Inner Inspiration

Procrastination is an issue a lot of us deal with (or put off dealing with) for as long as possible. Procrastination usually happens when you’re faced with doing something you don’t like to do, don’t know how to do, or fear.

When you procrastinate, it can upset a lot of things in your life. Delaying completing projects can affect your income, relationships, and self-esteem – not to mention your credibility!

In addition, it doesn’t just affect you; it affects everyone else close to you:

• It can irritate your spouse and children and teach your kids to put things off, too.
• Your friends might decide they can no longer trust you to do what you say.
• It causes issues with your boss and co-workers who have to step in and do your work for you (until you get fired)!
• It frustrates anyone who has to wait on you to get something done before they can do their part.

As bad as it seems, however, there are ways you can overcome your procrastination! Even if you’ve been putting some projects off for months, or if it has become a daily habit, you can still get back on track.

Follow these tips to transform yourself into someone who gets things done:

1. Divide and conquer. Most tasks are composed of several different pieces, which is why you’ll want to divide the task into a series of attainable action steps. Breaking it down this way makes it seem a lot easier.

• Put some easy steps at the beginning that you can accomplish quickly.
• Jump right in and complete those first easy steps. This will give you the confidence to continue, build momentum, and motivate you to get it finished.

2. Get some help. Don’t let pride get in the way of letting you get something accomplished.

• If your time is short, ask someone to help with some of the tasks for you, especially the easy ones that can be dispatched quickly. This will give you more time to focus on the more difficult portions of the project.
• Form a team and divide up the project. As the saying goes, many hands make light work! Learning to delegate helps make you more successful. If your delayed projects are at home, let your children do the parts of the project they can handle. They’ll learn some valuable life skills, too.
• If you’re unsure of what to do, ask someone who’s done something similar before. They can quickly bring you up to speed. Once it’s no longer a mystery, you’ll find it’s not as much of a challenge as you thought!

3. Make a list. Write down all the things that you’ve been putting off so you have a concrete listing of exactly what you need to complete.

• Put them in order of their priority. This way you’ll be sure to get the most important ones done first.
• Divide each project into attainable tasks as explained above.
• Post it where you can see it throughout the day.
• Cross off each task as you finish it. Just the action of crossing something off that list makes you feel good and motivates you to get more done.
• Reward yourself after you complete the full project.

4. Start some new habits. Now that you know some easier ways to get things done, use these same tips each day for every project that comes up.

• Instead of just putting it aside for later, divide your project immediately into attainable smaller tasks, delegate what you can, and do something on it right away.
• Make it a point to do this consciously for a few weeks and it will become a habit. Most experts agree that it takes three weeks to turn a conscious action into a habit.

Bernard Meltzer said: “Hard work is often easy work you didn’t get done at the proper time.” How true! The longer you put off doing a task or project, the harder it’ll be to get it done because more work has piled up, conditions have gotten worse, and others involved are now irritated with you.

Make your work easier and your life more enjoyable by following these tips to overcome your procrastination and avoid it in the future. You’ll be glad you did!

Stress-induced problems swirl around us all the time and it often feels like the pressure never ends! Yet, there are simple ways to relieve stress without harming your body.

Here are 10 steps to a less stressed life:

1.    Cut out the busyness. What are some things you can cut out of your schedule to give you more quality time for you and your family?

• What clubs or organizations do you belong to? What meetings or activities are you involved in? Is it all necessary?
• Carefully consider which programs and activities you can remove from your schedule – then do it!

2.    De-clutter and organize your home. When your home is cluttered and unorganized, you tend to feel cluttered and unorganized on the inside, causing you more stress.

• Get rid of the stuff you never use by selling it, throwing it away, or giving it to someone who’ll make use of it. Once you’ve done that, organize what’s left over and make a place for everything. If necessary, use labels and organizational containers to make it easy to find things again.

3.    De-clutter and organize your workspace. Organizing your workspace is no different than de-cluttering your home.

• Remember, your external environment affects your internal peace. Messy on the outside likely means messy on the inside.

4.    One of the major stress factors is money. However, there’s a simple solution: a budget. Most people don’t like the word budget, but budgeting doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, financial planning actually helps you save money.

• Do a search online to find a budgeting system that works best for you. It needs to be simple and easy to use every day. Once you’re on a budget you’ll feel a lot less stressed due to finances.
• Seek the help of an experienced financial planner who can steer you on the right financial path.

5.    Enjoy what you do have. In our society you’ve probably learned somewhere along the way that more is better. Well, it’s not.

• When you learn to be content with what you have right now, you’ll find much more peace within yourself.

6.    Get regular exercise. When you workout, your body burns off more than just fat and calories. Working out also burns off steam.

