How To Eradicate Procrastination - Mark J Holland NLP Mind Coach

“To be always intending to make a new and better life but never find time to set about it is as... to put off eating and drinking and sleeping from one day to the next until you’re dead.”
- Og Mandino

Procrastination is the easiest thing in the world to perfect- and one of the hardest habits to break. There will always be a good reason to put off whatever you want to accomplish, whether it’s vacuuming the lounge room carpet or finally taking that Tropical Holiday you’ve been planning for years.

When you realize you’re putting something off, one of the best things you can do is to ask yourself why you don’t want to do it. The reasons for procrastination are as varied as the people who practice it: the task is boring or repetitive; you are afraid you won’t be able to handle it; the project is difficult or time-consuming; it is going to be an unpleasant experience; you dread the possible consequences of seeing the task through to completion. Once you know what is stopping you from moving ahead, you can determine your strategy for accomplishing your goal and get un-stuck.

How do you crush procrastination in its tracks? The remedies for moving past procrastination include:

• Just do it. Whatever the task you’re facing, simply pick a point and get started. Often things are not as bad as they seem, and once you start doing something it’s easier to build up momentum that will carry you through to the end. Tell yourself that when you finish the unpleasant task, you won’t have it hanging over your head and you can move on to better things.

• Break it up, people. Take a few minutes to break up larger tasks into small, manageable goals. For example, if you are attempting to organize your desk at work, you might pick one drawer and get that done, and then take a break and do something else before returning for the next drawer. Meeting a series of small goals is more motivating and encouraging than trying to tackle a huge project all at once.

• Cut through the fluff. Prepare yourself to work through distractions when you’re taking on a task. If possible, ignore the phone- and definitely resist the temptation to play Solitaire or check your e-mail a dozen times. Make sure your mind is made up to do whatever it is you’re doing and nothing else until it’s finished. You will feel better knowing it’s done, and you’ll waste less time on sideline projects.

• Stick to the program. Ensure you have enough time to finish the task you’re starting. If you know you’re going to be interrupted or run out of time before you’re through, choose one part of the task to complete instead of trying to rush through the whole thing. Rushing to meet a deadline you know you can’t make causes more stress, and can actually make things happen slower because you’re worried that you won’t be able to accomplish what you’ve set out to do. Give yourself a break, and your stress level will thank you.

• Expect the unexpected. Despite our best positive thinking efforts, things do occasionally take a turn for the unexpected. Delays are a given in many situations. When you’re planning a task or goal, it is important to factor in time in case things go wrong. Delays are a major facilitator of procrastination: it’s easy to convince yourself to put things off when you already have to wait. Make sure you have a backup plan in place so you can avoid putting things off and still meet your completion goals comfortably.

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...with Neuro Linguistic Programming NLP Life Coaching

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Are Your Thoughts Negative or are Your Thoughts Positive Discover how to Change Your Mind, and Change Your Life with Mark J Holland NLP Mind Coach

“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”
- Abraham Lincoln

When tapping in to the power of positive thinking, the most important step is to create a mindset that allows you to think positively. Once you have pulled the weeds from your mental garden, you can begin to sow the seeds that will anchor your new way of life.

Creating a positive mindset takes training. In much the same manner as runners train their bodies to endure long periods of sustained activity, you can train your mind to sustain positive thought, and naturally defer to pleasant or optimistic paths. At first, thinking positively may feel awkward or ridiculous (particularly if you’re the type of person who believes perky morning people should be shot). Keep in mind, though, that it does get easier the more you do it, and eventually, sustaining a positive mindset will be as natural as breathing.

Like any training program, there are steps you can follow to achieve your optimal results: in this case, a positive mental outlook. You may recall that it takes 21 days to form a new habit (When you make an appointment with an NLP Coach it can be done over a few sessions). Therefore, you should perform each of the steps for at least 21 consecutive days. You can take on one step at a time, or implement the whole program; just be sure you aren’t leaving anything out.

