I was and still am a big procrastinator. I even procrastinated writing an entry about how to stop procrastinating. I have productivity ADD and constantly find myself starting several different projects and never getting around to finishing them. This website was one of them. I kept putting it off and it shamefully went for more than a year without any updates. I even had a blog on there at one point but I took it off because I had lost motivation and commitment to continue updating it. Life took control over me. I had just graduated school and went on a wonderful vacation in Asia and as soon as I came back, I started a full time position at my job. I got carried away with the daily grind of things and for a while, I forgot about all the dreams and future plans I had. I had to stop and re-evaluate things, a bit of self reflection if you will. Unless you’re a professional or extremely well self disciplined, I’m sure most of us have trouble kicking procrastination in the butt and getting motivated to finally completing that one task you’ve been pushing aside. Here are some tips and resources that I’ve come across which have helped me tremendously in buckling down and getting this site redone at last. Hopefully they will help you out too in your endeavors. (I know some of you have websites that you’re itching to work on or update and I really hope this entry helps you out. =)

1. Find out what it is that you want, and put all of your energy behind achieving it.
   Look into your dreams and goals and figure out what you want to do, and also know why it’s important to you and the reasoning behind it. If the task doesn’t have a meaningful purpose to you, then you’re going to have a hard time staying focused on it.  For me, my website was a top priority on my to-do list. I wanted something that incorporates all my interests and allows me to exercise my creativity. I also wanted a way to connect with others to get thoughts and feedback, and figured a blog was an excellent way to do so.

   “Ask yourself if what you’re doing today is getting you closer to where you want to be tomorrow” ~ Unknown

2. Declutter your workspace and mind
   Along with knowing what you want to do, it’s also vital to know what’s keeping you from doing it! There are so many distractions around us all which make it extremely hard to get our work done. It’s good to recognize these distractions and to clear them away. I had to restrict myself from playing any video games until this website was finally up, and as much as I missed playing them, it definitely helped me stay focused! There are also nonphysical distractions that impede your ability to get things done. These include negative thoughts and attitudes such as thinking “I can’t do this because I don’t have what it takes” or “I don’t have energy to do this.” Those sort of thoughts need to be cleared out asap!

3. Block out all the rest of the nonsense
   Once you start working, block out everything else except that one thing you’re working on. One thing to remember is not to compare yourself to others. Quite often you may find yourself comparing someone elses strengths to your own weaknesses, which can be very unmotivating. You should only be doing it for yourself and for no one else. Also, stay in the current moment because it will help you remain focused on the task at hand. Sometimes I would get too excited or anxious thinking about the future and where I want to be that I’d have to divert my attention back to the present in order to stay concentrated on my current work.

   “When I’m anxious it’s because I’m living in the future. When I’m depressed it’s because I’m living in the past.” ~ Unknown

4. Make your grand master plan
   Visualize how you want things to pan out but don’t get overwhelmed by little details. Just focus on the big steps you need to take to get you started on your task. Keep in mind planning is still a form of procrastination. Talking about doing something isn’t doing it!

   “If you have to tell someone how bad you want it, then you haven’t shown them how hard you already work for it.” ~ John Mayer

5. Just do it already!
   You just have to go for it. You might not have the answers to everything right now but you have to tell yourself “I’ll figure it out.” I wasn’t sure of what direction I wanted my website to take but I got it done anyways because I know I’ll figure it out. I just had to put myself out there because who knows where it will lead. The hardest part it just sitting yourself down to start working, but once you’ve completed your task you’ll feel amazing! You’ve got nothing to lose!

Here are some extra links and resources that have helped me tremendously in getting my site done and writing this entry for you all!

ZenHabits.net:
11 Ways to Cure Someday Syndrome
10 Ways to Use Laser Sharp Focus to Get More Done

Amazon:
‘The War of Art’ by Steven Pressfield – Highly recommended book for any creative types that have trouble with inspiration/procrastination.

Good luck!