A procrastination definition is helpful in understanding this particularly strange phenomenon. Procrastination doesn’t fall into any serious category, and so is very seldom addressed by the sufferer or by their friends and family. This psychological misappropriation of priorities is probably something which builds up over time. It is based on what our minds subconsciously list as what should be done first and what should be second and third, etcetera.

When we think about doing a task in hand, we calculate the time which is available and the other jobs that are also pending, and we come to a decision as to whether to do it now or later. We might think the task is vitally important, or maybe it is just reasonably important. Still others can be classed as normal everyday tasks or are of such low importance that if they are not done it doesn’t even matter. There are naturally a multitude of different levels in between, and our brains put them into a priority rating compared to what else we decide must be done, some ideally today, others by the end of the week, and still others maybe by the end of the month.

This unconscious time-scaling is the way we convince ourselves that we are not putting off doing a task, but unfortunately our subconscious mind keeps allowing these higher priorities to keep cropping up and taking president over more important tasks.

The order list that our subconscious has built can be quite large, and amazingly is fixed due to experiences and beliefs we have amassed over time, and particularly come from our childhood. We have in built feelings connected with different types of jobs. Experiences of past emotions after doing a particular task, remembered only by our subconscious, have now been tagged as to where a similar job will rate compared to another. This resultant level is set according to the degree of displeasure or satisfaction that a task has evoked from the outcome.

If you have a choice of what to do and have to decide what to do next, have you ever noticed how you will nearly always tend to do one particular option first, regardless of whether it brings in the best result? This is your subconscious deciding that the job which seems right to do first has a higher level than the other. It is rather difficult and pointless to try and analyze why your subconscious puts a particular rating against the notion of a job when it is planned in your conscious mind.

A definition of procrastination is the misguided manifestation of your subconscious prioritization of the conscious work in hand.

What is important is to realize that although our subconscious mind appears to work to a set blueprint of reactions and emotions, it nevertheless does not have the power to reason or decide what is right or wrong. When we realize that we have the ability to change the reactions and beliefs of our unconscious mind, we have the beginnings of an understanding of making any change in the way we think and react.

Have you ever thought why some people always succeed at anything and others fail. The best answer to this question lies in how much emphasis their minds put on getting the priority jobs done first. Of course you need to know what the critical task is, and have the skills to implement them, but if your subconscious thinks that doing the mundane jobs are more important because your latest great project will probably fail the same as others in the past, your thoughts will be directed to the menial tasks that won’t cause you upset!

You have to understand what is happening in your brain to be able to make that change, but now you know that if that very important job you did mean to do first thing that day just inexplicably was still pending at the end of the day or even week, then you must take steps to alter the order of priority in your subconscious.

A good first step would be to make a list of all the tasks which make up your day. Put them on a spreadsheet or write them on separate small pieces of paper so you can easily change the order. Be honest with yourself and without analyzing your choices put them in order that you know they will be done the next day. When you have them in order, write down next to each one, why you think each job will be done before or after the one above or below on your list. See if your comment really justifies its position in the list. Ask yourself why you have put certain jobs lower in the list. If your questions cause you to re-arrange your list, see how that makes you feel.

Next try to look at your list with a different mindset. Ignore any uncomfortable feelings and boldly place them in the order that they should be done according to the effect that each has on the performance of your business. Compare the 2 lists, and see where the big differences lie. Ask yourself why you do certain jobs at all. Be strict with your subconscious. Tell it that the second list really is the correct order and that your business will be more profitable and you will gain more satisfaction at the end of the day if the most important jobs are done first. At the end of each day make a list of the order you did your work, and see if you notice any change in how much importance you put on each task. See how you feel when you make the effort to get the big job done. In time your subconscious will accept the new order you have put in place, and you will be noticing when others are procrastinating and you will be able to help them.