The Walk Around Method

In my new book "How to Conquer Procrastination", I mention a number of different techniques which will assist anyone, no matter how badly they are affected by this habit, to overcome procrastination and take action.  One method which did not make it into the book is what I term "the walk around" method.  This is a technique which is very simple in design and will net tremendous results.

Pesky List

We all have those pesky lists of items which require attention.  The problem for a procrastinator is that they either are paralyzed by fear or are motivated by laziness.  Hence, the list keeps getting longer.  Using this method is an effective way to remove some of these tasks while creating a visual difference in your surroundings.  Ultimately, this will uplift one who is suffering under the emotional toll of inactivity.

In a nutshell, the walk around method entails nothing more than walking around your house (or office) and tending to anything that you see needs attention.  There is no planning or systematic approach.  It is best to lean towards those activities which require little time.  The key here is to knock the activities out so they no longer consume mental energy.  Anything that is left unresolved tends to garner the attention of our minds.  Eliminating these tasks by simply completing them frees the mind up for more productive things.

One thing I will stress is that whatever activity is undertaken, it must be done to completion.  While redoing the roof on the house is a noble activity, especially if there are leaks, this is not something to focus upon utilizing this method.  Instead, we want to concentrate on the simple.  Simplicity is our friend.

Comes Naturally

I know some of you are reading this and saying "why does he even mention this".  There are many people who are not affected by procrastination to the degree that some of us are (or were).  This method is what a great percentage of the population normally does.  If a person is walking past the stairs and there are a pair of shoes, he or she naturally puts them away.  Not so with the procrastinator.  This is a person who will walk past those same shoes for weeks AND dwell upon that fact obsessively.  That is why procrastination can affect a person to a point of causing a mental illness of sorts.

Here is a prime example.  If a procrastinator enters the kitchen which requires some cleanup, he or she will, perhaps, tend to a task, and then leave.  A normal person will simply address all the needs in one shot.  Thus, the dishes will be put into the sink, the stove cleaned off, and the spices and other cooking supplies put away.  It is a natural act to do all the chores.  When it comes to the procrastinator, we must remember, nothing comes natural as it pertains to action.  Even the slightest act can be a struggle.

The walk around method works to the procrastinator's advantage in that it allows the freedom to move about and shift from one activity to another.  The goal is not to complete an entire set of tasks (like in the kitchen) although that is not a bad direction to take.  We are concerned with taking action and completing something.  If it is an assortment of activities in different rooms, that will make a difference.  The key is to stay busy and finish the activity once started.  For example, if there is a pile of laundry on the bed, all of it must be folded (putting away is a separate task).  Tending to the task partially will not net much of an effect, either emotionally or visually.  Finishing the task is of utmost importance.

Try this a couple times over the next week.  The time periods can be short.  Even if you commit to 30 minutes, two times during the next 5-7 days, you will see how much of a benefit this can be.  It is a fantastic way of eliminating some of those pesky chores.

DH
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