It’s Just a Little Case of Inertia

The definition of inertia is the tendency to do nothing or to remain unchanged. Many scholars have studied inertia, and one of the cornerstones of Issac Newton’s work is that a body at rest will stay at rest until compelled to do otherwise. So, we are correct if we think doing nothing leads to more of doing nothing. An article in Psychology Today states that our tendency to procrastinate actually has some evolutionary significance and that humans are wired to consider the needs of the present over the needs of the future. However, this does not mean that if you have been struggling to get started in changing careers or finding a new job, you are stuck in procrastination land forever.

Plato said, “the beginning is the most important part of the work.” Here are some ideas to get you in motion. The first part of any plan is the plan. Don’t let the size of the task overwhelm you into not starting the task at all. Break down the task of looking for a job into manageable mini tasks. Start by writing down your desired goals. If you are desiring a new career path or starting on a new path, make sure that you have a written set of desired goals. You will not be able to attain your goal until you figure out what your goal actually is.

Develop a timeline for yourself. You will be able to obtain your goal if you have a reasonable timeline associated with the goal. If your goal is to obtain a job that will require additional training or education, make sure that you have a timeline in mind as to when the additional education or training can be completed, but don’t let the magnitude of your goal be a roadblock to getting started.

There has never been a better time to get organized. Devote at least 15 minutes every day to checking off your mini tasks. These could include brushing up your resume, freshening up your social media presence, or just simply job seeking. Resist the pull to stay at rest; get moving! Procrastination-land is full of well- rested people who will eventually regret all of the time that they have wasted.