Stuck in a Rut?
Have you ever started a project that you just can’t seem to finish? I mean, no matter how hard you try it just seems impossible to muster the appropriate motivation to complete your task. Maybe your mind is wandering to better things. It seems like it won’t end. You get so caught up in a rut that you can’t finish anything you start. The rustic headboard you started has been sitting inconveniently in your entry way for weeks now, you start a project at work and get sidetracked before finishing… shoot, you can’t even finish the last bite of your sandwich before throwing in the towel. I for one am guilty of this.
In the depth of these ruts, how do things still get accomplished? When you run out of time to procrastinate, how do you push forward? A saying I like to use when I find myself procrastinating is, “When you wait until the last minute, all you have is a minute… so you better make it count.” The best way to make it count is to change your mindset.
What Makes You Happy?
Where is your happiness? You have the ability to change your situation by simply changing your mind. Procrastination is a short term solution that can only mask the underlying problem temporarily. Knowing what makes you happy and why you set out to accomplish a goal is important.
What are Your Priorities?
Take a step back and know your priorities. Knowing yourself is important to setting your priorities. Define your successes, and know your values. Look at what you do and the ways you do it and look at yourself without judgement. Priorities change over time, so reflect regularly. Know where you stand. Look at what motivates you and assess where you should put your energy. What if what motivates you is counterproductive? What if it adds to the procrastination?
Recognize Your Addictions
Is there something distracting you? Have you started a new season of your favorite television show? Are you spending your time at the bar with friends instead of preparing the meeting notes? What is your vice? I know we all have guilty pleasures that distract us from our responsibilities. When you have a tough day or make a tough decision, what do you rely on for a quick pick me up? Eliminate your addictions. Addictions are habits that occur when you can no longer make rational decisions. They redirect your attention and give you motivation to continue to indulge. Understanding your mindset and knowing when you’re falling into a rut is the first step to getting out of it. Know your triggers and understand yourself. The way you view the world and knowing that you are in control of that view point is the best way to dig yourself out of a rut.
What are you procrastinating? Are you in a rut? What are your addictions, vices, and distractions?
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