Two Simple Ways To Stop Procrastinating

HOW AVOIDING TASKS EATS AWAY OUR VALUABLE TIME

My procrastination just cost me 20 minutes.

I wrote a check save the credit card processing fees two weeks ago. Popped it into an envelope, addressed it, and slapped on a stamp.

Quite proud of myself for taking immediate action, I placed the ready-to-be-mailed envelope on the counter, awaiting my next trip to the mailbox.

And there it sat for 13 days. 

But why? 

The hard part was done? The last 10% of the task was easy, right? 

Apparently not. 

Roughly two years ago, we got a locking mailbox, and I don’t know how to put outgoing mail in it. 

It would've taken me a few minutes to google it or even flag down my mailperson to ask, but I didn’t.

I avoided the envelope.

The mailbox became the friction. The obstacle in my path.

Today was the deadline for them to receive the check, so I had to drive it over in the pouring rain, which took 20 minutes away from my day.

Not to mention the stress mounting a little more each time I walk by the unmailed envelope.

If you find yourself in similar situations, where you’re avoiding a task or a conversation, there are two things you can try:

1—Figure out what the steps are to get it done and solve for any stumbling points. 
In this example, not knowing how to use the mailbox stopped my progress.

2—Eat the frog. This is one of the most effective ways to combat procrastination and avoidance. Do hard things first.
I would have saved time and stress if I had immediately looked up how to use our mailbox. 

What small ways are you losing time?

👉 P.S. If you want to learn more about time management and strategic productivity, grab a free Time Balance Basics guide HERE and follow me on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube.