Life of E's

Not long ago, I sent out a question to a few hundred people about what their biggest obstacles are to productivity and Holy Moly – I got more responses to that question than to any other one I've ever sent out. Based on what people wrote in, clearly procrastination is a huge obstacle. Procrastination is [...]

Tags: attitude, obstacles, procrastination, Productivity, strategies, success, time management, tips, tools

Why, oh why do we all procrastinate? It’s so stressful. Interrupt time suckers, like TV and electronic games. Set a timer. Turn off alerts. Identify your peak productivity hour. Create a routine. Break down projects into tasks. Revive yourself with some deep breathing. Reward the completion of goals. Be accountable to someone. Make a commitment [...]

Tags: procrastination, Productivity, projects, strategies, task, timer

Here are three questions to ask yourself about procrastinating: How much energy do you spend dealing with procrastination (yours and others')? Here is a quote that indicates one of the costs: Every duty which is bidden to wait returns with seven fresh duties at its back. ~Charles Kingsley Hmm…that doesn't sound too good, does it? [...]

Tags: cost, negative, procrastination, Productivity, self esteem, time management

Recently I taught the class If You Do Nothing Else This Semester to help colleagues get organized at the beginning and throughout the semester.  One Life of E's member who also took the class asked the following: My latest problem has been the following dilemma between doing something right away and postponing it. Once I [...]

Tags: organizing, overplanning, overspend on tasks, planning, procrastination, Productivity, projects, steps, tasks, where am I

Starting and stopping writing… not starting and stopping procrastination, although I guess if we are starting writing, we are stopping procrastination. Hadn’t thought of it that way, but it works. Once again, writing helps us know what we know. So, what are some tips that you can use to start writing and stop procrastinating? Here [...]

Tags: procrastination, Productivity, writing

Do you ever get “stuck” when you’re writing? If you are a writer, of course you do. Here are ten tips to help you get unstuck. Go for a walk. There is something about moving your physical self that can help your brain also get moving. Start writing at a difference place in the manuscript. Sometimes you [...]

Tags: procrastination, tips, writing

Is putting off procrastination a good idea? If you mindfully and deliberately postpone some of your procrastinated items, then it is a fine idea. Not sure? Let me see if I can convince you. First, make a list of everything you know that you are procrastinating. Walk around your house, your office, your garage – [...]

Tags: procrastination, Productivity, stress

Writing has many phases. Thus, capturing your ideas, both the good and the not-so-good ones, is part of the process. Here are three ideas to get and keep your flow going so that you postpone your procrastination. There’s always time for that later… 1. Open a document. Whether it is a document on your computer [...]

Tags: procrastination, Productivity, tips, writing

We all need to calm down! Can you say an “Amen!” to that? You might be reading this during the holiday season–or you might be reading it at any other time of the year, and it will still apply. This article will use the acronym “CALM” to structure the suggestions and to help you remember [...]

Tags: calm, clutter, frantic, procrastination, Productivity, stress

Starting and stopping writing… not starting and stopping procrastination, although I guess if we are starting writing, we are stopping procrastination. Hadn’t thought of it that way, but it works. Once again, writing helps us know what we know. So, what are some tips that you can use to start writing and stop procrastinating? Here [...]

Tags: completion, procrastination, writing