The More You Do The Better You Feel

by David Parker

  Understand that there will be consequences for your inaction.

  I never took the consequences of this lifestyle into account, especially the effects it had upon my feelings and emotions.

  Remember that procrastinators are great at finding excuses.

  I was always prepared with an excuse, like saying that the trains ran poorly, or that there was a problem in my apartment and the building’s super just happened to be nearby and fixed it on the spot.”

  Learn to face your overwhelming emotions.

  Instead of facing my emotions, I rebelled. For example: “In a sense, my habitual lateness, just like my habitual procrastination, was my way of refusing to be tied down by a demanding world.”

  Avoid being a perfectionist.

  “Still, in spite of whatever losses I had incurred, as far as I was concerned, having an appointment diary was a sign of weakness.”

  Take the pressure off yourself by developing patience from within.

  If only I had seen my co-workers’ appointment books in a more positive light, I might have had an opportunity to reflect upon how well they were organized and how they didn’t seem to suffer from the low moods that came upon me. Unfortunately for me, I was not willing to change my long-held ways at that particular time, as well as for some time to come.

  Obviously, if I was to overcome my condition of habitual procrastination, I needed a solid foundation upon which to build my new self.

  Learning to Focus Your Attention on Just One Task with “The J.O.T. Method™”

  One of the greatest ironies of habitual procrastination is that in order to concentrate on getting just one task done, we need to mentally put aside the often tremendous number of undone tasks we’ve yet to deal with, all of which weigh heavily upon our minds. In order to veer away from our habitually negative way of thinking, we need a good tool. For we habitual procrastinators, that tool is “The J.O.T. Method™.”

  The J.O.T. Method™ is incredibly effective because it’s simple to use, you can easily adapt it to your needs, and most importantly, it teaches you to concentrate on the task at hand while eliminating those otherwise bothersome distractions.

  All you need in order to incorporate The J.O.T. Method™ into your life are three things:

  1. A pen or a pencil.

  2. A legal pad or a notebook.

  3. The willingness to change.

  How Does The J.O.T. Method™ Work?

  The J.O.T. Method™ neatly defeats habitual procrastination through an easy-to-use technique. Here’s how it works:

  1. Taking your pen and notebook, write today’s date in the upper left-hand corner of the first page, and immediately think of one simple task that you’ve put off doing, and then write that task underneath the date.

  2. Immediately commence action on that task and only that task. Do not allow yourself to indulge in any distraction.

  3. After the task has been completed, lightly draw a straight line through the task, making sure that the task underneath the line can still be read.

  We’ll go through a few practice examples using Barry, a fictitious habitual procrastinator. If you like, you can practice using The J.O.T. Method™ by writing into your own notebook the actual day and date that you’re reading this and following along with the examples.

  Let’s say that a few nights ago, Barry watched a DVD and after placing the disc back in its case, instead of putting the case back on the shelf where it belongs, he left it on the coffee table in his living room. This is a good first task to apply The J.O.T. Method™ to because all Barry needs to do is to put the DVD’s case back on the shelf where he keeps them so that his place will look more orderly. Let’s see how Barry does this in conjunction with The J.O.T. Method™.

  First, Barry writes the date in the upper left-hand corner of the first page of his notebook. Then, directly underneath the date, he writes the task that needs doing, making sure to do this before he takes action. Barry’s notebook now looks like this:

  Remember that a detailed or lengthy explanation of the task is not necessary, nor do we even want one, because the trick of The J.O.T. Method™ is keeping our instructions as clear and simple as possible. So in this particular situation, the words “Put DVD away” work just fine for Barry, because there’s nothing confusing about the task or about the instruction for how to go about completing it. As stated earlier, after we’ve written down the task, we immediately take action on that task alone. Do not allow yourself to indulge in any distraction. In other words:

  If the telephone rings, allow the call to go to voicemail.

  If you suddenly remember that a television program you wanted to watch is on, let it go for just a few moments, because you’re training yourself to focus on just one task.

  Even if the thought of something else that you’ve put off unexpectedly enters your conscious mind, ignore it for now, and continue with your task until its completion.

  Following the instruction that he gave himself on his J.O.T. list, Barry goes over to the coffee table, takes the DVD, and places it back on the shelf where it belongs. Without pausing to do anything else, Barry goes back to his J.O.T. list and draws a light line through the task to complete it.

  Barry’s notebook now looks like this:

  Doesn’t that look neat? If by chance you hadn’t noticed, the letters “J.O.T.” not only stand for “just one task,” they also make reference to how our method works, because when we use it, we “jot” our tasks down and then accomplish them.

  Bear In Mind

  When using The J.O.T. Method™, always be aware of these two important points:

  1. When writing your task, use clear and simple language, because this is one situation where less is more.

  2. Avoid the temptation to become sidetracked by distractions.

  What we want to do is not only learn how to deal with just one task at a time, we also want to develop our sense of self-esteem. The J.O.T. Method™ helps in this regard because when it’s used over time, it provides us with a written record of our accomplishments. It’s for this reason that after we’ve completed our first task, we continue using that same list for the rest of that day.