• If you’re stressed due to work situations or family conflict, getting a good workout will help you relieve stress.  You’ll be able to think and reason more clearly, which will help you deal with some of the core issues that are causing your stress.

7.    Eat healthier. Yes, eating healthy foods really does relieve stress because when your body is nourished properly, it functions optimally. Eating right lends itself to clearer thinking.

8.    Reduce your workload. If you have a heavy workload, either on the job or at home, do what you can to reduce it.

• Take a good look at your routine and determine if the workload is really worth the toll it’s taking on your body and health. If it’s not – and there’s no end in sight – perhaps it’s not the proper solution to your problems anyway.

9.    Communication is key to relieving stress in your life. If you have a friend you can talk to openly and honestly, seek them out.

• Getting things off your chest will help you sort out problems and see your situation in a new light. The less foggy your mind is, the more stress you’ll be able to remove from your life.
• It often helps to have someone outside of the situation to talk to because they’ll likely see something you don’t.

10.    Journaling is a great way to relieve stress. You can have an outlet without having to reveal your deep thoughts to the world.

• Journaling is a great way to see the progress you’ve made, which can be very therapeutic.

As you can see, there are many ways to reduce stress. Put them into practice now and you’ll soon begin to see a real difference in your life. Your stress will start to diminish and you’ll be free to enjoy your beautiful life!

Everyone experiences times throughout the day where you just wish you could relax for even a few minutes.

You already know that relaxation helps your body re-energize, but sometimes you’re so busy and caught up in the moment that you just don’t have the time to unwind.

Well, fortunately there are simple ways to relax, even during your busiest days, that don’t require a lot of time or equipment.

Here are 5 Simple Relaxation Tips:

1.    When you’re in line at the grocery store: Instead of stressing out because there aren’t enough cashiers and every line has 5 people with heaping carts of groceries, use that time to relax your body by taking some deep breaths.

• Deep breathing helps increase the oxygen in your blood. Your blood then circulates that extra oxygen throughout your body helping your inner systems recharge.
• Taking five slow deep breaths will do the trick. The proper technique is to inhale and exhale deeply through your nose and out your mouth.
• Not only will deep breathing help you relax, it’ll help to clear your mind, reduce brain fog, and you’ll feel much more alert and ready to tackle the next project on your plate.
• Deep breathing can be done anywhere when you’re feeling stressed or just want to clear your mind.

2.    When you’re at work: It’s often hard to find time to relax at work. You might even get in trouble if you’re caught “relaxing.” Oh the horror! However, there are some techniques you can do while you’re at work to help create a sense of calm that aren’t so obvious to others.

• If your job requires you to sit at a computer all day, make sure you get up and move around for a few minutes every hour. This helps circulate the blood throughout your body. Just moving the blood flow will make you feel more alert and focused.
• While sitting at your desk, roll your head around, from side to side and from front to back with your eyes closed. This technique helps to relieve neck tension, increasing blood flow to your brain, which is a natural and easy way to relax.
• If you’re on your feet all day, stretch out your back and sides by standing with your feet firm on the floor, shoulder width apart, and twist your upper body, including your head, slowly from side to side. This will loosen up your back muscles and spine, releasing tension throughout your body.
• During a break or lunchtime, go for a walk. Walking is a great way to clear your mind and your body will benefit from the extra exercise as well.

3.    When you’re rushing through a busy day: Take just a few moments to daydream and escape the busyness of reality.

• Daydreaming lets your imagination flow, causing instant relief from the stress of the real world.
• Think of a place or experience that makes you feel happy or calm. Imagine how it smells, how the air feels, and who’s around.
• After five minutes of a calming daydream you’ll feel relaxed, reenergized and ready to face the real world again.

4.    Wherever you’re at, smile: Smiling is proven to help relax and rejuvenate your body.

• When you’re out and about, smile at others around you.
• When you’re at work, smile at your co-workers. Not only will it help you relax, it’ll help relax them as well.
• Smile at your children when you’re toting them around to all their different activities. This will create a peaceful environment you’ll all enjoy.

5.    When the going gets tough, laugh: Laughter’s proven to be an instant stress reliever. Now I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t want to be seen as a nut case, so laughing out loud when you’re in line at the store or sitting at your desk may not be the best time. When you can, get someone involved in your laughter with you.

• Tell a funny joke or story to a co-worker (at an appropriate time, of course).
• Play a fun game or sing a silly song with your kids as you’re driving.
• Watch funny videos on YouTube.

Engaging in these simple, everyday relaxation techniques will help to sustain and strengthen you throughout your day. It’ll also make it easier to unwind when you get home. Your friends, co-workers, and family will all appreciate the new, relaxed you!