Hello FlyLady,

What is the “Do It Now Principle” please? I must have missed that somewhere in your website. Thank you so much for all you do!

FlyBaby M

Dear FlyBaby M,

This is just plain old common sense. “Do It Now” means just that! Don’t wait and do it right that minute. No more procrastinating. Now, this doesn’t mean to get sidetracked from what you were doing. The rule is that the job can only take a couple of minutes. Instead of putting it off till later, do it now!

Here is an essay about Doing it now!

Procrastination Hurts You!

Dear Friends,

This is Anti-Procrastination Week! What have you been putting off?

How many times a day do you allow your perfectionism to paralyze you! You know exactly what I am talking about. You hear that nasty little voice in your head all the time. I don’t have time right now. YOU DON’T HAVE TIME FOR WHAT? To do it RIGHT! To do it like your momma did!

We are not good judges of time! In our heads we think emptying the dishwasher will take hours when it only takes 3 minutes!

Our perfectionism/procrastination also hurts us in other ways. We keep putting off going to the doctor because we don’t have time! We don’t place an order for something we know will help us and then all of a sudden they are gone and we start to beat ourselves up over our procrastination again. Don’t wait to get your calendar. I know you have been trying to use a calendar with small boxes.

I live by the Do it Now Principle! When something needs to be done and if it is not done, then you will feel bad; this is when I do it! Think about putting a fresh roll of toilet paper in the bathroom. We only think of it when we are in there. Guess who usually gets left with an empty roll. YOU! Your procrastination has hurt you again.

Our minds are going 90 miles an hour. We can think of more things to do in 5 minutes than we can do in a lifetime. Let’s channel some of that power into action by Doing It Now. When you find yourself using this principle more often you are going to surprise yourself! This is not getting sidetracked! It is staying focused and accomplishing something so we don’t have to beat ourselves up later!

Have you been putting something off: Paying bills, doing laundry, shining your sink or using our big calendar. One day we will run out of our calendars and there you will be begging for one and beating yourself up because of your procrastination. You do have time; if you will just do what needs to be done and don’t put it off another day! Just think, this will put an end to those nasty voices in your head!

There are many of you that are procrastinating about shining your sink! This is the habit that changed my life! Please give it a try! It won’t take that long! This month are new habit is making your bed. Every room has its own shiny sink. Your beautiful bed makes your room shine.

Set your timer and do something you have been putting off!

FlyLady