One of my well-honed skills is time management. If you've got a short time-frame or a tight deadline, I'm your girl. I've spent the last 10 years learning how to prioritize and juggle a demanding workload. I perform well under pressure.
But, when the pressure isn't on, I am the consummate procrastinator. I am an excellent time-waster when there is plenty of time to waste. I find it really hard to focus on a project when I have a leisurely time-frame.
Right now, for instance, I have two weeks left to hand in my final portfolio submission. And instead of shooting and editing, I am blogging and making Cinnamon Swirl Buns.
So it's time to get serious. Here's how I'm planning on beating procrastination:
- Break it down into manageable steps. That one huge goal seems pretty over-whelming so work out all the little things you have to do to get there and focus on them, one at a time.
- Choose some little rewards for along the way. A big reward at the end might motivate you towards the end but you need to keep the momentum of enthusiasm and I do that by factoring in a few little treats along the way.
- Make a plan. Get all the steps and all the rewards down on paper. Work out a time-line. But don't spend forever making the plan, it doesn't need to be fancy or in a new notebook. The point is to get it down.
- Get started. RIGHT NOW.