Step up to your mental treadmill, and let the training begin!

Warm-up: Shake Out Negative Kinks

When you think about it, it’s obvious: negative is the opposite of positive, so in order to instil a positive mindset you need to get rid of negative thoughts. Sounds simple enough, right? The process is an easy one, but it takes practice to make it stick.

The first step in clearing negativity from your mind is to really pay attention to your thoughts. Whenever the words can’t, shouldn’t, wouldn’t, won’t, not, or never enter your mind, concentrate on what you’re thinking and turn it around to eliminate the negative wording. For example:

Your spouse and children are gone for a few hours, and you have the place to yourself. You’re indulging in one of your favourite activities. In the midst of your enjoyment, you start to feel guilty. You think: I really shouldn’t be doing this. I could be getting started on the project I promised someone else I’d take care of. Your enjoyment starts to fade, and you stop what you’re doing, resentful that you have to tackle this boring project when you have so little time to yourself...

Does this sound familiar? The moments you hear yourself think shouldn’t, stop right there and change direction. In this scenario, you might instead think I really should be doing this. Taking time for me is important, and when I’m relaxed and satisfied I will be able to do a better job on that project I promised someone else. I’m so glad I got the opportunity to do something I enjoy.

Try to do this every time a negative thought creeps in. The more often you banish negative ideas from your mind, the easier positive thinking will become. You will be more relaxed and receptive to positive solutions.

Work Those Mouth Muscles

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a smile is worth a million. The power of a smile is incredible. Even if you don’t feel like smiling, the simple act of lifting the corners of your mouth can help you lift your entire spirit and find something worth smiling about. Some of the greatest self-help advice out there comes from those who advocate “fake it until you make it.” This is especially true when it comes to positive thinking, and faking a smile goes a long way toward producing the genuine thing. You may end up laughing at yourself merely because you know you have nothing to smile about.

Another great thing about smiles- they’re highly contagious. A smile spreads faster than a cold in a daycare. Most people can’t help smiling back when someone casts a happy expression their way. This is a simple and exciting theory that you can test out for yourself. Go to any public place and start smiling at random people, then keep track of how many smile back (even suspicious smirking counts!). You’ll likely find that 9 out of 10 of your targets return your joyful expression to some small degree, and you’ve probably just made their day a little brighter, too.

Learning to smile on demand is an important step in developing a permanently positive mindset. One good technique for summoning smiles is to choose a happy memory that never fails to fill you with good feelings. Keep this memory at the front of your mental catalogue, and access it whenever you feel a case of the blues coming on. It may not solve your problems, but it will at least make you smile- which in turn helps you relax and take an objective look at your situation. Smiling often creates a mental cue for the foundation of positive thinking and helps prime the pumps of happiness.

You should also spend a little time in front of the mirror observing your own expressions. At first this practice may seem uncomfortable or downright silly, but smiling at your own reflection has a positive effect on your psyche. You can even practice different smile variations: the amused smirk; the close-lipped leg-pulling smile; the toothy grin; the laugh-out-loud open-mouthed smile. Think of it as an Olympic event...it’s your personal Smile Marathon, and you’ll win the gold every time!

Do Some Reps
When developing a positive mindset, the importance of repetition cannot be understated. Exercise is the key to building any muscle, so by viewing your optimistic outlook as a muscle, you can develop a reserve of happiness that will carry you through the most gruelling events.

This is not to say you shouldn’t worry about anything. Ignoring troubling events won’t make them go away. It’s important to face your problems while looking at them through a positive lens. The positive mindset itself doesn’t erase your troubles. It is simply a tool to allow you to find a solution without burning yourself out through stress and anxiety. You will find it far easier to solve problems when you can step back and look at the situation in a positive light; and often the solution will present itself with little effort, simply because your mind is clear and open enough to notice it.

The more you practice positive thinking, the more naturally it will come to you। You will find that frustrating everyday occurrences dwindle to minor nuisances, and eventually cease to trouble you altogether. Keep practicing positive thought processes, and you will be well on your way to a low-stress, high-energy lifestyle that will allow you to accomplish anything you desire.

