Why do I delay Everything and How Could I Change?

Sometimes I sit on the living room couch and look around and sigh this place is a mess, but I’m too tired so I don’t even attempt to tidy up. Another day passes and the house is getting even messier, but again tired after a long day at work. I do NOTHING. Few more days pass and I have no choice the mess is more than I can handle! I begrudgingly tackle the mess and feel like I spend all my free time cleaning.

Why do I delay Everything? How Could I Change?

You may delay everything because of fear of failure. You may also delay things because the tasks you are trying to accomplish seem too overwhelming. To change, view failure as an opportunity to learn and break large tasks into smaller more manageable tasks.

Why do I Delay Everything? Tasks seem too Overwhelming

Sometimes tasks can be too overwhelming when viewed in their entirety. Other times there are too many tasks to accomplish and you don’t see the point in tackling just one or two when there are still 55 more items on your to do list. The general idea is that you don’t see the point in starting the race when you don’t think you can cross the finish line.

How do I stop delaying Everything?: Take the First Step No Matter How Small

Make a decision to devote some amount of time to the task you have been putting it off. Even if it is just as little as five minutes. I use this to avoid putting tasks off at home and at the office.

In the office I block of time for tasks that I don’t enjoy doing like mandatory training. I will devote 30 minutes twice a week to work on mandatory training. It may not seem like a lot, but it is a step to accomplishing the tasks. Instead of waiting until the last minute. I tackle the task in small chunks. It also clears the mental clutter of worrying about not finishing a task in time.

Household chores in general seem like an insurmountable task on most days. I used to become paralyzed with procrastination. I did not know where to start, so I would just put It off until I could not stand the sight of the mess anymore. Eventually I would spend hours doing chores, and it simply wouldn’t be enough to put a dent in everything.

I started dedicating time each day to certain chores. For example, I will fold laundry for 15 minutes, or I will wash dishes for 15 minutes. After those 15 minutes are up, I am free to walk away. Sometimes I chose to continue because if I devote just a few more minutes to the tasks I am able to complete it.

Why do I Delay Everything? Fear of Failure

Starting this website was scary for me. As a mom who works outside of the home full-time, finding time to build a website was hard. Developing this website required my most precious resource…my time. I was afraid that I might spend my time developing this website instead of spending time with my family, or getting some much-needed rest, only to have no one visit my site.

One quote that keeps me going is the “On the Other Side of Fear there is Freedom” . I know that if I get good at websites, and get good at creating helpful content…I could change my family’s lifestyle. I could help to build and grow business on my own time and get out of the 9 to 5 grind.

After a long day I would find myself struggling to open my laptop…. questioning if this would all be worth it in the end.

Fear of not being able to complete a project or assignment, can prevent you from starting in the first place. If it is a homework assignment you may be afraid that you will put a lot of effort in to it only to get a mediocre grade anyway. So you put it off as long as possible, If you get a mediocre grade its no big deal because

How to stop Delaying Everything? Accept Failure

In school we are taught “Pass” is good and “Fail” is bad. In life that can keep you from stepping outside of your comfort zone. The truth is in life failing at something can be a lesson that you can use to move forward. If you don’t try, you have to live with the regret of wondering “what if” you tried. Could you have been successful?

“Everything You Want is on the Other Side of Fear”
Jack Canfield

For a homework assignment, that may mean you start early put in effort and get a “B” instead of an “A” on an assignment. That is ok. Speak to your teacher or professor and ask them what you could have done differently to get a better grade. Apply any feedback to the next assignment or to prepare for the exam. This will help prepare you for life outside of school.

Outside of academic settings, you have to set the bar for success. You have to reflect and decide how you want to move forward. In school a mediocre grade, brings down your GPA, doesn’t make you stand out in the class, it can make a student feel like they’ve “failed” in the eyes of academia. The equivalent of a “B” or “C” subject outside of academia may be the one a task that you are knowledgeable about, but you don’t find enjoyable.

How to stop Delaying Everything? Delegate

If it is a task that must be completed to help you reach tour goals. You have two options. Break the task up into smaller tasks in order to get it done get the task accomplished. Smaller tasks may be less overwhelming than larger tasks.

The other option is to delegate! If it is a tasks you do not enjoy doing, can it be assigned to someone else in the house? Can you pay someone else to complete a task for you.? This option normally doesn’t exist in the academic world since each student is responsible for their own work. However, if you are building a business, you may want to consider outsourcing some of the tasks that are just too overwhelming.