Eight Simple Steps PDF

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8 Simple Steps to Overcome Procrastination & Get Into Action

Frank Coppola
The organizational meeting of the procrastination club has been put off until next week Never run for a bus, theyll always be another. Satchel Page
ADD Coaching Group 514 West End Avenue New York, NY 10024
V. 646.295.5625 F. 212.579.0270 frank@ADDCoachingGroup.com www.ADDCoachingGroup.com
All rights reserved 1985-2008
This is NOT a free ebook! This book does NOT come with any resell rights whatsoever. If you received this ebook for free or are aware of its illegal distribution, please send an email to: frank@addcoachinggroup.com. You may not alter this ebook in any way, shape or form, and it must remain in this original PDF form with no changes to any of the links contained within.
Copyright Notice
2008 Frank Coppola All rights reserved. Any unauthorized use, sharing, reproduction or distribution of these materials by any means, electronic, mechanical, or otherwise is strictly prohibited. No portion of these materials may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever, without the express written consent of the publisher. Published under the Copyright Laws of the Library of Congress Of The United States Of America, by: Frank Coppola: www.addcoachinggroup.com.
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It is a shame in my opinion that I have to include this in my ebook. I have taken every effort in writing this ebook to include useful information on the topic of procrastination. I do not in any way shape or form guarantee or even imply any level of earnings from anything you might apply form this ebook or anything else you may purchase or download from me or any of my websites. I cannot vouch for the legality of any the methods I describe, nor can I be held responsible for any repercussions or reactions that may occur when you apply any of these methods. All the links that I have included in this ebook are designed to eliminate the work and effort involved in searching for effective resources with which to build your business, or improve the quality of your life, or to increase and enhance personal growth, and are included with the understanding that to the best of my knowledge, which in some cases may be non-existent, are genuine and reputable sources. However, whenever you make a purchase from one of the websites, links or companies I recommend, suggest or simply compile for your use, I cannot be held responsible for their deliverability or reputation. Now, my legal notice: This ebook is designed to provide helpful and useful advice regarding the subject matters covered. However, it is understood that the author and distributor does not engage in the practice of providing legal or professional advice and that the laws and regulations governing the subjects covered in this ebook may vary form state to state, country to country, and jurisdiction to jurisdiction. It is also understood that the author and any distributors of this ebook specifically disclaim any
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents .4 Introduction . . 6 Procrastination: The Robber Baron of Time .......6 So heres the good news ... 7 Chapter One What is Procrastination? .8 ADD/ADHD & Procrastination .. 9 How does the medical community define ADD/AD HD? 9 The ADDing Perspective - What You Pay Attention to Grows ...10 Why are the symptoms of procrastination so prevalent for people living with ADD/ADHD? 11 Chapter Two Universal Fears Trigger Procrastination .......13 What drives Procrastination? What gets in our way? ........................................14 Chapter Three Types of Procrastinators To Name Just a Few 15 Chapter Four A New Way to Think about Procrastination .16 The Number One Solution You Need To Overcome Procrastination ...17 Chapter Five `The What ifs ...18 Chapter Six Moving from Procrastination to Action ...19 Why Take Action? .19 8 Simple Steps to Overcome Procrastination and Get into Action 19 Know What You Really Want and Overcome Procrastination ...20 Conclusion ...23 Acknowledgements 24 About Frank .24
The goal of 8 Simple Steps to Overcome Procrastination and Get Into Action mini-ebook is to demonstrate how you can overcome procrastination to get what you want. Im going to offer a different perspective on procrastination; one that empowers you to go beyond tips and techniques. I believe you are capable and with time and practice you can work through any challenge to go beyond where you may have been stuck in the past. The ADD Coaching Group is committed to your health, education and your personal and professional prosperity.
Frank
Frank Coppola, MA, ODC, ACG ADD Excellence Coach & Trainer Psychoanalytical/Psychotherapist frank@addcg.com www.ADDCoachingGroup.com
The More You Know -The More You Grow!
Introduction
Wouldnt you just love to find a way not to procrastinate? Could you put a quantifiable value on learning how to get yourself in action; to get things done in a timely fashion? How would you like to get into action? Get things completed? And have them feel natural and empowering to you?
Procrastination: The Robber Baron of Time

