Anti-Procrastination Challenge: Do it Now!

Today's Anti-Procrastination challenge isn't so much of a one-time challenge as it is the practicing of a habit.  I call it the Do-It-Now Principle.

The idea behind the Do-It-Now Principle is to practice Anti-Procrastination on everything that you do.  There are plenty of people for whom that comes naturally, but unfortunately I am not one of those people.  I am forever convincing myself  that things will be easier if I do them later.

 Here's an example that occurred just today.  I had been out shopping all day, and when I pulled into the driveway it was already well past the children's naptimes.  I looked into the back at the jumbled mess of bags, kids, coats, diaper bags, and who-knows-what else and thought to myself, “Right now I just need to concentrate on getting these kids down for their naps.  I'll clean the van out later.” 

The only problem is that later never seems to come.  By the time everyone is down for naps and I've had a couple minutes to put my feet up, it's time to make dinner and straighten up the house.  Before I know it, bedtime is upon me and later becomes, yet again…later.  The next day I'll most likely forget all about the junk that's sitting in the van.  I'll continue to forget about it until a very inconvenient time, like when we're already late for church and we're looking for the kids' coats.  I'll then remember that they're in the van, along with a bunch of other stuff.  We'll hurriedly jump in on top of all the stuff, allowing it to get trampled under the kids' feet while they climb into the back.  I could continue to go on with the possibilities – a bottle of lotion getting squirted all over the place under a kid's foot, finding a bag of spoiled cheese (not that I've ever done that or anything), a coat that now has to be washed because it just got walked on with dirty shoes. 

What begins as an attempt to make things easier ends up creating more work and making things take longer.  And the longer you procrastinate, the worse they become. 

I am learning ever so slowly that those who always seem to have their house clean are the people who have a habit of practicing the Do-It-Now Principle.

Whatever we do, let's quit procrastinating, okay?  Let's make our lives easier by doing things now!  Will you join me?  If you're already in a good habit of doing things right away, will you cheer me on?

*By the way, I did clean out the van before I put the kids down for their naps!  Good habits are developed one decision at a time!*

If you're just now joining our Anti-Procrastination challenge, you can read all the details here. be sure you're subscribed to email updates or follow me on Facebook to receive each day's new challenge!   

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Anti-Procrastination Challenge: Take a Day Off

I realize I haven't posted an Anti-Procrastination challenge for the past couple days.  I also realize that there are a lot of weekends that I don't post anything.  That's simply because I made a commitment that I would not let this blog take priority over my responsibilities as a wife and mother.  (That would be pretty dumb to blog about homemaking and be a lousy homemaker!)

I really hope, though, that on the days where I don't post a new challenge that you're still completing your own Anti-Procrastination task.  We all have different things that need to be done, and I'm sure you can think of something to do that you've been putting off.

Today is a little different, though.  I'm going to give you permission to take a day off…with one requirement.  You have to use your day off to do something you've been putting off.  I know you're thinking, “What?  Isn't that the same as an Anti-Procrastination task?”  Here's what I mean.  You need to stop procrastinating caring about people.  In my case it's the three little people that call me mom.  I can get so focused on getting everything crossed off my list, including my Anti-Procrastination task for the day, that I hear myself saying things like, “No, not right now…”  “Not today…”  “Later…” to my kids.  They want to go outside (which means I have to drop everything and go out with them since they're too little to go out by themselves) or play with playdough (which I hate because it makes a big crumbly mess)  or they want me to read to them or play with them.  There is nothing wrong with telling your kids they have to wait a few minutes while you get the dishes in the dishwasher, but do you find yourself constantly telling them “Later”?  If not now, then when?  Blink an eye and they'll be grown.  You'll be so sorry you waited to spend precious time with them.  So don't add that Anti-Procrastination task to your list today.  Instead, go read a book to your kids.  Take them outside.  Play playdough with them. 

If you don't have children or yours are grown, what people have you been putting off because you're too busy?  Why don't you take the time to make that special meal for your husband even though it's time-consuming and requires a lot of cleanup?  Write that letter to your grandmother.  Visit that lonely person in your church.  Bake those cookies for your neighbor.

We're not promised tomorrow.  Let's not get so focused on getting things done that we put off caring about people.

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Anti-Procrastination Challenge: Preserve a Memory

I have a family blog where I post pictures for the grandparents or anybody else who wants to see what we've been up to.  But…that blog is often sadly neglected.  I always have great intentions, but it gets pushed to the bottom of the priority list too many times.  For my Anti-Procrastination task today, I got it updated.

Whether or not you have a blog, keeping up with family photos seems to be an area which many people neglect.

What are you going to do about it today?  I'm  not asking you to start a month-long project updating a year's worth of scrapbook pages.  I'm challenging you to preserve A memory.  Just do one thing.  What will it be?  Getting pictures printed that have been sitting on your camera card for who-knows-how-long?  Putting together one scrapbook page?  Posting one blog post? 

