How to beat procrastination pt. 2 - Is it vital?
Before you try to change your procrastinating habit, ask first : is it vital?
Procrastination. We all do it.
I feel, just like you, the guilt of postponing, again and again, that pesky task that sits on my to-do list. We all have this one thing we just can’t get ourselves to do! But what if it doesn’t need to be done, at all?
Before berating yourself with guilt, ask “is it vital”?
Oftentimes, we procrastinate on things that are not important
And we feel guilty for it.
But productivity is not “do, do, do” at all costs. Productivity is working on the things that are meaningful. That really matter to you. And leaving the rest.
Productivity implies being selective in what you actually do, so that you have more time for what is vital, important, what truly matters.
Vital, important, consequences
In his book, The Bullet Journal Method, Author Ryder Carroll suggests you ask of all tasks “Is it vital? Does it matter to you or someone you love? Are there consequences for not doing it?”
If the answer to all these questions is no, cross it off your list. Simple as that.
Get rid of the shoulds and oughts to in your life
There is one word that I banned from my vocabulary. I should.
This word feels to me like an obligation. As an Upholder, anything I put on my to-do list becomes a should. And it can quickly feel daunting. Even if it’s just a “would be nice to”. It becomes a should.
Ryder Carroll invites us to revisit our tasks and projects and evaluate their meaning, their importance, and reassess during our daily, weekly and monthly reflections if they are still vital, needed, or important.
What to do when you realize you’ve been putting off a task repeatedly
As soon as you notice yourself postponing or putting off a task, ask yourself these questions.
You can revisit your tasks and projects lists at the end of each week and assess the importance of each item. Yes, it will take some time, but think of how much time you’ll save by crossing things off your list.
And the guilt that will leave you knowing that these things don’t actually matter.
What is one nagging thing on your list you could cross off right now?
Let me know in the comments below!