Procrastination is one area of peoples lives that appears to hold us back from getting what we want particularly for people living with ADD/ADHD. Could we agree that procrastination is a major cause of negative self-talk and lack of motivation? I would venture to say that procrastination is a contributor to lack of self-esteem and well-being. We admire people who dont procrastinate. Wow, my colleague is a go-getter. He is on the ball. This guy doesnt waste his time getting the job done. He just sits himself down and does it!
Procrastination is one of the most common and deadliest of diseases and its toll on success and happiness is heavy. Wayne Gretzky
We may even be critical or even resentful of those people who dont procrastinate. Here he goes again showing me up. Why doesnt this guy get a life instead of making me look bad? You may ask yourself why it is so easy for other people and not me. You may be completely puzzled why you just cant get started. You know exactly what youre supposed to do but youre stuck. You may be looking for motivation, inspiration, your passion in life or any number of ideas that you know once you find it; youll stop all this procrastination stuff. When this happens your life is going to grow and expand and youll get all the things you know you deserve.
So you can see how procrastination can affect all areas of our life making us feel empty and non-productive.
So heres the good news.

You can learn to overcome procrastination. Throughout this ebook Im going to tell you all about procrastination. My goal is to have you start using a new set of tools for overcoming procrastination tendencies. Ill be explaining a new way of looking at procrastination. You will have a definite approach and structure to practice and work through your particular procrastination issues. As in all things, practice takes patience. Everyone in the world at sometime in their life delays doing something some better than others. If you are willing to strive for excellence and avoid the trap of perfection, you just may have less procrastination in your life. Sounds pretty good, right? You may be saying also - - - Sure Here we go again! Another set of procrastination tips and techniques that Ill probably procrastinate in doing. What a waste of time. This is the always negative self-talk that sets us up to fail. Heres your first order of business. Notice how easily the negative self-talk jumped to the front of your thinking. The mind doesnt want to change. Strive for excellence by hearing the voice, pay attention to what its saying and tell it to Go away. So with that in the background, Im going to ask you to look at this paper and just be willing to play just a bit with me. I suggest you take whatever you think has value for you and use it. I suggest also that whatever you think doesnt fit get rid of it. Im going to ask you to do me a favor. Whatever you do, dont believe me. Incorporate what you learn into your daily regimen for a week. Use your personal experience to evaluate if this has helped. Ma ke your own independent decision. You know more than you think. We are looking for change in this procrastination merry-go-round that has you doubting yourself.
Try out the various ideas, thoughts and suggestions. I dont necessarily have the right answers but I hope to be able to have you think just a little bit differently with a new perspective. Maybe, just maybe this new way of thinking might change your perception of procrastination and in so doing have you less inclined to procrastinate. Most importantly have fun!
"Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday. Don Marquis
Chapter One What is procrastination?

Websters dictionary defines procrastination as to put off intentionally or habitually the doing of something that should be done. That seems a little harsh to me. Lets see. You wake up in the morning determined to clean your office. Maybe you wake up in the morning determined you are going to get a job. Now by Websters definition you have decided with full knowledge and will to procrastinate. Today I am going to procrastinate! Is this something that you decided as if it were good idea that youre going to procrastinate? Probably not - Right? So lets take a step back and be kind to ourselves (this is a good thing to remember being kind to ourselves). Lets talk about the phenomenon namely something you can recognize in others or yourself. Its something you can observe something you can watch or listen to or experience happening. Procrastination is the tendency to delay, avoid, put off and/or defer an action or actions to a later time. The delay is usually attributable to some impending consequence real or imagined. Continuing, procrastination is usually a delay in making a decision. Part of making such decisions includes prioritizing, making a choice and then setting direction. Setting direction means taking a specific action or set of actions. The foundation of procrastination is usually related to performance and/or perfectionism.
ADD/ADHD and Procrastination

