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Don’t Procrastinate – Plan in Advance

www.janeanesworld.com don't procrastinate plan ahead

 

It is terrific to figure out how to act instead of procrastinate and as a result get things done is to prepare in advance. There are almost as many cures for procrastination as there are people procrastinating. One thing that may help you to procrastinate less is to prepare in advance for what needs to be done. Almost everyone has heard the expression,  “if you fail to plan,  you plan to fail.”

Procrastinate is commonly defined as postponing to do something often as a regular habit. In other words, a person who chooses to procrastinate usually doesn’t procrastinate about one thing, but about many things, on a regular basis. It is not a good thing to procrastinate. People who procrastinate on a regular basis look for cures, magic potions and miracles to help them act instead of procrastinating. The plain, simple and honest answer is that it is not easy to stop procrastinating and start acting. However, as with most things of value, it is worth the work to learn tricks to put an end to procrastination and start acting.

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One way to act instead of procrastinating is to plan in advance. Start by deciding what needs to be done. It is a good idea to put in writing the thing you want to get done. This can be with old trusted and true pen and paper or it can be electronic so it can be stored on a phone, tablet, laptop or in the cloud. Once a plan is in writing, it is naked and plain. It is human nature to want to fill in details. When you see what you want to do in writing you will want to fill in a date for it to be done. You will want to fill in any steps or sub-routines needed to complete the plan. Once the plan is in writing and there are due dates assigned for the task start moving on it. Each day work on the plan. It is like eating an elephant. You can eat an elephant one bite at a time. You can accomplish your goals if you don’t procrastinate, but just do a little work each day.

 

Don't Procrastinate, Plan Ahead www.janeanesworld.com

 

The plan just listed above involve work. It takes work to write the plan down. It takes work to fill in the details, dates and to start doing work instead of continuing to procrastinate. However, it must be done. The reward at the end of the tunnel is satisfaction, pride, accomplishment, and success. These are things worth working towards.

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In conclusion, it is terrific to figure out how to act instead of procrastinating and as a result get things done. So, the question for you this terrific day is, have you prepared in advance so you do not have to procrastinate?

74 thoughts on “Don’t Procrastinate – Plan in Advance”
  1. I agree, procrastination is a bad thing. My Mom always told me “Do today what you can do for tomorrow”

  2. I am guilty of this sometimes and when I do it I don’t get things done. I should really stop procrastinating.

  3. This is good! I tend to procrastinate, with the excuse that I thrive in chaos (when rushing). But I do regret making plans a lot of times

  4. I’m a total planner! I try to start a list every morning of at least 5 things I want to accomplish today! I tweeted this too!

  5. I’m a horrible procrastinator. Always have been. I try to plan things out and stay organized, but it always seems to fail.

  6. I need to get better about CONSISTENTLY planning ahead. I’ll make a to do list one day and then won’t do it again for two weeks!

  7. I’m the worst at procrastination. Im actually procrastinating right now :/ lol

  8. I think I found a lot of helpful hints from your page. I try to use the mentality not to put anything off for tomorrow that can be done today. I say this as there are dishes in my sink and my living room needs to be vacuumed. I also find a to do list helps as well

  9. I find that to-do lists keep me from procrastinating. When I know exactly what I need to get done in a day, I am more productive than when I try to just wing it.

  10. Oh, I should have read this a few days ago! My girls party was on Saturday and I was up Friday night until 1am doing stuff!

  11. Procrastination is insidious and creeps up on us in different ways. The goo thing is to recognize it and press on. It’s never too late to start.

  12. I try to plan things, but I do put things off for a long time before doing them. I need to STOP procrastinating!

  13. I never use to procrastinate but I find there are certain things I am very bad about.

  14. No, I procrastinate because I want something to be perfect. I rehearse the thing over and over and over in my mind but put it off because I want it to be juuuuust right. It’s awful.

  15. Procrastination is the beast and I try not to do it. My husband on the other hand….well that’s another story. Great article here.

  16. I like to set deadlines for myself that are actually before when something is actually due. I used to be a procrastinator and broke myself of the habit that way.

  17. Ugh I’m so guilty of this. I’ve told myself to clean my bathtubs for 2 weeks now. It’s still not happened. Blah!

  18. You are so right!!! One thing I started doing is making meals in bulk and freezing them! It saves me so much time and money!

  19. I love all the tips. I definitely procrastinate at times and then kick myself for it later. I have been trying to plan ahead so i don’t find myself in a bad position.

  20. Definitely some great tips here! I am a procrastinator but I’ve been battling it head on since the first of the year. I do alot more planning now instead of just letting things go by.

  21. All good tips! I think of the old saying, ‘do what you gotta do, so you can do what you wanna do’ and it gets me going through those things I tend to procrastinate on, trying to get to the fun stuff. 🙂

  22. Great advice. Planning ahead of time is the best way to remain less stressed.

  23. I plan everything and write it down. I have recently started just picking one or two things to get done over the weekend that I can realistically get done instead of looking at my entire list and feeling overwhelmed and getting nothing done. That has been working beautifully!

