For over 10 years now I’ve been having vision problem especially when using my gadgets.
My first visit to the optometrist was 9 years ago….after the checkup the Doctor recommended that I start using reading glasses. In my head, I remembered how my High School Maths teacher looks wearing his and my eyes looking old because of the medicated glasses……I ended up not going for it.
I had couple of visits to the optometrist….during one of the visits, I was told I needed to use a certain eye drop that will make my sight blurry for some days, I paid for the eye drop but never used it. What if I use it and some rare complications comes up and I can’t see again?
My vision became so bad while reading that I had to forcefully visit the optometrist again this weekend……lo and behold, my left eye has gotten so bad that it’s practically very hard to read with it alone completely.
Why am I telling you this story?
Procrastination is a habit you must overcome completely if you want to succeed. Procrastination is the number one ENEMY OF SUCCESS (not just your village people-in my Nigerian slangs).
Be it in the
aspect of doing your health checkups, to your business ideas, to starting up a career, to career change, to reaching out to a family member or a friend, to saying “I’m sorry”, to saying “I love you”, E.T.C.
Below are The Dangers of Procrastination and Tips on How to Beat It.
1: Time Wasting
Imagine the numbers of years you have spent procrastinating instead of acting, it’s always a terrible feeling because you can’t turn back the hands of time. You end-up living with this helpless feeling of regret that gets you frustrated with yourself knowing the situation could have been so different- if only you had taken that bold step.
2: Opportunities Will Be Wasted When You Procrastinate
Ever thought of the wasted opportunities because you just didn’t take good advantage of them. This most times happen when we fail to recognize them as life changing opportunities and in-turn missed out. Most times these opportunities comes once in a lifetime and we can’t guarantee a second chance.
3: Un-productivity and Un-achieved Dreams
Procrastination tends to come in full force when one has dream or want to achieve or change something. You might have a strong desire to do it, but you can’t seem to take the first step.
‘Why is it so hard to do something that I want so much’? Only you have a better answer to that. Uncover why you’re not taking that bold step, once you’re able to identify the reason why you’re not achieving your goals and dreams-Do away with it.
4: It Damages Your Reputation and Integrity
When you say you will do something and you don’t, you start losing your reputation and integrity. It also will damage your self-esteem and self-confidence.
People will stop depending or having trust in you and they won’t offer you any opportunities as they know you will not take it seriously.
5: Leads To Anxiety And Mental Health Problems
When you notice nobody can trust or give you any opportunity anymore, it will gradually lead to depression and over time depression will start to affect other areas of your life.
Procrastination can also affect your health when you continually put off checkups, like I did with visiting the optometrist. It is a habit that is really hard to overcome, but it can break or make you. It gets worse if left unchecked and the consequences terrible.
TIPS FOR BEATING PROCRASTINATION
- Develop “Do it attitude”
- Discipline your mind
- Learn and practice time management
- Have your targets listed out, daily-weekly-monthly targets
- Set realistic goals and achieve them
- Use actions to eliminate your fears
- Prioritize your activities
Finally, know your ‘tribe’, disconnect from the wrong people and friends. Limit your distractions which includes people who distract you from achieving your goals. Always have a your “ME TIME” where you mediate and map-out your goals and how to achieve them. Set deadlines for all your set goals, review them and be specific.
We will end-up procrastinating once in a while, don’t punish yourself when you do. Re-evaluate and self-reflect on the times in which you work your best and try again.