Procrastination can easily plague us. There is a neurological reason why having to do with specific enzymes in our body. I cannot go into the level of detail in this mini-ebook but symptoms will arise. It depends upon YOUR ADD what the symptoms may be. Some include but at not limited to overwhelm, fear of success or failure, boredom, focus challenges and alike. Do you know what I mean. I think you can relate on some issue. For those people who do not have ADD, this can give you a clue as to why we have difficulty. Understand that everyone has the same problems at sometime in their lives. Everyone can get stuck with the ones listed above and more. The difference is people WITHOUT ADD can move quickly from one task to the other. We literally CANNOT move quickly as oppose to deciding that we WONT move quickly from one task to the other due to this chemical imbalance of enzymes.
How does the medical community define ADD/ADHD?

As you know, Western medicine traditional treats an ailment from the outside in. Medicine is usually, I am generalizing, the prescription. Eastern medicine is quite different. Here the approach is from the inside out. The questions asked is Why is this happening? What caused the ailment? What are the situations? The treatment from my own experience treats the whole person the external AND the internal. Currently the Western medicine definition is: Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is bio-neurological disorder centered in the prefrontal cortex of the brain located directly above the forehead that challenges areas of attention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Until recently it was believed ADD was limited to physical. One example is inability to sit still. Recently, hyperactivity includes cognitive hyperactivity. A person living with ADDs mind doesnt stop running. Idea after idea after thought, etc. This is me. If you were to meet me you would never think I have ADD/ADHD. I have a calm exterior but the ideas are popping.
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The condition of ADD/ADHD is also co-morbid meaning different parts of the brain are affected as well, such as the limbic system. In these cases, medication can be recommended for challenges of the pre-frontal cortex regarding attention, prioritizing, choosing and setting direction while perhaps the limbic system considered the seat of emotions challenges areas in relationship, bonding, and working with others to name just a few. Where are you most challenged? Take a moment to reflect. To do so, slowly take three deep breaths. Now without judgment notice where you may be challenges. Do you work well with people? Do you wander when people speak to you? Dont worry. All of these challenges can be worked through with ADD coaching.
To raise new questions; new possibilities; to regard old problems from a new angle, requires creative imagination and marks real advance in science.
Albert Einstein
The ADDing Perspective - What You Pay Attention to Grows

