New Approach to your task

People are more likely to delay action when they perceive that something is difficult, unpleasant, or represents a tough choice. We tend to find something that is easier to do and procrastinate when it comes to something new or considered hard even though we know that it is important.

Much of what you may need to undertake to achieve a desired outcome may not please you while you’re doing it. Jogging miles to reduce your waistline or saving more money and spending less will not necessarily make you feel better on any given day. One find day, however, when your waistline is at the trim target you’ve chosen and you’ve become the svelte version of yourself, or your savings account has grown to a healthy balance, you begin to understand that less-than-pleasing means contribute to the highly pleasing outcome.

One way to get started when you’re stuck particularly for work-related tasks is to approach the issue from a different perspective. When Tom Wolfe, the novelist with those semi-dapper all-white wardrobes, was already past the deadline on an article for Esquire magazine, his editor gave him a wonderful suggestion. Wolfe was directed to write a letter to his editor, describing how he would approach the article and what he would put in it. So, he submitted a draft that started like a letter.

Sure enough, by eliminating the first paragraph or two and retaining the body of what Wolfe had written, the editor had the requisite material. Like Wolfe, you may not have trouble with a task, but simply with starting. By approaching your task in a different way, it may become a whole lot easier to handle. You will see clearly, now that the rain is gone.



Unblock Writer’s Block


One of the tasks that makes many people’s list of areas where they frequently procrastinate is writing, or more specifically, as in the case of Tom Wolfe, getting started on writing. Writer’s block, a term that refers to little more than procrastination related to writing, hangs heavy over the head of many a would-be achiever. If writer’s block is a problem for you, if you’re having trouble getting through that project report or analysis the boss wanted on his desk last week, the following suggestions, which will be discussed throughout the book, will help you to get started:




Visualize yourself completing the last sentence.

By Visualizing the completion of your writing task, you can break out of the chains that hold you back and get started on the assignment.

Clear your workspace.

Remove everything except what’s needed to write your document. People often have trouble writing because their office is a mess and not conductive to creativity. Recognize that during the time you’re preparing a report or other assignment you need to tune our distractions. Working on a clear surface is an effective way to do this.

Outline Your Ideas.

Producing a one-page outline, or writing as few as ten key words on a page, can guide you through the preparation and completion of an article. Devote a block of time to simply preparing report outlines or chronological sequences that can later serve as a useful tool when you’re ready to write the full-blown document.

Write For A Few Minutes

And watch what happens. Forget all the excuses. You don’t really want to offer them, and who wants to hear them? Set an alarm for four minutes, sit down, and start writing. Often you’ll find that you don’t want to stop after a few minutes. Getting started is the key obstacle to writing productively.
Once you can master this “few minutes technique”, you’ll develop a habit that will blast the term “writer’s block” out of your vocabulary. This technique is so effective that even if you can’t complete the document at the initial sitting, you’ll finish faster and more easily than you would have otherwise.


Regards,

Timben