Welcome to Stoic Snippets,
The track that is short in time but not in depth.
Get yourself into a lovely seated position,
Close your eyes,
Sit up tall.
We've got a slightly different Stoic Snippet today.
We're going to get you to actively take part instead of just listen.
I do appreciate you listening,
But this time I also want you to be a participant.
Stoicism,
If nothing else,
Is about action,
Not just about listening.
So today I want to help you make the most out of your day by making the most out of your mind,
Using this Snippet of Stoicism to overcome the problem of procrastination.
It's something that plagues us all.
And just to note that if you enjoy this,
Please do go check out the courses on Stoicism.
I've got a new one out for the new year called Start Your Year Like a Stoic.
I think you're really going to like it.
Here's the quote for today.
Putting things off is the biggest waste of life.
It snatches away each day as it comes and denies us the present by promising us the future.
This is just such a great quote as it identifies the nefarious nature of procrastination.
It's like this thief of the future,
Often disguised as innocuous or harmless enough.
But over time,
These acts and these lack of actions add up.
So how can we overcome this problem of procrastination?
How can we make today an optimal day?
Well,
This is what I want you to do in five easy steps.
Step one,
I want you to think about one thing you want to get done today.
Totally your choice.
Just take a moment and think about the one thing that needs to get done today.
There may be some competition for this,
But you're going to have to prioritize.
Okay,
If you need any more time,
Just press pause,
But have an answer ready now.
Step two,
Imagine how good you'll feel once you've done that one thing.
Really imagine it.
Give yourself time and space to indulge in this feeling,
That feeling of accomplishment.
Imagine what you'll do.
Imagine how you'll feel.
Imagine how you'll stand.
Imagine how you'll walk around the house knowing you did this thing.
Feels good,
Right?
Okay,
Step three.
I want you to take a moment and identify what procrastination may look like to you.
Start with the obvious things that come up first.
The social media scrolling,
The games,
The check-in of emails incessantly.
Just find all those go-to procrastination tasks that you have.
The ones you've dialed in over years.
Then think of the more sneaky activities.
The ones that look like they work but aren't really.
The checking of emails,
The daydreaming,
The tidying up of your desk.
The choosing your outfit for tomorrow's work.
All those type of things.
Things that could be argued that are work and that you really know aren't.
Now with the collection of procrastination tasks that you know of,
That you've made conscious and fully aware of.
Think of how it feels when these things take hold of your life.
These thieves of your production.
These thieves of your joy.
These thieves of your future.
How does it feel when you get to the end of the day and you've not completed the task you said you would?
Yeah,
It feels a bit lousy,
Right?
Keep that thought in mind.
Step five.
I want you to make a commitment to be on the lookout for these thieves of time.
These thieves of your future happiness.
And not let them in.
Commit to be on the lookout for them at all times.
To recognize how you feel when they do take over your life and how you feel when you are able to overcome them and do the big thing that you need to do today.
There's no competition,
Right?
And yet they trick us every day.
So now you know you're one big thing.
You know how good you will feel when you do it and you're aware of the many disguises of procrastination and you're committed to be better today.
Take a deep breath in.
Breathe out.
Okay.
You're ready.
Now go out there and make today a good one.
