Stop Procrastinating and Take Care of Your Future Self Now

Do you ever do anything that you know will benefit your future self? This may seem like an odd way to phrase the question, but we have discovered that the benefits are amazing when you do things to help the future version of yourself succeed.

The flip side is that you are trying to avoid having your future self be mad at your past self for not doing the things that would enable you to have the success you know is possible.  In short: not helping your future self will lead to regret later on.

Here are some steps you can take now to help your future self thrive:

Use your digital calendar to set you up for success.

If you have a task that reoccurs rarely, such as filing government forms or other paperwork, schedule it in your calendar and in the notes field. Type in all those little details you struggle to remember like the web address, passwords, information you will need, etc. If you set it to reoccur every year you will thank yourself when that chore becomes easier! 

You can also use a calendar reminder to prompt you to do those nagging things you always put off and don’t get around to, like taking an hour to work on a new skill.  When you have a pop-up, it can be a strong motivator to check it off your list.  

Lists, Lists, Lists!

At the end of each day, write yourself a to-do list of tasks that you know want to complete the following day. Something about having a list in writing and getting to check things off is so satisfying. Pro tip: The key to this is writing your to-do list the night before. Too often you will be tempted to leave things off if you write it the same day.

Baby steps to future achievement.

If you have a big future goal, break it down into small steps that you implement incrementally. Let’s take the example of losing weight. Rarely does it ever work in the long term to massively change your lifestyle all at once.  Inevitably, burnout follows. Instead, plan for one small change to happen each week or each month. Phase one could be eliminating sugary drinks in favor of water. Phase two might be to add a 30-minute walk every day.  Phase three could be eating only unprocessed foods one day a week. The goals will be up to you – going slow is the key that will set you up to create habits that aren’t broken easily. 

Remind yourself that procrastination is a habit you can break.

Procrastination is both a habit and a choice.  You don’t have to keep doing the same things. And it might be easy to beat yourself up for slipping back into old routines, but if you can recognize it, and snap yourself back into a future mindset you can find success. Everyone stumbles but not everyone gets up – be the one who tries again!

Your future self will thank you.

If you are still reading this and taking it to heart, I think your future self will thank you for the steps you start using today. When you act with an eye to your future well-being, the rewards will only multiply the more time that goes by, and you are able to harvest the seeds that your past self planted.

Learning to put your future self first begins with learning how to delegate effectively. Delegation Works will teach you how to find the right support, stop drowning in the day-to-day, and feel more fulfilled with your work days – all from the comfort of your home office. Click here to enroll today!