What you pay attention to grows. ADDing Perspective encourages you to see yourself and the world through a new, improved set of lenses. Paying attention helps you to focus, overcome any obstacles whether it is procrastination, time management or organization. The more time you invest in what is not working for you such as procrastination, unfortunately the more you will procrastinate. What you pay attention to grows. The more you invest and pay attention to the things that go well for you, the more things can go well. If you say I always procrastinate count on it continuing. But if you say with compassion Procrastination gets in my way in this particular situation. I can accept that. OK. From now on, its my intention to work through any areas of procrastination. I learn how and practice till procrastination can work for me. Heres an idea of what ADDing Perspective means to me. Have you ever seen framed pictures of the Statue of Liberty sold in novelty stores? The sun is glistening on the water. Miss Libertys torch is held high. Its perfect! Yet, if we move our head just slightly left or right, just slightly, we may find ourselves ADD Coaching Group 514 West End Avenue New York, NY 10024
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looking at a dog water skiing. What area were you focused on? Which one is correct? Both are. With just the slightest adjustment, you have a different point of view. This is what I call ADDing Perspective. So too, with just the slightest shift of our viewpoint, we can change our behavior. ADDing Perspective opens new opportunities when you thought nothing would change. I always put off things. By ADDing Perspective you just may be able to reach your goals as you focus on what really matters most to you. What you pay attention to grows! You can learn to shift the way you see the world and how you perceive you. I invite you to think out of the box when you become stuck in loops of procrastination, perfectionism, frustration, depression or just plane boredom. ADDing Perspective helps you to appreciate all the good things in your life. Over time, by practicing, you may come to realize that you are a series of successes with interruptions of new learning.
Why are the symptoms of procrastination so prevalent with people with ADD/ADHD?
Why is procrastination so common with people living with ADD/ADHD? Procrastination can cause stress and anxiety. In order to better understand why we may procrastinate, it is important we explore how our brains work. Different parts of the brain monitor our actions. The Pre-Frontal Cortex of the brain is responsible for the Executive Functions. More importantly the pre-frontal cortex is responsible for prioritizing, organizing, decision making, internal supervision, problem solving, attention and others. These issues challenge an ADD person. When a person living with ADD/ADHD is confronted by boredom, understimulation, overstimulation, disinterest, stress, fear, anxiety, overwhelm, confusion, danger and another other upset, the body will naturally produce adrenaline. When this occurs the person cannot do anything. Many times falling into Brain Freeze. The problem is they may think there is something wrong with them.
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ADDCG philosophy stands on the principle: There is nothing wrong. (See www.addcoachinggroup.com) ADD/ADHD is directly related to ones biology. Nothing personal: similar to being born with poor eyesight or diabetes. Once educated with expert ADD coaching, medication or behavioral modification as well as exercise and finding and doing what one loves, one can maneuver life more effectively. I assert that you can have a competitive edge. You can Benefit with ADD & Win with ADD. ADD/ADHD is mislabeled. Currently, the thinking is one is deficient. The deficit is in attention hence Attention Deficit Disorder. There is something wrong. In a medically based world, the deficit needs to be fixed. Here we are centered on what is wrong: what doesnt work rather than the possible cause. Weve found the cause is directly related to boredom, indifference, lack of interest, disinterest along with possible issues of anxiety, depression, bipolar and other related challenges. We will be exploring this throughout.
Procrastination avoids boredom; one never has the feeling that there is nothing important to do Anonymous
In the occurrence of disinterest, boredom and alike, an abundance of more interesting objects, ideas, thoughts, takes boredoms place. To what end? Well, anything is better than boredom whether getting into fights in school, changing careers at the height of success, achieving ones goals, taking drugs, alcoholism, and robbing a store, bungeejumping, racecar driving, engaging in criminal activities and alike. All these potential activities are fantastic ways to stop boredom and continue to procrastinate. Another perspective is an ADD/ADHD person has tremendous curiosity and interest in all of these. If this is so, why should this be construed so negatively? How is it possible that Adults with ADD/ADHD are so marginalized? Could it be that things are actually boring? Well, it depends upon who the person is and what they are doing at the time? Paul Simon wrote the great song One Mans Ceiling is Another Mans Floor. What is boring to one person is never boring to all people. If boredom is the defining factor, is it any wonder that people with ADD/ADHD find themselves in several careers within the course of their lives. Can it be that those people who excel in business upon switching to another field find themselves excelling in the creative arts or doctors simultaneously could also be master musicians? Could there be a thread that runs through their interests that a directly related to their natural talents.
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What - do you think doctors, lawyers, butchers, salesmen, athletes, doormen, surgeons: Presidents of the US have had or currently do not have ADD?
The search for the perfect venture can turn into procrastination. Your idea may or may not have merit. The key is to get started. Anonymous
Chapter Two Universal Fears Trigger Procrastination

If procrastination is a reaction to some impending consequence we can say that one of the major components of procrastination is fear. We all have our individual fears but we can say that there are universal fears. They include but are not limited to: Fear of failure Fear of the unknown Fear of success Fear of reprisal Fear of being found out Fear of not doing well enough Fear of the future Fear of the past Fear of making a mistake Fear of doing it wrong Fear of not having the rules
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What drives Procrastination? What gets in our way?

