A Boomer's Footprint

Tag: procrastination

  • Me Me Me Me Me Me Me…….

    Let’s Soar.

    Baby Boomers – here’s the first post from my Then and Now series: MY WAY.

    There is a lot of verbiage floating around that we were the ME generation. We wanted to feel better and to have dreams that were actually attainable. We wanted a great life and we wanted work to be FUN. We brought out new energy and ideas.

    And luckily for the world, we did it, we believed in ME.  Our self-focus contributed to notable advancements I’ll be discussing in the coming weeks.

    Also trending is the comment we didn’t live up to our potential.  In fact, this theme ranks quite high in internet searches when checking out “baby boomers”. Of course many of these articles are written by millennials so give it the weight it deserves. There can be a lot of conversation around this idea.

    We believed in and worked towards:

    Idealism – My way meant we had an “I can do anything” attitude.We did a lot but now more than ever, we need to reconnect with our idealism as we make important choices and decisions about how we live in this second phase of life. Do we settle for our fitness level as is or strengthen and build our stamina, eat better, become more active? Do we become isolated or  enlarge our friends and associates base?  Do we continue to work, retire, or start our own business? Time to relocate, to buy up or downsize?

    Is now the time to re-invent ourselves, to chase our dreams or to give up on potential opportunities? What can we do?

    Openness to change – If you don’t like something you can change it. Part of the my way attitude. Like many kids we weren’t interested in the way our parents lived. We wanted something new and we were willing to go for it – to change. Future posts will address some of these changes. But for now are we ready to accept the challenge to change again.  Life is constantly changing around us so we can choose to adapt or be left behind. Sorry to say as we age there will be many adjustments needed.

    Self-empowerment – We began listening to our inner voice. We sought to discover who we were and how we could improve ourselves.  This concept is very relevant if we are ready to re-invent ourselves.

    Anti-authoritarianism – We became disillusioned with authority. We protested, we sat-in, we challenged the status quo. We all have our own opinions about the current leadership and whether the rhetoric is speaking to and for us.  But the reality is, we must set our own course and make our lives work for us.  There is no better time to become more vocal and active in the political arena at any level. To make our voices be heard.  While AARP does a good job addressing some big issues, it is irresponsible of us to give up our own power. We can fight for what is correct and just.

    Has our power been taken away or have we given it away?  Either way take some kind of action today. Reclaim and recommit to your power and use it for the betterment of yourself and others. This is a big component in the up and coming ebook entitled “My Way” along with more information and examples on the topic.

    Examples of Action Steps:

    Look at your senator’s or representative’s website to see what positions they are taking (I just looked at Feinstein’s sight and see there is a link to request a government grant!)

    OR search AARP – click the menu bar. There are many resources available. Such as – 10 Best Part-Time Jobs for Post-Retirement.

    OR challenge yourself with a personal goal on your procrastination list.

    What one goal can you accomplish in the next 30 days?

    Here’s what I am up to:

    -1- I continue to work on my fitness mainly strength and stamina.  In addition to my fitbit steps, 5 days a week I follow a TV yoga shows like Power Yoga or Wai Lana Yoga – all for free and in the comfort of my living room floor.

    -2- I am Purging!  My house is full of piles everywhere.  Some because there is no where to store them, others because of my small pack rat mentality.  My challenge is 30 projects in 90 days.  I am posting some videos on my business facebook page.

    https://www.facebook.com/Dorothy-Kelly-Proud-Boomer-and-Coach-107677419260985/

    -3- In collaboration with others I’m building a Boomer Movement.  The website BayAreaisBooming.com will launch this winter.  The focus is to “Lead a Conversation” on aging in the San Francisco / Bay Area.  Let’s admit it, we are there.  So how do we want to do it??? This is a replicatable model for our regions in the country.

    Big challenges but I have an “I can do it Attitude”.  What about you?

     

  • Procrastination

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    This is a tough obstacle to overcome!

    Procrastination is “the act of replacing more urgent actions with tasks less urgent, or doing something from which one derives enjoyment, thus putting off impending tasks to later time”. (wikipedia) So while we can’t argue with the desire to seek enjoyment, leaving tasks undone does not make them go away and can actually add more pressure or anxiety into the mix.

    This is something I know about first hand.  My schedule is to post every Thursday.  I can usually find an excuse why I can’t or won’t. When I procrastinate on this task, I feel I’m not keeping my word, letting down my readers and I lessen the importance on my commitment to you. My usual hang up is finding an appropriate photo for the message. As you can see this week I didn’t even crop the pic like I often try to do. At my procrastination moments I say, Dorothy, get writing. And I DO. Hence today’s post.

    There may be small upside to procrastinating. Sometimes while pondering a problem or task, we come up with a solution or more effective way to accomplish it.  But overall, the negatives far out weigh this possibility.

    Why do we procrastinate:

    We don’t love doing the activity

    FEAR – we want to avoid the unfamiliar

    We are not competent to do the task

    We underestimate the time frame the task requires

    We believe we must be in right mood to do the task

    We are unorganized

    We believe we need the task to be perfect

    We don’t see the reward by completing the task

    Here’s a quick tool to overcome procrastination: Start by doing something that gives you a sense of accomplishment.  Choose a small step that can happen in 10-15 minutes. And get it done.