I am finding that a big reason we procrastinate is because the situation looks too big and too overwhelming, so we don't do anything.  Just do one thing and enjoy it!  That's better than not doing anything at all!

 If you're just now joining our Anti-Procrastination challenge, you can read all the details here. be sure you're subscribed to email updates or follow me on Facebook to receive each day's new challenge!

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Anti-Procrastination Challenge: Call or Email a Long-Distance Friend

There are a number of people that were good friends of mine in college, but now I feel like I hardly know them.  They have moved away, and I have done a horrible job at keeping in touch with them.  In my opinion, “liking” or commenting on their Facebook status once in a while is a lousy alternative to actually calling them or emailing them with a meaningful message.

I am tired of making excuses for everything.    Among my excuses for not keeping in better touch with my long-distance friends are thinking that they are too busy or that I'll call at a bad time for them, my kids don't like it when I'm on the phone, and more.  But the real truth is that I've just been too lazy to make the effort.  A true friend will take the time to keep in touch with people she cares about.  Even if it's not always convenient, a true friend will make a way to do it.

Today I called one of my very best friends.  You know what?  It was so good to hear her voice.  So good.  You know what else?  She was so happy to hear from me too.  She told me more than once that I made her day.  She will be hearing from me a whole lot more often from now on.

Do you have any friends that you have been bad about communicating with?  Make some time to call them.  If you can't make a phone call, send a meaningful email message.  Proverbs 18:24 says  “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly.”  I'm going to stop saying “I should call…”  “I should email her…”  I'm just going to do it.    

If you're just now joining our Anti-Procrastination challenge, be sure you're subscribed to email updates or follow me on Facebook to receive each day's new challenge!

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My Super-Wimpy Workout Routine

I mentioned here that I had quit making excuses and started exercising again.  Can I tell you something?  Whatever it was in me that was telling me that I was getting exercise by working vigorously when I did my housework, playing with the kids out in the yard, etc. was LYING!

I have been doing a 15 minute workout routine, with only 5 minutes of that being cardio.  After those 5 minutes, my heart rate was maxed out.  I was at the top of the chart for my age where it is suggested that a workout that intense should only be done for short periods of time.  My heart rate has always tended to be high, but I am in BAD shape!  Not to mention my muscles are just a tiny bit sore too. {Sarcasm.}  I am now more determined than ever to keep at this thing.  I am realizing more and more how much my lifestyle now is going to affect me when I'm older.  I am only 26, and I am struggling to do this wimpy little workout.  If I keep neglecting to exercise, I honestly think I will be shortening my lifespan.  I want to keep my heart and body strong so that I have the health and energy to take care of my family (and so that Lord willing I can stick around longer too!)

So, what's my Super-Wimpy Workout Routine?

I knew I needed a workout routine that would be easy enough for me but still challenging.  I saw a workout on Pinterest somewhere that had 15 different 1 minute things to do.  I knew that would be perfect for me.  I can do anything for 1 minute, and I love the variety of it!  I came up with my own little version of it.

If you're in the same boat as me, and you're needing to work back into regular exercising, here's my little plan:

Do the following for one minute each:

• Walk in place
• High Knees
• Jumping Jacks
• Front Kicks
• Jumping Jacks
• Run in place
• Walk in place
• Lunges
• Hip Raises
• Pushups
• Squats
• Hip Raises
• Lunges
• Walk in place
• Calf Stretches

When I get to where my heart rate isn't maxed out, I will probably repeat this 2 times and do 30 minutes worth.  To make it easy to time each thing for 1 minute, I set this online timer  for 15 minutes.  When it gets down to 14 minutes, I start on the next thing; at 13 minutes I do the next thing, and so on and so forth.

Anti-Procrastination Challenge: Taking Care of Business

 Well, folks, it's time to tackle another of those (dreaded) Anti-Procrastination tasks again.  Really, I hope you don't dread them.  I hope you're enjoying the feeling of getting things done so they won't be hanging over your head any more.  I know I am!

Today you need to take care of any business that needs to be done.

 For example, I had to make a couple of calls that I was not looking forward to.  One that I can't post here, and another one to my credit card company to settle a dispute with a company that charged my card but did not fulfill my order.  I hate making calls like that, and I avoid it as long as possible with my excuses.  “I'll be on hold forever, and I don't have time for that.”  “The kids hate it when I'm on the phone, and they start running around and acting crazy.”  (Really, they do!)  Well, too bad honey.  You just need to stop procrastinating and get it over with.  You'll be done and won't have to worry about it any more. 

Now it's your turn.  Go take care of whatever business you've been avoiding and then enjoy the rest of your day!

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