritization, change, and decision making.
I don’t like the phrase “time management.”
Ugh. It’s waaaaay too boring and makes me want to punch myself in the face. It conjures up a picture of a geek with glasses {no offense–I’m a geek with glasses} sitting with his planner, sipping a mocha latte, and scheduling every second of the day. I just can’t live that way. I’m also not a fan of the phrases “to-do lists” or “goal setting.” I’d rather say, “amazing stuff I’m gonna do today” and “dreams that are absolutely gonna come true.”
I want to have some fun when discussing these topics—and if you make it fun for yourself, you’ll be more likely to follow through.
