Orderliness is not the same as tidiness. Instead it’s about organisation and planning.
When I tell my friends about all the projects that I’m currently working on, they wonder how I manage to pull that many things off at the same time.
The truth is I had to learn to.
I’m both a serial procrastinator and a person with many interests, talents and skills. People like me either try to do many things at once, or they don’t bother with anything at all.
I was approaching my mid twenties and I didn’t have a degree or a skill, but I was constantly hearing from people that I was so good at many things. That’s when I knew that I had to do something about it.
I gave myself the push by initiating one project, and after I had developed it to a decent degree, I added another one. And I carried on like this, until I reached my present state: I am currently running more than five projects at the same time and planning to add more before the end of the year.
This method has been working marvellously for me. Even though I still procrastinate, it’s no longer like before when I had no project to return to or any projects to keep me going.
And thanks to my ability to learn fast, I save plenty of time that I can either use to cool my brain off or to brainstorm for new ideas.
I do ask myself, “If the world’s spotlights were to be pointed at me tomorrow, what would I be known for?”
And I think of all my ongoing projects and I answer, “For quite a lot”.
So if you are like me, talented, skilled, but lackadaisical, just pick one project, just one and start working on it. Defeat the urge to abandon it and grow it to a stage where you can move some of your attention to a new project, and your previous project will not suffer.
That’s the only way you can overcome the demon called procrastination.
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This comment by Olumide Glowville is an interesting addition to the subject:
"This is a good idea.
I have applied different strategies for beating procrastination.
1. I make a list of what needs to be done and put specific times to them. The catch for me is that I also create time to indulge in between. That way, I get a fair share of what excites me in between. I did this because I realize I spend too much time doing one thing and by the time I am ready to move to the next, I feel like I have wasted all the time, so I postpone. With this strategy, I have started getting much more done. Case in point is how I use social media these days.
2. I use the Eisenhower Matrix to determine what's important and what's urgent. It helps me focus on the most important and urgent tasks, and to determine what I can delegate to others or just simply trash out.
3. I reward myself with a special gift for achieving tasks. Sometimes, it could be something as intangible as buying myself my favorite drink. Other times, it could be something as tangible as getting myself something really exciting. On some occasions, I have even used sex as a reward. The point is to put something exciting at the end of the line, so I can be pushed to achieve within the set time frame.
These three things have helped me."
Link to his Facebook account: https://www.facebook.com/olumideglowville
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