Fear of failure and perfectionism. Not enough information, lack of clarity Afraid to make a mistake All the details must be worked out before starting Everything we encounter has the same value and weight Biology Belief Systems affecting our daily living and decisions including background, culture, society, education, media, upbringing, parental influence, etc. Misuse of or lack of understanding of ones learning & processing modalities. Modulation of moods Stress Anxiety Jealousy Trying to fit in with other people Lack of maturity Lack of trust in oneself and in others Focus is on what doesnt work Reality testing unaware of who they are and where they are in the world Self-esteem issues Not enough information, lack of clarity Aversion to risks What is going on chemically inside our bodies? Unaware of personal talents and strengths Pervasive negative self-defeating talk No concept of how to put anything (people, things, etc.) in action.
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Chapter Three Types of Procrastinators to Name Just a few

There are foundationally two types of procrastinators: Performance/perfectionist and fear based who are filled with self-doubt, low self-esteem. Weve called them dreamers, worriers, deifiers, crisis makers, perfectionists, and/or over-doers. Here are a several types of procrastinators. Can you relate to anyone of these or perhaps a combination of several? The Perfectionist No action is taken unless all is in place and its perfect. What if-er Consumed by worry their focus is on excuses to move forward. Captain NO This type scrutinize everything, finding whats wrong. They believe that by seeing whats wrong, they can control the outcome. They criticize and idea, as well as each person attached to the idea. Their criticism eventually affects their behavior as they focus the problem rather than the possibilities and/or solution Im So Excited but maybe not today Start Stop - Start. This type reacts to energy, power and wow! They talk about what is going to be done. They live in the future. Theyll spend enormous amounts of time talking or fantasizing about how fantastic the idea is. They may spend their time defending how great it is. Many times they will burn out or loose interest. They can be classified also as self-defeating. I Can See the Whole Thing Their overview paralyzes them from taking any action. Perfection paralyzes progress So Many Possibilities but . . . If I only had the money, the place, the right group of people, a clean home, office, as soon as its all correct then Ill be able to get it. This group is traits similar to the What if-ers. The Riddler: All the pieces of the riddle are not in place. Once figured they will then start to get the job done and completed.
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Enthusiastic and Energetic: Gives the impression of being a go-getter until the work actually begins. Finding a fault, they cop out of taking action. They are usually the ones who complain no one appreciates all their hard work. We can also call them The Victim. The Great Pretender: Makes everyone believe he has the competence, experience as well as success with past events; puffing up their self-esteem until they actually have to do the work Take to the Sheets/Overwhelmed: They have so many things that need to get done, they cannot get moving.
One thing that's good about procrastination is that you always have something planned for tomorrow. G. B. Stern
Chapter Four A New Way to Think about Procrastination

Could it be we are not procrastinating? Could it be in certain situations procrastination happens to us? Could it be procrastination is the result of the situation we find ourselves in? What if procrastination is a symptom? We knowingly do not set out to procrastinate. We know this to be a fact because we are not always procrastinating. We do not procrastinate when you have a purpose, desire and need to get whatever it is you want to accomplish. It is in certain situations that we do procrastinate. I bet you procrastinate when we are bored, disengaged, stressed and anxious about what we are about to take on other areas we discussed earlier. When these are present mostly likely there is a tendency for procrastination to show up.
The harder we try the more difficult it becomes to get it done. David Giwerc, Founder and President
ADD Coaching Academy; www.addcg.com
Consider your specific situation. All of a sudden you in the middle of procrastination. A situation arises. What follows is a flood of thoughts bombard our thinking. Because these thoughts are internal we can think we are creating them. We can think that these thoughts are really us. In reality, these thoughts can get in our way to complete what we
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started. We are unable to move forward. Actually we cant move forward. In short, procrastination has us due to our thinking. In order to overcome procrastination, learn listen to what these thoughts are saying; accept them as just thoughts and take action. (See Crack YOUR ADD/ADHD Code http://www.addcoachinggroup.com/cart/catalog.htm)
The Number One Solution To Overcome Procrastination

