I created a Next Action worksheet to help you stop procrastinating and start taking focused, targeted action toward accomplishing your most important goals and projects. Download it for free at the bottom of this article. Then, follow the steps in this guide to start using it.
Now, let’s break down how to overcome procrastination with the Next Action Method.
The Next Action Method: How to Overcome Procrastination and Start Getting Things Done
Think about the last time you had something crucially important to do, but got stuck in a loop of procrastination… What kept you from taking action?
Often, we procrastinate because we’re overwhelmed and unclear about the goal or project we’ve got in front of us.
We think about EVERYTHING that goes into getting to the finish line.
We think about EVERYTHING we need to do to accomplish the goal or project.
Then we start doubting ourselves:
- “It’s too big.”
- “It’s too scary.”
- “It’s too vague.”
- “It’s too complex.”
- “It’s more than I can handle.”
- “It’s just too much to deal with right now.”
These are some seriously demotivating thoughts…
It’s the kind of self-dialogue that can send you straight down Procrastination Avenue (which is right across from Rabbit Hole Road).
Wanna know how to overcome it and start taking action?
One of the most effective methods for doing that is called the next action method.
The key to this idea (as it applies to beating procrastination) is to figure out the very next doable action you can take to move the ball forward — be it a task, a project, a phone call, or whatever else.
Here’s how it works…
1.
Get clear about your outcome
Think of something you’ve been procrastinating… Maybe it’s a project – like finishing a presentation for work, or launching a new product.
Now, take a moment to identify the outcome you’re after by asking yourself one of the following questions:
1: What’s the result (or outcome) I’m after and why?
2: What does this project look like when it’s done?
Jot down your answer.
2.
Make it doable
Now, shift your focus to ONE SIMPLE thing you can do right away to get yourself even the tiniest bit toward the outcome you identified in Step 1 above.
Make sure it’s something you can do immediately—or within the next 24 hrs—to move this project closer to completion.
Think of just one single, simple, small, and DOABLE action you can take to get this project closer to DONE…
Write it down. Even if you think it’ll barely move the needle. Doing something is better than doing nothing.
- For example, maybe you need to google some images to include in your presentation—that’s doable, right?
3.
Make it your next action
Did you identify a doable action you can take today?
If yes, I’m sending virtual high-fives your way!
Now, you’ve got your Next Action—something small, specific, and simple you can do today to make progress on your goal or project.
By the way, the rationale behind the Next Action Method is simple: When you do something your mind perceives as DOABLE, your energy increases, and your sense of direction and drive increase dramatically…
This clears the way for you to overcome procrastination and start taking action.
Bottom line: Next time you feel like procrastinating, just figure out the next specific action you’re willing to take in order to move yourself closer to completion. Then DO IT.
Even if it’s something as small as opening KeyNote or PowerPoint and naming your presentation.
It may not seem like much, but it’s something—and you can build from that.
4.
Create next actions for every project
The Next Action Method isn’t just a great way to kill procrastination.
It’s also an excellent (and super simple) way to keep track of every project on your plate.
Get a Next Action Tablet from 125Method™ (paper-based) or download the complimentary Next Action Worksheet (fillable PDF) I created for you below to create a Next Action plan for as many projects or goals as you’d like.
Your complimentary Next Action Worksheet.
Demolish procrastination and skyrocket your productivity with the Next Action Tablet. A physical companion for your digital tools that helps you bring your most important projects to completion—each and every day.
Or, try the printable + fillable Next Action Worksheet. Be sure to save multiple copies so you can use it for all your projects. It’s also fillable, which means you can type directly into the fields on any device—desktop, laptop, phone, or tablet.
