‘Just Do It’: The ONLY Way To Overcome Procrastination and Be Happier For It
There are numerous productivity tips, tricks, systems, and tools. Each one promising to make your life easier by allowing you to do more in less time, be more efficient and effective.
THE most helpful thing I’ve come across that allows me to get more done and be a lot happier comes from three simple words.
Just Do It.
Yes those three words made famous by the Nike shoe company have become my motto for getting things done in every aspect of my life. From home to work to hobbies these three words have turned my world around.
The power in three simple words is amazing. How many times have you been unhappy because you’re waiting for someone else to do something for you? Or waited for something to get done because you’re too busy keeping score that you won’t do it out of principle? When you hear it like this it probably sounds silly but it used to happen with my husband and me all the time.
Take the laundry, for example, it would be piling up and we’d be close to running out of clean clothes. Just do the laundry right? Not so simple. I was keeping score. I had done the laundry the two times before that so surely it was my husbands turn? So I didn’t do it. Each day I felt my anxiety growing, I was getting more and more annoyed at the fact the laundry wasn’t getting done. Then we’d talk about it. We’d do the laundry together and move onto the next competition where I could keep score again.
I now know that it was happening with my husband as well. He would often feel like he was the only one cleaning the bathroom, for example, and we’d enter the same stalemate. He too would be getting anxious and feeling taken for granted.
So what changed?
Did my husband and I start alternating the chores to make sure everything was “fair”? Nope. It was me that changed. My thoughts. My approach to anything that needed to be done.
It wasn’t until I got rid of this mental score board that things started to change. Stuff was getting done and I was happier for it.
It was MY laundry too. Always. I changed my thoughts from: “why do I always have to do this?” to: “if I don’t do it it won’t get done”. This sounds a bit more harsh than I actually intend it to be but it’s the clearest way to get my point across. The trick is to truly believe it though and to be okay with doing a lot of things.
Luckily, I have a husband who brought this alternate perspective to light. He has also changed in this way and it’s done wonders for the state of our house and minds.
So now, laundry gets done because it has to. I do it even if I’ve done it the 50 times prior – this will be 51. Socks on the floor won’t pick themselves up. The bathroom won’t clean itself. The weeds won’t magically die in the garden. There is one ingredient missing. You.
The ONLY way to over come procrastination
Just do it, doesn’t only apply to things you may keep score over. It is the only sure fire way to beat procrastination. The only way to stop putting something off is to just do it. It really is that simple. If things aren’t getting done it’s because you aren’t doing them.
When you take this approach you can feel the shift in power going from all these unfinished tasks looming over you, to you. You gain a feeling of empowerment when you know you hold the key to getting things done.
If you’re not like this already I urge you to try it this week. It’ll be tiring physically but mentally and emotionally you’ll feel lighter. Keep an open mind about everything you’re doing. Remember why you’re doing it. You enjoy a tidy home, a clean sink, an organized work space and you’re not waiting for someone else to do it for you.
The only way to beat procrastination is take everything into your own hands and just do it. Do it now.
See also:
Is Keeping Score Making You Unhappy?
How To Choose Goals And Ensure Success
Photo courtesy of: Tal Bright
12 Responses to “‘Just Do It’: The ONLY Way To Overcome Procrastination and Be Happier For It”
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Well said! I had this same problem back when I was married. My (now ex) wife and I used to keep score about the housework, too. I got so frustrated one day that something inside of me “snapped”, but in a good way. I took ALL of the cleaning duties upon myself, and started the “just do it” mentality that day. Since that day, I’ve always kept my house clean, regardless of who else is living there at any given moment. I love having a clean house, and I’ve found that I’m much happier if I keep it that way.
I should probably do as you suggest, and extrapolate this belief into other areas of life, specifically my job, but then I might be in danger of maturing. Can’t have that!
Jay Schryer´s last blog ..The National WWII Museum
I have been living the ‘Just do it’ life for the last couple of weeks. My life is so much more fulfilled because of it. There is a lot of empowerment behind just doing it. It just took me a LONG time to feel worthy of that empowerment. Thanks for sharing this.