Be specific! You must be very specific of what you want to accomplish. You must also put a time for completion of each. In addition, you must have the proper information to make a decision. Many times we can be overwhelmed by so much information in front of us, we actually miss the nugget to get ourselves motivated and get ourselves in going. I call it the hook. Once youve made the decision, you can always revise the decision based upon the results. If you are waiting for the right time, situation or knowing to make the decision, you are most likely stuck in a loop of perfection. Understand there is no perfection. What is perfection for me may be completely and probably different for you. If we strive for excellence we are better able to judge and measure our results. Excellence is a standard set in time. For example, Tom Brady just broke the record that Payton Manning set by throwing 50 touchdowns in one year. In addition, we may feel completely overwhelmed by too much information or stuff. However, its my contention that many times people especially people living with ADD/ADHD have not found the hook; the specific reason for doing anything. The majority of the time one procrastinates because they do not have the proper information. More to the point, they havent isolated what is really missing for them to make a decision and take action. The key point is to begin whatever you are going to do without waiting to find out the one thing thats missing. When we begin, many times we will discover what is missing by actually getting our hands dirty.
Whatever you can do in 2 minutes Do it! David Allen
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Chapter Five The What ifs

We all know about the what ifs. I have enough time to get this done. Tomorrow is a better time. What will I do, say, be, look like, etc. What if Im not doing the right thing What if it doesnt happen then what? Feel free to fill in your own what ifs. What ifs hold us back from moving forward and getting us into action to accomplish what we say we want to accomplish our goals. The what ifs are one of the primary reasons we may find ourselves procrastinating even though we dont know why. Remember I said in the beginning to be kind to you. Why? You are not doing this on purpose. Understand that in so many cases procrastination is happening to you. It is happening to you on an unconscious level. Its only after the fact that you can realize - I cant get started. You are left to suffer, get frustrated and wonder why. When this happens it makes complete sense to do something that is more pleasurable. Wouldnt you rather be doing something that is not boring? When this happens you can find yourself in a negative self-talk loop. There are times you simply cannot do anything. Under stress your brain chemistry is imbalanced. Bam! Brain freeze!
People have a tendency to remain the same until they can isolate and recognize what it is they want to change. T. Harv Eker
Its the unconscious part that we must practice to identify by becoming aware of the various and specific situations we encounter that has procrastination getting in our way.
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This takes a new set of skills for looking and listening and in short observing our behavior without any criticism. We need to learn the skill of debating and questioning. Our goal is the eventually state with humility and dignity There it is again. Whats going on? Where did that come from? OK! Lets move on. Who can I call who can help me through this? What could I be doing differently?
Chapter Six Moving from Procrastination to Action

In order to get out of the procrastination spiral, you first have to figure out what it is that you want and in what area. If you say you want to get a new job, determine what kind of job, how far are you willing to travel to get to your job, what does the place look like, how much money do you want to make based upon the value you know you will bring, what kind of people do you want to work with, how can you use your talents and strengths to support other people? Question can help shape what matters to most to you and what you want.
Why Take Action?

Simple: Action Relieves Depression!
We find ourselves stuck in the future remembering or reliving the past missing the present without realizing this. Frank Coppola
Sure that sounds easy, but how do I find out what I want if I dont know what I want. Now thats a great question for overcoming procrastination. You deserve to honor and respect what matters most to you.
8 Simple Steps to Overcome Procrastination and Get Into Action

What do you want to get done? Where do you procrastinate? In order to overcome procrastination make sure you know what you want to get done. Most people have a
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tendency to remain the same until they can isolate and recognize what they want to accomplish. Once we have this, the tendency to procrastinate will diminish greatly. Direction and desire create momentum to get what we want and take action. People living with ADD/ADHD thrive on momentum.
Know What You Really Want and Overcome Procrastination?

