By now, you would have been aware of my knack for procrastination. I have complained about it throughout my blogging life and yet, I have done nearly nothing about it.

Recently, I read a section of the NLP book and was goaded into thinking about it. This section talked about outcomes, the outcome of a goal. It implied that we should refer to our goals as outcomes, because the whole point in setting a goal is to attain the outcome. In referring to goals as outcomes, we are reminded that the focus of the goal is the outcome.

Furthermore, it predisposes that people always have an outcome, in whatever they do. This desire could be conscious or unconscious. For example, you could be arguing with a friend. This indicates your desire for him to agree with your view. At this stage, you could try and serve your outcome by controlling any anger. Yet, if the argument escalated into verbal abuse, you would not have served your desired outcome.

Naturally effective and efficient people constantly think in outcomes. They instinctively question themselves if what they are doing are congruent with what they want. It does make sense, doesn’t it. To unconsciously check with yourself if whatever is happening is falling into your outcome(goal). And to take steps to correct the situation if your goal isn’t reached.

Now, how does this relate to my procrastination behaviour? I have a tendency to get distracted. Half the time, this is how I procrastinate. I’d come across a funny video online and neglect my tasks at hand, because I believe time is on my side. By the time I awake from the spell,  three hours would have passed.

However, if I possess the ability to think in outcomes, wouldn’t it reduce the procrastination. After all, procrastination for me is more of a distraction and bad sense-of-timing tactic.

At the initial stage, it requires conscious effort on my part to be aware of my purpose, goals and outcomes. Once it becomes habitual and second-nature, it’d be easier.

For the past five days, I have been battling procrastination by using this technique. It is damn tough. The first few days, I allowed myself to be distracted for six hours before accomplishing two-third’s of my outcomes for the day. Today is the same, but slightly better. Well, good habits don’t come easy…

Logen L.