  A Second Example Using The J.O.T. Method™

  Barry’s a sentimental fellow and he often holds onto things that catch his eye in some way; but sometimes, even if he doesn’t have a real need for those items, he still has a difficult time throwing them out.

  Let’s imagine for a moment that a bill Barry recently paid included a promotional coupon, but the coupon was only good at a store that holds no appeal to him. After paying the bill and discarding the rest of the paperwork provided with it, Barry decided to retain the coupon, if only because he wants to look it over one last time before tossing it in the trash.

  Barry decides that now is as good a time as ever to look the coupon over one last time, so he writes down his new task, and his “J.O.T. list” now looks like this:

  It’s important to point out that while the instruction needs to be written clearly, we don’t need an overly lengthy instruction because that would ruin the simplicity that is so much a part of The J.O.T. Method™. So, while the instruction “Look over the coupon and then put it in the trash can” probably wouldn’t be a line found in a play by William Shakespeare, it works fine for us because its message is clear, its instruction is “do”-able, and it isn’t vague. Barry then follows his instruction with action: he satisfies his curiosity by looking over the coupon for one last time and then he places it in the trash can. He then completes his task by drawing a light line through the instruction, making his notebook look like this:

  In a certain sense, Barry has accomplished more than simply reviewing that coupon, because the reason he held onto it in the first place was because he promised to give himself a chance to look it over before tossing it away. In other words, Barry made a promise to himself to do something, and now that he has, he’s honored the first Golden Rule of Overcoming Procrastination, “Always keep th
e promises that you make with yourself.”

  Lastly, as mentioned earlier, Barry sometimes finds it difficult to discard certain items because to Barry, once it goes out in the trash, it’s forever gone. However, thanks to his J.O.T. list, that coupon he just put in the trash will, in a sense, always be preserved, which made Barry feel more at ease when he parted with it.

  Why The J.O.T. Method™ Works

  The J.O.T. Method™ not only works against your long-held negative habits, it also provides you with positive reinforcements because:

  You can now avoid distractions, because you have a logical path that you can stick to. If your attention wanders, all you need do is refer back to the last task that you wrote in your J.O.T. list.

  You’re training yourself to follow self-directed instructions.

  Besides learning how to focus on just one task until its completion, you also have an opportunity to discover the positive feelings of satisfaction that accomplishments deliver and to feel your self-esteem climb.

  You not only become a productive person, but at the end of each day you have a written record of your achievements.

  The J.O.T. Method™ is a simple, yet effective tool because all you need do to use it is to willingly give yourself permission to engage in the activity of your choosing. Then, after completing the task, you reward yourself by striking the task from the list. Afterwards, you not only have written evidence showing that the task was successfully completed, but with each task that you complete, your J.O.T. list reflects how productive you’ve been that day.

  Drawing a line through a completed task has another benefit for us, because as habitual procrastinators, instead of being proud of our achievements, we often discount our efforts by second-guessing ourselves as to how much we’ve really gotten done. This is part of our all-or-nothing thinking. We habitual procrastinators aren’t only good at finding excuses for not “do”-ing, we’re also good at finding excuses for why our results weren’t good enough, which is part of our tendency to be perfectionists. But now, by having a written record of our accomplishments, we can see a much more accurate picture of what we’ve accomplished, and feel satisfied with our efforts, achievements, and personal growth.

  Lastly, the average habitual procrastinator has had a long history of suffering from task-related anxiety and as mentioned earlier in this book, they often don’t feel good after having completed a task. Instead, the best some feel is a sense of relief that the task is finally over; however, that’s often followed by a feeling of dread concerning what their next unpleasant task will be, and how they can avoid it. However, by making use of The J.O.T. Method™, a habitual procrastinator can develop a new sense of confidence in his or her abilities, because they only need to review their J.O.T. list to witness the undeniable proof that they’re now dealing with tasks they formerly would have automatically put off.

  Give The J.O.T. Method™ A Try

  It’s now your turn to try using The J.O.T. Method™ on some of the tasks that you haven’t yet gotten around to. Do note that your starting point isn’t as important as the act of starting itself.

  Many habitual procrastinators who haven’t changed their ways, live in a world of personal confusion. While they’ll readily admit to having a thousand and one things to do, when asked what their first task might be, they often aren’t too sure. To help speed you on your way towards successfully using The J.O.T. Method™, here’s a list of some simple tasks that many procrastinators routinely put off. Feel free to pick any as your first task, to be completed in conjunction with The J.O.T. Method™:

  Gather up your unpaid bills and secure them with a paper clip or a rubber band.

  Align the spines of the books, DVDs, or CDs along one bookshelf.

  Give your place a quick dusting by wiping down its flat surfaces with a damp cloth.

  Take an empty envelope and write the word “Receipts” on it.

  Mop your bathroom floor.

