I’m writing this from my hotel room. One mile from home. I know. It’s strange. I tried to explain it to a good friend who called:
Me: “I’m at a hotel down the street.”
Friend: “What city are you in?”
Me: “Atlanta.”
Friend: “You mean, you’re going home to Atlanta tomorrow?”
Me: “No, I’m at a hotel in Atlanta.”
Friend: “Oh. So you are speaking in Atlanta tomorrow and you’re staying in the hotel where you have a speaking engagement tomorrow?”
Me: “No. I don’t have a speaking engagement tomorrow. I just decided to stay down the street from home at a hotel.”
Friend: Silence.
Friend: “So … how much is that costing you?
Okay, here’s the deal. I looked at everything that I needed to accomplish before closing up shop for the holidays and decided as “a recovering procrastinator with a tendency to relapse,” I better come up with a plan to help me focus. So I checked myself in to a hotel, which gave me an undistracted environment with a focused agenda – not to mention the threat of wasting my money if I check out without finishing what I checked in to do. I found myself energized and productive.
When I get stuck, sometimes all I need is a change of environment. How about you? As we close out 2012, perhaps a new environment could be just the boost you need to be productive or start envisioning what you want to do in the coming year. Whether an afternoon at Starbucks or a weekend away, breaking out of your comfort zone physically can help you break out of your comfort zone mentally.
Give it try. Leave a comment below, and let me know what works for you.
Really good post. That’s exactly what I was looking for.
Hi Valorie, I am a big time procrastinator too. Even back in school I would always put off homework and projects until the last minute. Til this day I am still fighting to get things done the right way. Thanks for everything.
Valorie!!!!
I do the SAME THING! And it SO works. You think, I paid to stay here..even though it is a few miles from my house, I’m getting stuff done! I LOVE it too!!!!
Hi Angel! I’m so glad to know I’m not the only one, lol. I thought I might be in good company! 🙂
I am procrastinating as I write 🙂 But, I’ve learned to reward myself with little things at different markers along the path of a big project. Otherwise, I wait until the last minute and add unecessary stress to my life. Like sometimes, I won’t let myself redo my nails ’til I reach a certain benchmark.
lol, Alison … now, that’s a real incentive! Can’t go around with your nails all chipped up. 😉 Hey, whatever it takes to get unstuck! You gotta find what motivates you and use it. Now, enough procrastinating – time to get back to work!
I do this ALL the time for the exact reasons you mentioned. Women better learn (in my momma’s voice) how to check out – so they can check into what needs their attention. Love this post, will share!
AFH
I appreciate you sharing the post, Aprille! Thanks for spreading the word!
This was a wonderful reminder for so close into the New Year! I too am a recovering procrastinator…and I’ve learned that it’s the extreme moves that motivate you to complete those need tasks. Another thing that I have been doing is the “Reward System”. Just like we do with children if they misbehave or don’t complete a required task/or chore; I don’t reward myself if I fail to complete the necessary things of my life. When I realize that I am sacrificing my leisure time, fun and hanging out with friends and family because I wasn’t consistent with the things in my life…I’ve grown to get the picture quick! LOL ~~~Again, thanks for the reminder!
You’re welcome, Jae! And I agree, having a project looming while you’re trying to enjoy leisure time is just awful – and every procrastinator knows that feeling…
Oh, Valerie how this post is right on time for me. I have so many projects/products/services I want to create this year (2013) and I’m wondering if that’s why I have felt so uneasy since the new year began. My focus has been distracted to much already, and it’s just the 4th day of the year. Doing the hotel room thing has already been on my radar, however, finances seem to never coincide with the times I desire to do it, so for now I think Panera Bread will become my favorite hang out place for focus productivity.
How funny, Panera’s my spot, too. Love the spinach and cheese quiche for breakfast! Do what you have to do, and definitely don’t let money be a hindrance to your dreams for the New Year. Pick one thing at a time to work on – then go to the next. This time next year, you’re going to marvel at what you’ve accomplished in 2013! 🙂
[…] Valorie Burton offers a great suggestion on how to Get Unstuck and Be Unstoppable! […]
Great but impractical advise for me! I have tried to make changes mentally [starts with the mind] thousands of times but I still revert back to procrastination and laziness. It’s very difficult somewhat insurmountable when you have NO support or family! I have friends but mostly it’s just me by my lonesome! I’ve set goals for 2013 but HOW DO I SET MY MIND AND KEEP IT SET?! [Col. 3:2]
Kimberly, a suggestion:
Determine what is important to YOU, that is not connected to anyone else. It can be big, or small. Think about why it is important to you, and finally, ask yourself how important it is to you.
Start small.
Give that “thing” to God, and give your thoughts about that “thing” to God. The Word says that we should “be renewed by the transforming of our mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Rom.12:2.
If you determine that the goal is of God, and according His will, then, you can have the confidence that He will give you the things that you have asked for. 1 John 5:14-15.
Be encouraged. God said that He is FOR you, and that He would never leave you or forsake you.
That is a HUGE promise. And, He’s a great promise-keeper.
