Friday, January 1, 2010

Day 1 - of 30 Days to a Simplier Life

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Not just a New Year but a New Decade!

As we begin our new 30 Days to a Simpler Life I want to give a few thots on the subject and would welcome yours:

Everyone that is reading this blog are in different seasons of life, such as some are young moms with young children, some are a little more mature with teens, some have grown adult children and grandchildren, some are single or single moms, some are men, some have jobs outside the home and some do not, so all that to say that some of the suggests given this month may or may not apply to where your life is right now but I do believe we can all gain some insight from all suggestions. Most I believe will be universal in some way. If my guest writers do write for me - they are all very diverse in their life season and some are even men! :)

The other thot I had was that simplifing is not just a task for a physical activity that we do or don't do but it goes way beyond that - We need to not only simplify our physical lives but also our emotion and spirtiual lives. We will be talking about all of that this month.

So my first "guest writer" is my own hubby - John.

Hi I am Kathy's "hubby" John and she asked me to give a suggestion for bringing simplicity into life. I love to make life more simple in any way I can, she is usually the one that complicates things but that is ok because that is what makes us a good team. I am a very detailed person, Kathy calls me a Beaver/Melancoly and I don't apoligize for that I like being an organized person.

So here is my goal for this year to simplify my life, I already have started to impliment this and it is working well.

I recently heard on the radio that one of the three top stressors in life is procrastination. It went on to say that when you eliminate procrastination it will simplify your life.

The best way to do this is to get the mind set that when something needs to be done I will do it now or at least assign a time frame to do it. I am a list maker and although I know some people (someone with the first letter of K in their name) do not like lists - if you just give it a try it will help prioritize your life and help you not procrastinate. Here are some tips that may help you.

Unlearning the Tendency to Procrastinate

Have a Positive Attitude

One of the greatest blocks to overcoming procrastination is a negative attitude. Be positive and open minded about what you need to get done. Begin to build your confidence and sense of satisfaction by finishing your listed tasks for the day.

Take Small Steps

If you find your work too challenging, take small steps. Break up the work into smaller and more manageable pieces. Make a list and learn to plan ahead. Take pride in each day’s achievements.

Start Today

Don’t procrastinate dealing with your procrastination! It can be easy to tell yourself you’l do it tomorrow or the next time. But it’s very important to make every day count. Remember, the only way to break a bad habit is to start breaking it now.

Prioritize

You may have a dozen tasks to complete, but you need to put them in order of importance. Avoid always choosing the easiest task first because that will most likely lead to procrastination, so do the hardest first. Be efficient with your time (that's another post)

Make a list what you want to accomplish each day ( do this the night before). Set a goal every day. Be realistic about how much time each task will take. Once you’re able to truly focus your attention, (which I know is very hard for Otter types) you’ll be amazed at how much you can get done.

The Benefits of Overcoming Procrastination

There are many benefits of kicking the habit of procrastination: peace of mind, a feeling of control, a healthy feeling of being in charge of your life. Remember- every time you put off doing what is important, it reinforces your negative attitude toward that task. Every time you put off something you dislike, you strengthen the habit of not doing what you need to do.

Keep working on it. You may still procrastinate once in a while, but now you'll be much more aware of it and be able to resolve the situation much more quickly, which in turn will build your self-confidence. When you do succeed, take time to enjoy it and remember it the next time you need encouragement.

Psalms 119:60 I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.

4 comments:

Troop Coordinator said...

Great post!

Beverly Walters Whaley said...

Great POST to my brother johnny..........Otters work so well under pressure......that is the reason that OTTERS don't prioritize...and why we have a hard time with procrastination! I have taken to heart his detailed and perfectionist advise...and will work on it! I know I too....need to plan ahead.......and would help me in the long run! See you tomorrow fell Otter!

CoachK said...

I gave your brother the message Bev. He is quite pleased that you would even consider any of his suggestions...otter that you are. ;)

betty said...

What a great post! I think we may share some personality traits, so I can identify with procrastination. :)