  24. If I don’t write something down, it won’t happen. I’m definitely a procrastinator!

  25. I have been procrastinating on an important decision. I finally stopped and glad Im getting it done!

  26. That’s exactly how I am. It’s almost like I plan to do it last minute. But I work well with a deadline.

  27. As a teen and early 20’s I was a crazy procrastinator; I really do work well under pressure. Now with a large family I’ve learned I can’t do that like I used to. Planning ahead is key for me now!

  28. I like to plan, and I’m a procrastinator. It’s like a weird oxymoron. I always end up getting everything accomplished, but I’m often completing things at the last minute. I need to do better!

  29. I am a planner – I spent the afternoon planning our trip to Circus work on June 17th. I would be lost without a plan!

  30. I always make a list of what needs to get done and I am pretty good at getting things done. But thank you for the reminder as I just added 2 things I need to get done. They are now on my to do list. 🙂

  31. I am horrrrrrible about procrastinating. I always seem to work really well last minute in crunch mode. I agree though, when I have posts ready ahead of time it is so much less stress!

  32. I bought a blog planner not long ago and it’s helping me get my editorial calendars much more organized.

  33. I’m an awful procrastinator! Been that way pretty much all my life. Trying to get better with planning things out though. It would be less stressful!

  34. If procrastination were an art form, I’d be a master painter this week. With the kids having been sick, so much has been put off, I feel ike I’ll never catch up!

  35. I am getting better – but I used to procrastinate a lot. Now it’s more of planned proscrastination – at least it’s a step in the right direction!

  36. I am one of those horrible people who make a plan and then procrastinate on starting the plan! Ugh. I know better. I really need to get better at this. Great post.

  37. I am so glad my procrastion days are over, if even just for now. I feel so much less stress this way!

  38. I am proactive by nature as a parent but with my business items, I tend to procrastinate at times. Great advice to share!

  39. my best way not to procrastinate is to not turn on my computer until my list of items is complete.

  40. soo true! I used to put off planning, but flying by the seat of my pants never worked as well as when I take the time to plan it out!

  41. I loved your post.I plan and it kills me if I dont do it by the allotted time but usually there is always a genuine reason

  42. I tend to be a planner with an occasional fall to procrastinate.

  43. I am THE WORST EVER procrastinator. WORST! I have reviews that NEED to be done, they’re so so late… but I keep putting it off.

  44. I’m happy to say that my procrastinating days are LONG behind me! If I’m not ahead of things, I get super stressed out.

  45. My husband is a culprit of this and I have followed his lead. I do try to plan ahead but with 5 kids it’s so hard!

  46. I MADE myself read this all the way through instead of bookmarking it lol. My name is Amy and I’m a procrastinator. I agree with making a list, I have to do that daily with housework. It gets me more motivated because I like checking things off and feeling accomplished!

  47. I’ve definitely tried to plan ahead. I want to be proactive and not reactive – it takes so much stress out of my life. Really, I have more to do in this area. I’m ready to plan better in more areas of my life.

  48. I am a planner – sometimes I think too much of a planner! But it is the only way I know how to get things done.

  49. If there were a procrastinators anonymous, I would be the president. I am the WORST. I am great at making lists but not so much following up. I used to be great at completing my lists daily, must be old age 🙂

  50. I have been talking to my husband about this lately. He keeps saying that he has so many things to do and he isn’t getting anywhere with any of them. I keep telling him to write down the steps that need to be taken for each goal. Then he has a plan – take a step when you have time, and you are closer to your goal!

    Of course, it is so easy to say this to him, when I don’t do it myself!

  51. I have to say, I do find myself planning out financial things. I never procrastinate in that aspect of life!

  52. I’m a major procrastinator. I think I just like to work under pressure and get the work done. That’s just me though.

  53. I love a good plan. I am a list maker but occasionally I wait until the last minute, especially if it’s something I don’t enjoy doing.

  54. I am awful about procrastinating. I try to plan but I often get overwhelmed with everything I have to do!

  55. Very good advice. I am a procrastinator with things I don’t like to do. I guess that’s true of most people.

  56. i’m a semi procrastinator I think i’m good at planning but don’t always execute until the last minute.

  57. I am in no way a procrastinator, I am a huge type A planner planning, always planning! BUT, once I became pregnant a couple months ago, I have NO motivation! It’s the worst. I put off everything (like cleaning a pot that’s been in my sink since sunday…yuck), and wait until the last minute to do whatever needs to be done. Thanks for the advice!

  58. I definitely needed this advice. I am a huge procrastinator. I like to tell myself I do my best work under pressure 🙂 Mainly though I just end up being overwhelmed.

  59. I am a big procrastinator so this is very good advice for me. Thank you!

  60. I’m definitely a procrastinator on most things, and when I did it, writing down what I needed to do always helped. Great advice!

  61. Great advice! I tend to procrastinate over little things and plan out the big things.

  62. I am usually a good planner, so when it comes to getting things done – I do. Not everything always goes my way, though.

  63. I am a planner. If something is due and I’m not prepared it sends me into a panic attack. It takes me a little extra time and work to plan ahead but in the long run it’s worth it.

  64. I think I’ll stop procrastinating… tomorrow! 😉 Just kidding! I love how you always spur me to action, Janeane!

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