I do the same thing, and I too do not have a lot of support. I find that if I write down my goals and and plans for the week that helps a little. Not sure what you have tried, but this does help me.I have a schedule of sorts and on Sunday I go through last weeks list and remake a new one for the new week coming up. Try it and see if it works for you
Hi valerie,
i enjoy taking weekend respites to work on projects. after reading your blog has given me permission to take today to find affordable hotel weekend respites to travel to. i have discovered when taking weekend respites allows me to become focus on working on my projects, allows me to feel relaxed, and a sense of inner peace when i return home to my family.
thank you for your supportive blog. I also get great ideas as i read other blog writers great ideas.
Peace and Blessings.
Netanya
Hello Valorie,
Resonated with your article, and came to terms with myself as a procrastinator. In fact, I have a paper due tonight 12am est. However, this year I am taking strides to dig up the root of my procrastinator and aligned it with God’s truth about me. I am so grateful our paths crossed, and becoming a certified coach with CaPP was just the beginning. New Year, New Me…Unstuck and Unstoppable!
Marcia
Hey Marcia! I’m so glad you are one of our CaPP Institute graduates. 🙂 Have fun doing your paper! When I want to overcome my procrastination, I try to shift my attitude from thinking of the task as something I “have” to do to something I “get” to do. Works for me.
Hi Valorie,
this sounds like a great idea, I am going to try it, I have a lot of work to get done this year , I can use all of the help i can get. I will be tuning in for more of your tips on staying focus.
I appreciate the confession, Valorie. Although I get a lot done (eventually), I struggle with procrastination. I’m teaching 2 classes this next semester. Instead of working on the syllabi, I’m reading your blog…. LOL. Love your insights. Just got your latest book….
lol, Linda! Been there, done that, too! I hope you enjoy the book. Good to see you on here.
Valorie, I am in the process of recovering from being a procrastinator….. I am a grad student and I have found that going to the library does wonders for my productivity. Although I love the comfort of my home, trying to work at home is too distracting and I end up doing everything except what I need to do. My semester starts next week and I have already decided to spend a few hours at the library at least twice a week.
Thank you for sharing!!! I’m glad to know I’m not in this alone.
Hi Valorie,
You are such an inspiration ~ I want to become more spiritually balanced. I want to study and understand God’s Word. Sometimes we “throw” up prayers and hope they “land” where we want them. Spirituality is deeper than that.
I think that’s a WONDERFUL idea! My friends never understood why I would go on vacation alone when I needed to get things done since I lived alone. They couldn’t figure out what I could get done in a hotel room by myself that I couldn’t get done at my house by myself. Glad to know I’m not too far off center. I’ve found that I can get a lot done at the car dealership when I take my car in for servicing (they have these wonderful offices available for the customers). I even stayed there an hour and a half after they finished with my car a couple of weeks ago since I was being so productive. Who stays at the car dealership longer than they have to? Procrastinators like us, I guess! Blessings to you in 2013!
couldn’t agree more! in fact, i’m chaging my environment right NOW (off the gym I go!)
couldn’t agree more! in fact, i’m changing my environment right NOW (off to the gym I go!)
Changing environments is a great idea. I seem to really be productive when I’m in hotel rooms, and I can’t do things around the house, or run errands from home.
But, I’m not that easy.
Even then, sometimes, I can spend a lot of time picking my nails, or reading a magazine. Terrible.
I have decided to use the fire-survival mantra, “stop, drop, and roll!”
Stop putting it off, drop what you’re doing (that isn’t what you need to be doing), and roll with something that you should be doing. NOW!
Sometmes I have to (think) it loudly. :0)
That has worked.
Procrastination has been an issue for me. The feeling of having too much to do is no fun at all! The act of writing out what needs to be done, breaking tasks into parts, and keeping a visual reminder helps me a lot. I wanted to paint a bedroom, but the chore felt overwhelming. Last weekend, I trimmed the room. This weekend I rolled the walls. I will spend more time painting the trim, but I will get it done. Just starting the parts that I knew I could handle was the answer for me. I also saved a lot of money by doing it myself which was the reward!
Thank you Valorie for your Godly inspiration!
Valerie. I am a procrastinator also. I even had my cable cut off so it would help back in October 2012. I did manage to thoroughly rearrange my apartment and gave it a new look, and I do read more, and my apt stays so clean I find that I have nothing else to do. I live alone so it’s not like it will get messed up. I still don’t have a solution yet, but I am working on it. I love your emails and have been reading them for the past two years.
Hello Valerie,
LOVING your newsletter!! What works for me is going to my local library. It allows me to clear my head of any “home” distractions. LOVE being able to be quiet and really pay attention to items that just NEED to get done.
Thank you for sharing!
Dear Valorie,
Infinite gratitude to you for the work you do! After I committed to releasing all the habits/patterns/behaviors/inner dialogue that no longer serves my highest good, I realized that I have procrastinated mostly from being a perfectionist. Meaning, if I didn’t feel like I could do something “perfectly” I would put it off to the last minute, that way if the results of my efforts fell short of perfect I could blame it on “lack of time” to do a quality job. The other reason I used to procrastinate was just plain old self-indulgence. I would dance around the edges of a task and busy myself with other things, usually smaller/easier tasks. Perhaps built into that was a bit of an adrenaline-junky syndrome, where I got a kick from putting out fires at the last minute. I’m over all that. I want to live a life of ease, which requires planning and self-discipline. The closer I get to 40 the better life is getting! I appreciate you.
With many thanks, Audrey Esquivel
This is a great post! My takeaway – a change in perspective can serve as a motivator. I will put this into practice right away.