The fast way to overcome procrastination is to be specific. Learn how to be specific. Lets use the office as an example. Here is a step-by-step system for discovering what you really want. 1. Check in: What is your mood? How are you feeling right now? Once you have done this say out loud what it is. Im feeling (whatever the emotion) really nervous because I think I wont find the answer or (fill in the blank.) If you can acknowledge the emotion, many times the emotions disappears. 2. Throw out the garbage : Take a two pieces of paper. Put them side by side. Make a list of all the things you can imagine your office to be. Use your imagination. Allow yourself to create what you want to accomplish, get done and have in your supportive office. You may have other ideas pop in your head that has nothing to do with your office. Capture those ideas on the other piece of paper. This reduces any anxiety you may have about forgetting those great thoughts so you can stay on point to find out what you want. Give yourself permission to play. Tell yourself I am willing to play the game What is it that I want even though I have no idea right now. If you dont know, take a guess. Make it up. Be as specific as you can even if you make it up. You may want to ask questions to help stimulate your writing. I know I want to get my office in order. I want to have a place to sit. I need to have a system that works for m e easily and simply when I want to file papers. Get as clear and imagine as you can.
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Dont be afraid to say what you want. Notice if you have a little negative self-talk voice telling you - you cant have that because . . . ! Tell it to go away. Be diligent. In time it will. 3. List six items and only six points on the list. These are items you know you want absolutely no matter what! Ask yourself out loud what am I willing to do to get what I want? You may want to work with an organizer. This might be a good time to call on your network of support to help either in person or by phone. Be creative and get excited about how your place will look and feel. Once you decide what you want say the following: It is my intention to (fill in the blanks) by a specific time. 4. Start small: Take the six items. For each item estimate how m uch time it will take to get each completed. Make it real and mark them in a calendar; mark the day and time you will work on getting what you want. Set a specific time to start and move directly into action and monitor the results. If you decide to work with someone make a promise to them. Ask them to help you keep your promise. Give them permission to ask how youre doing. Be sure to find someone who is not going to criticize if its not completed. You want support not more negativity. 5. Measure your tolerance level: Start no matter what. If you cant do anymore, measure the amount of time it took before you began to wander. This may be 30 minutes or five. When that happens stop. Change the mood: Go for a walk. Listen to music; take a shower, whatever takes for you to get away from what you were doing. In about 20 minutes, your brain chemistry should change. Go back and start again or start on another item but only one of your six. When their completed, youll work on the next six. Be easy with yourself. Keep practicing as if you were a baby learning to walk. Allow yourself to not getting it right. Strive for excellence and avoid perfection at all cost. There is no perfection. As you keep measuring your tolerance level, you may see the amount of time
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increasing. You might want to ask - what do think gets in the way of what I want in this situation. ADD is situational. 6. Listen to what you are listening. Practice paying attention to what you are paying attention to. Practice listening to your internal voice whether positive or negative. If you hear an abundance of negative self-talk - ask Is the thought I am having serving me right now? If it doesnt feel right or supportive accomplish your goal, literally tell the negative self-talk to go away - - - again! This is practice time. Heres a sure fire way to know what voice your listening to. Does your internal voice energize you or does it drain you. If it drains you its negative self-talk. If it gives you energy you know youre on the right track. Stay with what gives you energy. Energy attracts more energy. You expand at the rate of what you think. 7. Note the accomplishment. If all you did was move two papers, youre a winner! You are in process. By observing how you work best, with help from an outside observer like a coach whether you have ADD/ADHD or not, you can create systems specifically for you. You deserve to get what you want. If you cant get it done, let it go for now. The harder you try the more difficult it becomes. If one item is going to take eight hours, dont do it. You want to work in small amounts till you are able to take on larger ones. Pat yourself on the back and go to the next item. If you are unable to complete what you wrote in the calendar at the time recognize that in some cases you may need more time. Next time you will. Enjoy the journey. 8. Take inventory: How do I feel right now? Do you feel less anxious, more willing to take on the next item? Now congratulate yourself for what you did OR didnt do. Everything informs you. You are finding out what works or doesnt work. You can now revise your approach. Thank yourself for taking the adventure. I like to call someone to let them know what Ive done without swagger. This validates the experience and can create momentum.
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Throughout this process, let go of any expectations. Expectations actually limit your possibilities. Get in the game and play. If you continue this on a consistent basis, you can overcome procrastination.
Conclusion
Follow your heart. You know more than you think you do. Remember. Its all good! We have only scratched the surface in this paper. I can go through many ideas, tips, techniques and various solutions. But there is a huge catch! Have you ever had anyone who is really good at getting things done offer to help you? They come in and take over. In a relatively short amount of time, your office is perfect. But isnt it interesting within time, your office looks like it did before they came to help? Why? We not only need to fix the externals the office. We need to explore the internal. Putting the external and internal together in harmony is powerful! Yin and Yang. Once youve been able to envision what you want and explore that may be getting in the way youll be able to use number of solutions but they will be based upon what works for YOU. We can explore numerous ideas. Contact me at frank@addcoachinggroup.com if you would like me to expand on these. Follow the 8 Simple Steps to Overcome Procrastination and Get Into Action - first. You can work through your challenges, issues and symptoms. Remember to be specific. By ADDing Perspective you can transform your relationship to procrastination. It may be as simple as saying Im not good getting my office in order. Thats OK. Who do I know who is? Who can I hire? Who can I learn from? Practice overcoming procrastination. PRACTICE! Above have fun while you practice! Its all good! ADD Coaching Group 514 West End Avenue New York, NY 10024
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If you wish to discuss any of the suggestions in this ebook please email me. I offer a free ADD Coaching session. Well set up a time. We can work through what may be getting in the way.
Acknowledgements
I want to acknowledge several of my mentors. Their knowledge and insight allowed me to write this mini eBook. First and foremost David Giwerc, Founder and President of the ADD Coaching Academy has taught and inspired me through his example. His work on procrastination is the foundational. As a musician, I use the analogy of riffing in this ebook. I could not have begun to write this without his perspective and diligence. I also wish to acknowledge Dr. Fernando Flores. Through the five year course of study over 20 years ago, he taught me how to think, learn and educate others. His principles are as fresh and original today as they were so many years ago. In addition, to all the other people in my life especially my clients that challenge me to expand and grow. Youre interaction a desire to go beyond are inspirational. To deepen your understanding and knowledge about ADD/ADHD go to www.addcoachinggroup. Feel free to write me at frank@addcoachinggroup.com. In closing, let me know if there is anything I can do to help you increase your personal and professional prosperity. The More You Know - The More You Grow!
About Frank Coppola