    When you complete your goal, pay attention to how you feel.  Is there an improvement in your mood?

    Reward yourself for achieving a success. Make a list of the daily  accomplishments in a journal. It helps us focus on how many things we DO.  Read through it daily, smile as you recall success.

  • Delegating

    We are born with specific talents and passions. We also develop skills from our education, circumstances, and opportunities. These are the things we should develop and nurture.Every thing is not for everyone.

    Sometimes when we may find ourselves procrastinating about completing a task, it may be one does not use our talents or abilities.

    This may be an excellent time to consider delegating the task to leave more time for us to enjoy doing things which do best.

    Delegation is asking another to complete all of part of a task.

    At first, this may be easier said than done. We may worry about letting go.

    Some reasons why we may not be comfortable delegating are:

    -1- We are afraid of losing control. “Nobody can do this task as well as I can or the way I want it done.”

    -2- We must ask for help. We are used to doing everything ourselves. We may be afraid to be turned down.

    -3- Fear of being incompetent. We do better focusing on what we enjoy and do best, than struggling with tasks we are just not good at. We may think we are weak.

    -4- The cost. There are several ways to have help which does not include cash payments – such as trade, ask a family member, ask an employee.

    Next time we find ourselves stuck with completing a task, consider who you may ask to help us or do it for us.

  • How to overcome procrastination

    Procrastination is such a big obstacle that I am writing an extra blog post with suggestions to overcoming this obstacle and to getting things done.

    Do not become overwhelmed with this list.  Look for the tips, which can help you the most. Remember, putting off a task, does not make it go away.

    As you begin, focus on the benefits you will receive when you stop procrastinating and start taking action.

    How to break out of the cycle of procrastination – tips from my mentor, Raymond Aaron

    Create a new mindset:

    Look at past successes – what did I learn that I can carry into this task

    Adjust your attitude – develop an “I can do it” mentality

    Develop self management skills – keep focus on task at hand

    Look at project from the goal oriented viewpoint

    Recruit support – get a fan club, an accountability partner “60% is good enough” by avoiding perfectionism, you save a lot of time.  The lower bar has a bigger chance of success.

    Remove distractions:
    • Work on messes – a clear, clean environment equals clearer mind
    • Do not multi-task – pay attention to the highest priority task only

    Getting started / Time Management:

    Create new habits.

    Focus on the most important thing first and get it done

    1- Make your to do list – list everything that needs to be done
    2- Prioritize the tasks
    3- Break a big job into manageable parts  – divide and conquer
    4- Allow enough time to complete a task – consider how much time is available and complete a small step in that timeframe
    5- Keep the list in front of you keep checking them off
    6- Work in small steps and cross items off the list
    7- Begin to accomplish just 3 small tasks each day

    Take any necessary breaks and enjoy them.

    After your success:

    End of day preparation – review what was accomplished, make list of things to accomplish the next day – set the real
    priorities and do them first.

    Reward yourself for even the smallest effort/

    Last tip from The ultimate solution by David Allen

    DO IT NOW!– the 2 minute rule – if something can be accomplished in two minutes of less Do it Now.  What takes more time – record it for later.

  • Procrastination

    One of the more common obstacles is procrastination. Procrastination can be a hard obstacle to overcome, especially if it has become a life long habit.

    Procrastination – according to Wikipedia – refers to the act of replacing more urgent actions with tasks less urgent, or doing something from which one derives enjoyment, thus putting off impending tasks to later time.

    “I am going to start putting things off starting tomorrow“.  Sam Levenson

    What do we gain by procrastinating? Unfinished tasks do not go away and if they are in our visual sight can be a constant reminder of failure.

    Procrastination can create stress, a sense of guilt and crisis, a loss of personal productivity, frustration, lack of self-confidence, or social disapproval for not meeting deadlines or responsibilities.

    So why do we procrastinate:

    We don’t love doing the activity
    FEAR – we want to avoid the unfamiliar
    We are not competent to do the task
    We underestimate the time frame the task requires
    We believe we must be in right mood to do the task
    We are unorganized
    We believe we need the task to be perfect
    We don’t see the reward by completing the task
    There is an underlying issue – eg. we must make an uncomfortable decisions, etc.

    Here is one quick tool to overcome procrastination.

    Start by doing something that gives you a sense of accomplishment.

    Take a small step, such as:

    – as a health goal –  10 minutes of stretching or walking, cooking a pot of soup

    – as a personal development goal – writing in your journal every day

    – as a personal time goal –  working in the garden, calling a friend

    – as a mess goal – straightening up a room, reading back magazine issues

    What do you need to complete?

    Choose an activity which you have enjoyed doing in the past.

    –The point is to just get started on a consistent, regular basis.

    When you complete your goal, pay attention to how you feel.  Is there an improvement in your mood?

    Reward yourself for achieving a success. Make a list of the daily accomplishments in a journal. It helps us focus on how many things we DO.  Read through it daily, smiling as you recall success.