Will the real culprit behind time management issues please stand up?

This is a guest post by Mona Andrei. Mona is a seasoned writer with a background in marketing. Driven by a hamster that never stops turning (ever), she’s also the blogger behind Moxie-Dude.com and author of “The Single Mom’s Manifesto – Remember your dreams”, a short ebook that demonstrates how even a single mom can create a life by design. Download your free copy here.

 

Have you ever looked at a successful person – someone who just seems to be able to get so much done in a day – and wonder how they do it?

I have a friend (we’ll call her Jennifer) and I’m always amazed at her list of accomplishments. Even now, as we approach the busy holiday season, she’s got everything under control. Her house is ready for the annual family gathering, she has a freezer full of prepared meals and baked goods, and she’s already finished her holiday shopping. On top of this, she runs her own boutique advertising agency.

“The more I do, the more I seem to get done,” she answered recently when I asked her how she’s able to handle everything so well.

She’s an inspiration and I’m in awe of her ability to manage every aspect of her life. I also hate her.

“Why can’t I be more like her?” Is a question I ask myself often, especially when I look at my own list of pending tasks.

Career, house, kids, deadlines – Jennifer and I practically have parallel lives and yet she’s on top of hers while I struggle with my dungenous to-do list. (“Dungenous” is not an actual word but clearly it should be.)

A few weeks ago I decided to do something about this and signed up for a Time Management Seminar.

“What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of deadlines?” asked the presenter.

“SOLITAIRE!” I blurted out.

It was at this precise moment that I realized that my time management issues are not driven by a long list of tasks, but by a nasty habit to procrastinate.

As well, the laughter that followed my outburst told me that I’m not alone. My spontaneous confession had resonated with everyone else in the room.

To say that I’m not alone in my pursuit to combat procrastination is an understatement.

There are a multitude of books written on the subject, including the seminar presenter’s recommendation: The War of Art by Steven Pressfield.

Determined to be a little more like Jennifer in my pursuit to “get things done”, I picked up a copy of The War of Art on my way home from the seminar.

I was struck by the following statement from the book: “Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands Resistance.”



Reading that sentence was an “ah-HA!” moment for me. Suddenly it all made sense. The reason I sit down at the computer with all intent to get some work done only to find myself immersed in a game of Solitaire is because of RESISTANCE. It’s also the reason behind my sudden need to water the plants, fluff the cushions and straighten the chairs around the kitchen table whenever I decide to tackle a task from my to-do list.

Resistance. And according to Pressfield: “RESISTANCE CAN BE BEATEN”.

So whether you call it “procrastination” or “resistance”, they are the same blade of the self-sabotaging sword. The key to combating this inner beast is to recognize it, look it straight in the eyes, and then run directly to the task she’s trying to divert you from.

But don’t think it will be easy. Defeating resistance is something you and I will need to face every day of our lives.

Unless, of course, you’re like my friend Jennifer.