  Pay one of your bills.

  Find an unused binder and make it your place to keep your bills.

  Do one load of laundry.

  Wash your kitchen table.

  Throw out the empty box that’s been taking up space in your closet.

  Set the clock on your microwave oven.

  Arrange your shoes.

  Try giving The J.O.T. Method™ a try right now. In the event that you’re caught short without a pad of paper, several blank pages marked “Notes” can be found just inside of this book’s back cover for your own use.

  In the next chapter, we’ll look at doing even more with The J.O.T. Method™, while still utilizing its easy-to-use format.

  Chapter Eleven

  Continuing Your Forward Motion

  THE LAST CHAPTER INTRODUCED YOU to the basics of using The J.O.T. Method™, a simple tool that helps you to stop procrastinating by training your mind to focus on dealing with “just one task” by jotting down your tasks and immediately commencing action upon them. The J.O.T. Method™ owes its effectiveness to its lack of complexity because all that’s required is your willingness to use it, along with proper use of the technique.

  In this chapter, we want to continue our forward motion and begin building momentum. While The J.O.T. Method™ is easy to use, if it’s not used properly, the results of inadvertent errors can wind up mimicking procrastination itself. If this occurs, a habitual procrastinator who unexpectedly meets up with renewed feelings of frustration could fall back into old ways of thinking by giving up on further action, while failing to realize that he or she unintentionally strayed from the path of simplicity. So before we kick things into higher gear, let’s take a look at some of the most common road hazards that can interfere with the proper use of The J.O.T. Method™.

  Improper Self-Statements and The J.O.T. Method™

  Habitual procrastination is often a progressive condition. This means that as the years pass, the procrastinator’s bad habits usually worsen. One of those bad habits is our tendency to automatically look at the entire task as a whole. If we do that, we may make an initial self-statement like, “I just can’t tackle it,” or, “It’s too complicated!” After making self-statements like either of those, our forward movement can come to a grinding halt.

  When we reach conclusions due to the faulty instructions we’ve given ourselves, just as faulty instructions will prevent a computer from executing a program, our functioning can also come to a halt. Most often, this resistance to action is the result of mentally biting off more than we can chew; in other words, if we unintentionally focus on the big picture, we can lose sight of the individual steps that are required to bring a task to completion. In order to combat this misstep, we need to make certain that our initial instruction is as simple and as basic as it can be.

  Perfectionism and The J.O.T. Method™

  There are also times when we may inadvertently miswrite our initial instruction because of our tendency to be perfectionists. As habitual procrastinators, we often expect too much of ourselves, falsely believing that if we don’t accomplish everything we’ve set out to, then anything that we have gotten done along the way doesn’t count, meaning, it has no value whatsoever.

  This belief system is counterintuitive to how The J.O.T. Method™ works, where everything that we accomplish not only counts, but counts a great deal. With The J.O.T. Method™ at our ready, we not only get our tasks accomplished, we also feel better about ourselves throughout the process of “do”-ing. This is a prime reason why The J.O.T. Method™ works so well at fighting habitual procrastination, because of its ability to train us to think differently, in valuing even the smallest things we get done. However, unless you write down your initial instruction in one clear sentence, using simple and basic language, you could experience a degree of difficulty in using it.

  One way to avoid being a perfectionist is to understand that it’s very hard to find anything that’s truly perfect. In fact, perfection is so rarely found that if we constantly seek it or expect it, then we�
��re most certainly bound to run the risk of feeling frustrated or disappointed a good deal of the time. Given this truth, we should strive to remember that for habitual procrastinators, “Good enough is great!”

  Always Be Willing to Rewrite Your Initial Instruction

  If you’ve tried using The J.O.T. Method™ and experienced difficulty at first, that’s perfectly normal—stay with it and give yourself a chance to grow into a non-procrastinator. However, should you fail to get moving on your task after a long period of time, try to take an objective look at what you’ve written because improper or conflicting instructions will often lead a procrastinator to seize up and to come to a standstill.

  If you inadvertently focused on the big picture by jotting down an initial instruction that can’t be done in a single action, you’ll likely find yourself going nowhere fast. Similarly, if you’ve fallen into the trap of perfectionism by attaching too many conditions to your initial instruction for it to get done, you’ll also find yourself at odds with forward movement. In either case, if your initial instruction seems to be vague or confusing to you, then the remedy for this is to rewrite it.

  As habitual procrastinators, we generally aren’t accustomed to taking our collective will back—especially when it involves a task that we’re not being forced to engage in by an external party. So for us, it’s only natural that we may feel a bit flustered when we’re faced with the need to rework a step, while we’re in the very process of trying to get that task completed. However, it’s also important to keep in mind that we habitual procrastinators are often more used to blindly going into battle against our tasks, than in keeping our eyes wide open by using the tools of proper planning and preparation. Therefore, if you find that you need to rewrite your initial instruction, although you may momentarily balk at the extra work, do bear in mind the great importance of giving yourself clearly written instructions.