Jill´s last blog ..A sorrowful and joyful day for me
Excellent post. Just do it sounds like such simple advice but it really is very important. I love the way you wrote this.
Positively Present´s last blog ..a letter to my older self
Procrastination is a MAJOR problem in my life. I am trying to make a point to “just do it”. On days I accomplish that, things are so much better.
Thanks for the reminder!
Christi {Jealous Hands}´s last blog ..teamwork
I got over it when I realized it took more time to stew over things than actually do them. Keeping score is so NOT a thing to do and really totally unproductive as you just showed. However having a mirror in front of me doesn’t hurt, so it was fun to read you have had the same issues, sister.
Wilma Ham´s last blog ..My daughter, my heart and that little voice of mine.
Good advice for all of us. Sometimes, we are scared of confrontation or not so great outcome, hence we delay doing the task, at least it is for me that way. However, sooner we do it, we may find we were worried for nothing.
Zengirl´s last blog ..Learning from 4 years old
This is a major problem for me, too! It’s another reason why my decluttering frequently bogs down.
It’s hard to “just do it” when you have the worst of all rebels inside you constantly going “as if”! I am truly my own worst enemy! I need to make friends with myself and treat myself kindly.
Thanks so much for this article. I’m going to try to “just do it.”
@ Jay – That’s great! It’s funny how the cure to all that unhappiness lies within each of us. I’m glad it’s been working for you and it’s okay to mature so long as you can tap into the kid inside every now and again
@ Jill – That’s fantastic I’m glad to hear it’s working out for you! It is so much more empowering when you realize you hold the key. If you’ve been living the other way for a long time it’ll take a while to get to the feeling worthy stage but it’s great once you get there.
@Positively Present – I’m glad you liked it. Simple words with huge impact if you can apply them.
@Christi – You’re quite welcome I’m glad it’s working for you as well. It really is the only way to get stuff done…doing it.
@ Wilma – Hey sister
Yes it’s amazing how many people are going through the same thing. It’s overcoming that mental hurdle and thoughts of what’s right, fair or what should be. Once you do that you are more productive and happier…it does take time and it is easier said than done. But well worth it.
@Zengirl – That’s the thing, we usually build situations up in our own head but they usually don’t play out that way anyway so yes the worrying and procrastinating usually are all for nothing.
@ Mary – You are certainly not alone. It takes time and you will get there slowly but surely. Just remember NOBODY is perfect and NOBODY has it pulled together all the time. Don’t be so hard on yourself and just do a little bit at a time you’ll get there!
@ Lori Enos – You’re quite welcome I’m glad you’re going to give it a try. I think you’ll be glad you did
You’ve given excellent advice.
In the times of my life, when I am inspired, nothing is hard to do–even chores get done. There is no problem with leaving things half-done, knowing that I’ll always come back to it. It’s also suddenly easier to prioritize–anything that does not fit the inspiration, goes, at least for now.
I don’t have the answers but perhaps it’s a matter of finding inspiration, or inspiration finding us. That, I think can only happen in stillness.
Great thought-provoking article. Thanks.
Kaushik´s last blog ..Why we take a peculiar pleasure in suffering and how to stop
The more I work with the idea of procrastination the more I realize that there are no tricks – it’s just a matter of starting and then committing to continuing.
The question behind this that I’m still working on is: why is something so simple so hard to do?
Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome´s last blog ..The Healing Power of the Dance Floor: Pop Music Positivity
@ Kaushik – That’s exactly it. When you first start out on a project it’s exciting you’re motivated and inspired to keep going. That motivation and inspiration fade and that’s when you just have to do it anyway. That’s the ONLY way it will get done.
@ Alex – Hi! Precisely. There are no tricks. I’ve been reading a fair few articles lately that claim to have tips, tricks or other methods to get over procratination. Some of the points are good but over all I come away thinking “yes but all you really have to do is DO IT”.
(Oh and when you find the answer to your question please let me know
).