How to beat procrastination? Huh. Hahaha. I am actually the last person in Kuala Lumpur to tell you that because I am sat here at 2.20am in the morning when I started at exactly 10pm with the intention of clearing my desk. But instead of clearing my desk, the mind decided to work out the household expenses first. Spent an hour doing that and discovered that we spend just way too much as a family and am very aware now to CUT.

Yes, we have to CUT. Chop. Chop. Chop. CUT. With an AXE.

I have no idea how but it’s got t happen somehow. I just have to keep being focused. Especially when it isn’t one of my strengths, being focused, can you tell?

So I did the household expenses which is a good thing. At least we know where we stand and we closed the accounts for 2013. I also got great news this year, just yesterday actually. I think people have been praying for me. My friends, my Mom, who knows? But DEFINITELY, I know that there are people out there praying for me. Because good things are always happening to me. I’m like WTF, I don’t even deserve this. Stop it! So I have to continue my giving crusade because why else does God give me so much? So I can give more quite obviously…….

Where were we?

Oh. Desk clearing. Only 1 foot of paper, not too bad. I measured as well. 11.7 inches to be exact. Then I did my work expenses instead. Now, THAT was a challenge especially when numbers aren’t exactly my strength. I don’t know why. I think I am not only Dyslexic but definitely suffer from Dyscalculia. Yet I got an A for Math and English. Go figure. I did not cheat. It must’ve been that Heavenly Man helping me again. Because seriously, I mix up my words, am lousy at English, and even lousier with Math. And because I cannot balance the accounts of a more complicated sum of numbers, I have put it on hold. Only for the 5th time in the last 3 months. I think my company probably owes me close to RM10,000 by now.

So whilst my eyes are getting sleepy and droopy, I am nowhere near clearing my desk because in between, we facebook and read up about our impending trip abroad, we book our helper’s flight back home and book the whole family’s time to see her off, cancel all T1’s classes that morning, eat a Kit Kat (WHAT!!!!), reminisce about the happy youth, dream of having that hot body, discuss with the Hubs how we will survive a month without a helper, you know, that kind of thing. We do everything except clear my desk. And I had plans to go down to Ikea tomorrow to get inspired after a job well done. Chis!

Seriously now, how does one beat procrastination? I need a 101 course in How to Beat Procrastination.

First and foremost, you need to make a promise to yourself and that is to complete ONE TASK. Then you perform that task diligently till it ends before starting another task. The Hubs is very good at this but I cannot. My brain is simply not wired that way. I’m a multi-tasker. Always have been. BUT FOCUS I MUST!!!

I discovered that there are even articles written about how to beat procrastination, no kidding. So there you go!

I suppose I should allow a treat for myself. Tell myself that once this little task is done and dusted, I can XXXXX whatever treat I want to treat myself with. *now thinking of what I can treat myself with to start clearing the paper on my desk instead of blogging here*

I have no freaking idea. I have everything already. That is the bloody problem. It is now 2.45am.

One really good way of course, which is what got me here in the first place is to get yourself a project manager. This could come in the form of a really good friend who is willing to whip your ass in getting the task at hand done. I have one such friend, bless her. If not for her, I would not be here.

Here it is, folks. My top tips for HOW TO BEAT PROCRASTINATION:

1. Hire a Project Manager to kick your ass. If you want, you can hire me. My fee varies from job to job, task to task, versus timeline.

2. Treat Yourself after the dreaded deed is done. Hmmm……a millionaire to fund my Children of Myanmar Trust Fund would be nice?

3. Give yourself a timeline and stick with it. No excuses. If it is sleep you will lose, so be it. Thus why I am still here at 2 fucking 50 A-M.

4. Set your alarm clock so you are reminded that the clock is ticking. This really works. I have set my clock to every 20 minutes before during meetings and it allowed me to finish the meetings at exactly the time frame that I wanted. You will just work faster or slower every time the damn alarm rings.