Frank Coppola discovered his ADD in 2000. In time, he was determined to become an ADD Coach studying at the ADDCA. As founder and executive director of the ADD Coaching Group, he offers individual coaching, workshops and teleseminars in North America and Europe. With over 20 years of business experience in communication, education and entertainment, he applies decades of learning to stress ADD/ADHD as a competitive advantage. An ADD/ADHD
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Excellence Coach & Trainer, Psychotherapist and author his work emphasizes focus, strength and skill-building to enhance the quality of life for people living with or without ADD/ADHD. Frank is a frequent guest speaker on radio and has been featured in Inc. Magazine and the Daily News.

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G tno e It At n ci !

E hSm lSeso i ti pe tp t g Oecm Pors nt n n vro e rcat ai ad i o

8 Simple Steps to Overcome Procrastination & Get Into Action

The More You Know -The More You Grow!

Procrastination: The Robber Baron of Time

So heres the good news.

Chapter One What is procrastination?

ADD/ADHD and Procrastination

How does the medical community define ADD/ADHD?

The ADDing Perspective - What You Pay Attention to Grows

Chapter Two Universal Fears Trigger Procrastination

What drives Procrastination? What gets in our way?

Chapter Three Types of Procrastinators to Name Just a few

Chapter Four A New Way to Think about Procrastination

The Number One Solution To Overcome Procrastination

Chapter Five The What ifs

Chapter Six Moving from Procrastination to Action

Why Take Action?

8 Simple Steps to Overcome Procrastination and Get Into Action

Know What You Really Want and Overcome Procrastination?

About Frank Coppola

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