Do you find yourself procrastinating often? Have you told yourself you work better under pressure? Has procrastination caused undo stress in your professional and personal life? Do you want to procrastinate less? Procrastination is one of the biggest obstacles to achievement. Most procrastinators have a pattern (aka loop of doom) when they procrastinate, from the moment they decide to not do something to eventually getting it done.

1. The Procrastinator’s Loop of
Doom
Shannon Mouton Gray
Marketing &
Communications Strategist

2. DO ANY OF
THESE SOUND
FAMILIAR?

3. It’s not due until…

4. I’ve got plenty of time.

5. I’ll do it later.

6. I’ll start thinking about
it.

7. I don’t feel like it right
now.

8. It won’t take that long.

9. All I have to do is…

10. It’s not due
until…
I’ve got plenty
of time.
I’ll do it later.
I’ll start
thinking about
it.
I don’t feel like
it right now.
It won’t take
that long.
All I have to do
is…
The
Procrastinator’s
Loop of Doom

11. Breaking the Loop (1 – 5)
 Break the work into smaller tasks
 Focus on the benefits of completion vs. pain of the
work
 Consider the costs of not doing the work
 Write tasks on your calendar
 Use an alarm to work on a task for set amount of time

12. Breaking the Loop (6 – 10)
 Get a work buddy to keep you on task
 Stop making excuses and forgive yourself for making
them
 Go for good enough, not perfection
 Reward your achievements
 Begin now…do something to move the project forward

13. Shannon Mouton Gray
• ShannonMoutonGray.me
• shannonrmgray@gmail.com
• @ShannonRenee
• Linkedin.com/in/shannonmoutongray