I was saying to a friend yesterday that I always thought procrastination was a part of my personality, that I’d never be able to overcome it. But the way I’m working now tells me otherwise. When you create a focus for your weeks and your days, it’s easy to block out the negative self talk that stops you from getting things done. Blocking out distractions and interruptions becomes a much easier process.
My morning meditation and journals provide the clarity of thought and the focus I need to get out of my own way and get things done. (I use the 5 minute journal framework, a creativity/productivity log, and an intention journal daily, and a weekly focus by live your legend to start off my week.) It keeps me moving in small increments towards the goals I’ve set for myself.
As Tim Ferriss says, do what excites you. My goals are exactly that, what excites me. The gratitude practice allows me to appreciate why I’m doing the things I’m doing, including my tasks at work, and helps maintain my focus to get them done.
This really is quite a profound shift in the way I work. I’ve always had focus issues and terrible monkey mind. Especially when I didn’t like doing something, or found it difficult. Reflecting on it now, it appears that I didn’t appreciate the ‘why’ behind doing things. I think perfectionist tendencies were a lot to blame for not getting things done, the mental blocks that came with that stopped me achieving, well anything really.
I did a lot, but it wasn’t consciously deciding to get it done. It was because I had to, for this reason or that reason. Not because I chose to do it. Not because it was consciously building to achieve my objectives. But because I was being swept along in a stream of busy.
Now I’m busy because I choose to be. I choose the tasks that take up my time. Because they will add to my life. They help build my knowledge or achieve my objectives. It’s the small things you do daily that build the dreams you have for the future.
So grab a cup of your favourite, sit your bum in your chair, meditate for 7 minutes, write your 5 minutes journal and have a focused smiling mind all day. Share your morning routine in the comments.