Cool-Down: Feel the Burn

As you come to the end of your daily positive thinking workout, look back and reflect on your progress. Was there anything that seemed easier to you? Were you able to find a faster solution to a problem that would have ordinarily eaten up a lot of time in worrying? Do you feel more relaxed and ready to try again tomorrow?

Congratulate yourself on your victories. By reinforcing your accomplishments, you help to firm the foundation of your new positive mindset and lay the groundwork for your success. Every positive thought brings you one step closer to your ultimate goal. You will soon realize that you can do this, and you will have much greater enthusiasm as you proceed.

Now that you’ve planted the seeds for positive thinking, the next step is to learn how to care for your mental garden. In my next blog you will discover the fuel you need to nurture your seeds and coax new shoots from the soil of your mind. Meanwhile, keep pumping that positive thinking iron!

Discover How to Clarify Your Goals, Establish Direction and Focus, Strategize Your Actions, Upgrade Your Skills and Master Your Psychology!

...with Neuro Linguistic Programming NLP Life Coaching

You can create radical transformation, imagine being able to transform your Mental, Physical, Financial, Emotional, and Spiritual Life.  Take control of your most important asset in life, the power of your mind.

NLP Coaching, NLP Business Consulting and Advanced Sales Training

What is NLP Life Coaching Australia?

NLP Life Coaching Australia or Neuro Linguistic Programming  Australia is one of the most valuable tools for changing your life for the best.  NLP Life Coaching Australia teaches you techniques that can help you to become more effective, efficient and passionate in all areas of your life.


With NLP Life Coaching Australia you will be able to find out exactly what you want in life and learn the skills that will enable you to achieve that outcome.  You can learn to communicate more effectively and become extremely successful in both business and personal life.


NLP Life Coaching Australia opens the doors to hidden resources, improves your ability to concentrate, your ability to learn and paves the way for many new possibilities.


By using NLP Life Coaching techniques you can change your behaviour positively and you will learn to handle negative situations more effectively and reduce stress, anxiety and depression.


NLP Life Coaching Australia was developed in the early 1970’s by Richard Bandler and John Grinder.  They discovered methods to find the difference between somebody that excels at a given skill and somebody that is merely average at the same skill.


The named this process the ‘modelling’ and it was the foundation of the body of knowledge that became Neuro Linguistic Programming Australia.


NLP life coaching techniques can help improve your life in the following areas:


1. Personal development – people who want to take charge of their lives can greatly enhance their physical and emotional well being by using NLP Life Coaching techniques.
2. Personal counselling – problems such as allergies, phobias, snoring and even habits can be relieved by using NLP Life Coaching techniques.  These sessions are usually brief but very successful.
3. Family counselling – problems within families between husband and wife, or parents and children, can often be resolved by improving the quality of communication between family members.
4. Education – NLP Life Coaching techniques can be used to effectively increase learning and education.  
5. Business – many organisations use NLP Life Coaching techniques to teach their employees how to function at a higher level of performance.
6. Sports – excellence in sports is a state of mind and sportsmen cannot perform at their best unless they are in the right mental state.  NLP Life Coaching techniques can benefit greatly in improving sports performance.


NLP Life Coaching Australia works on the basis that anyone can do anything they want.  When you know what your dream is you need to set an outcome and work toward achieving that outcome.  NLP Life Coaching Australia will teach you the techniques to be able to achieve that outcome and not give up along the way.


NLP Life Coaching Australia can improve your life greatly and if you are looking at changing your life for the better then it is well worth giving NLP Life Coaching a go.


Mark J Holland is a professional NLP Life Coach who teaches NLP Life Coaching tools and techniques for practical use in solo-business and personal life.  For more information about NLP Life Coaching visit http://www.nlpmindcoach.com. Interested in On-Line  NLP Practitioner Certification Training.