5. Change the Scenery. This really works as well. Sometimes we just get so bored of the same old space that you’d be surprised how efficient and/or creative you could suddenly be should you move. Perfect example was when I brought my home-schooled kids out to the garden for 3 hours. They got hell more done on the grass than on their desks at home. Cue now’s the time to move my A4 pile of paper to………my bed? The toilet? Kitchen floor? Back to the drawing board.

6. Break it up. Sometimes a task is so big that you keep putting it off longer and longer but let’s say you told yourself to just do 10 minutes of it every day, set a timer, you will be surprised when the task gets completed one day. It may take a little longer but HEY, IT’S DONE!!!

7. Get rid of your phone when it is TASK TIME. This means no facebook, no phone calls, no checking emails, no chatting to people around you. Just get it done. Yup, like NIKE. JUST DO IT.

8. Make the task space not only comfortable but perfect, whatever your current definition of perfect is. It could be working with your favourite play lists, coupled with some favourite photos, a glass of your favourite drink, favourite snack, fresh flowers, inspirational quotes, whatever.

9. Set Daily or Weekly Goals – this is amazingly useful. I tried this on T1 and it worked perfectly. I told her for each goal you achieve, you get RM1 for a maximum of 5 approved (read: noteworthy) goals daily and she has been so excited to earn her own money from achieving her own goals! What more, every since she joined MONEY TREE, where she learns the lowdown and highups of MONEY, she is ever excited about how money makes the world go round. What are my goals for tomorrow then?

A – To clear my desk. Bahahahaha!!!!

B – To finish up the filing of taxes

C – To finish up my work expenses

D – To start a packing list for our long holiday

E – To START finalising the bookings for that long holiday

F – To plan out a schedule over the next 2 weeks since I have to travel for work

G – Darn, the list is getting too long so we’ll stop right here and continue that TO DO list later……

10. Conquer your fears. Sometimes we procrastinate because we are afraid to fail. I always remember the time at University when I was in my 2nd year and going through depression. I did not want to find out what my results were for year end because I was so sure I’d failed. Why? Depression does that to you!!! So I just kept procrastinating and not going in to find out what my results were, chose not to call my tutor for the longest time, till one day, someone kicked my ass and I finally did the dreaded deed and guess what? Far from fail I was. Chis. What a bloody waste of time and energy that was.

So that’s it. My advice on How to beat procrastination but don’t take it from me since I am the Number One procrastinator in Kuala Lumpur. But you know what? After writing this post? I am inspired!!!

Don’t ever settle for anything less than THE BEST for yourselves, folks. You can do it. How to beat procrastination. I know I can. I am going to do it tomorrow and YOU CAN TOO. I have every faith in you.

 

**************************************************************************
Who is Mamapumpkin?
Mamapumpkin is a former Design Architect turned Multi-Million Dollar Digital Entrepreneur. She sets out to prove to all that you can have anything and everything that you want; if you have that fire of desire burning within and the drive to work hard. Even better with much love.

Mamapumpkin has not only grown corporate businesses successfully in the past and doubled her salary 5 times over 5 organisations but has grown THREE BUSINESSES to 7 FIGURES within an 8 year period. She now shows others EXACTLY HOW after retiring her own husband from employment. He is now the official dog walker, family driver, chef and THE BEST FATHER to their two girls and THE BEST HUSBAND to the woman who CHOSE HIM!

Mamapumpkin is the girl who has nothing but fights for everything including YOU. She is idealistic in her desire to put unbelievable amounts of money and extrardinary happiness into the lives of good people so we can change the world together believing in happiness for ALL. She strives to impact lives authentically wanting to reduce poverty cycles and enable quality education for all and always supports the voiceless. She believes we can all have a life of our own desires to enable real contribution into the world. But first, one needs to understand what this all means.

A beautiful life without limits.

If you wish to learn how to propel your life forward guaranteed, be brave to take action. Mamapumpkin's purpose is to build people. Her gift is to help them UNCOVER their HIDDEN GIFTS. She operates fairly and always leaves an impression. You either love her or not and she is alright either way.

She is a living testimony that women really can have a lot. Being financially and time free has enabled her to travel the world anytime, anywhere, doing anything with anyone, as she spends most of her days with her children, having fun, supporting others wherever she can. Also having fun.