Are You a Financial Procrastinator?
A financial procrastinator is someone who has money-related tasks to take care of but continually puts them off. For instance—you know you need to update your will, but you are paralyzed by some of the major decisions you’ll need to make. As a result, nothing gets done. Sound familiar? If so, you might be a financial procrastinator.
Can you overcome it? Yes. Do you have work to do? Again, yes. Here are a few suggestions on how to get past financial procrastination:
1. Accept where you are
You may feel that you have so many things on your list that you are past the point of no return. The key is to accept where you are—in other words, not ready or able to tackle everything at once. Pick one financial task and start with that.
2. Schedule some time
When you decide to take the initial steps, block out some time on your calendar to get started. If a professional is involved, get on their calendar.
3. Give yourself a deadline
Put your financial task on a deadline. With a firm deadline for completion in place, you can look at the task as something that absolutely must be done, rather that something that can be put off again and again.
4. Reward yourself
When you tackle your financial task, take some time to reward yourself. Feel a sense of accomplishment before you start the next financial project. A celebratory dinner, glass of wine, or a massage might do the trick.
It can be incredibly helpful to have someone alongside you to monitor your progress. While you may hold yourself accountable, it’s even better to have someone else thinking about your progress as well. A financial advisor is qualified to take on this role and help you stop financial procrastination. We are happy to help you.
Getting started is the first step. What financial item would you like to accomplish? Completing it is not as overwhelming as you might think. And imagine how relieved you’ll feel when you can check it off your list.
Shari Greco Reiches