Usually when someone says they can stop procrastination or boost productivity with one easy step, it’s a lie.
Change usually takes dedication. It takes effort.
But like me, I bet you love a shortcut. And this is one I’ve tried, tested and loved.
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All you have to do is change the words “I should” to “I want to.”
Stick with me, I promise it works!
I’ll even give you examples of how changing the voice in my head is helping me make positive changes in work and in life.
How does it work?
When you say “I should…” it tends to put you in a negative mindset making it more difficult to achieve your goals. “Should” makes you feel guilty because you’re not doing something you think you’re supposed to. It turns a task into something you have to do rather than being a choice.
Saying “I want” gives you back control.
Take a look at some of the ways this tiny change helped me. 
It all started with getting up early…
I am not a morning person. I have 3 separate alarms set on my phone and I always seem to leave it to the last minute before I get up.
So, I started paying attention to all of the thoughts I have when I wake up:
“I’m too tired, It’s too cold, I didn’t get enough sleep, work is going to be hard today, 5 more minutes…”
NEWS ALERT…none of these thoughts are going to help me get up.
When I started saying to myself “I want to get up now,” I noticed a change in my other thoughts. I started thinking about the time I’d have for breakfast, how great it would feel to not be rushing and not worrying about being late. I thought about how much more in control of my morning I would feel.
It made me think of all the positives.
And guess what… It made getting out of bed much easier.
Are you an event professional who wants to get more sleep? Try our 7 tips HERE.
It’s crazy how much of a difference such a tiny change makes!
Next, I started applying it to eating healthy. Telling myself “I want to make healthy choices” and “I want to eat food that nourishes me.”
All of a sudden, instead of focusing on how tasty the chocolate cake option is and how I don’t want to miss out, I start thinking about all of the positives I’ll get from making a better choice.
This method applies to getting tasks and projects at work completed, too. When we procrastinate and put things off, it’s usually because there are some negative thoughts attached to the task. For example, “it’s going to be really hard” or “it’s going to take me a long time.”
Change those thoughts into “I want…” and you’ll start to focus on the positive outcomes you could gain.
Imagine the sense of relief and relaxation you’ll have when you don’t have to worry about a dreaded task anymore.
What issues and topics do you struggle with in your business and personal life? The Simplifiers’ CEO – Mary Baird-Wilcock, CSEP is launching our new podcast and we want to you to tell us which topics you want us to simplify! Let us know HERE
