23-354 No Time Like the Present #4

Today’s Mandala Message: Stop Procrastinating!

This week I’m working through Principle #63: Start Now!…Just Do it! of Jack Canfield’s book “The Success Principles”. I set my intention today ponder my habit of procrastinating. From MindTools.com about procrastination they state: “

• Procrastination means delaying or postponing something that needs to be done – usually because it’s unpleasant or dull.
• Procrastination is a trap that many of us fall into. Research suggests that 95 percent of us procrastinate to some degree.
• By procrastinating you can damage your performance, harm your reputation, and cause yourself unnecessary anxiety.

They offer 5 tips on how to stop procrastination. Tip #1: “Start small. Break large tasks into smaller chunks, and pick one that you can do now – so that you’re underway almost without realizing it.”

I’ve known about this tip for a while. Sometimes I remember it and other times I forget. Last December my application to decorate the 30ft display window of a local shoe store was accepted. They gave me the month of October. I gave me ten months to prepare. Because I wanted to display all of my Mandalas of the Day from 2022 (365 of them) along with my meditations stones, oracle decks and some of my large mandalas, I knew it was going to be a daunting (overwhelming) job.

This was one of those times where I chose to break things down into smaller tasks. I’m so glad I did. Normally with something like this, my stress levels would be through the roof. Instead I took the time to plan out my tasks and spread them out over 9.5 months, thus minimizing my anxiety. And because I was so prepared, when the store let me know I could set up a few days early, I was able to do so.

This project showed me the value of creating smaller tasks that can be done daily versus cramming it all in at the last minute.

A good mindfulness practice would be to acknowledge a project that you’ve been procrastinating on to see if you can break it down into smaller tasks that you can start doing today.

So how about you? Is taking a large project and breaking it down to smaller tasks a possibility for you? What’s one small thing you can do today towards accomplishing one of your goals?

“There are two fatal errors
that keep great projects
from coming to life: 
1) Not finishing
2) Not starting”

— Buddha Gautama

Blessings,

Maureen
The Mandala Lady
All Things Mandalas

An Invitation

I invite you to color along with me this year as part of what I’m calling “The Year of Self-Exploration and Expansion” with all of my “Mandalas of the ___” (day, week, month, year). If you’re interested in more of a self-exploration approach to coloring, check out my “Coloring Mandalas as Meditation”. You can download this mandala at MandalaoftheWeek.com.