One of the most pervasive problems most people have with time management is procrastination. It’s like some sort of law: if anything can be put off until later, it will be. Despite the consequences, knowing that it will result in stress, problems, and a last-minute rush to get things finished, we delay getting started.
There are several self-defeating thought patterns that feed into the procrastination habit.
Perfectionists tend to set unrealistic goals for themselves and often delay work because they fear falling short of their own standards. They may also fear criticism and rejection by others. Their trepidation holds them back.
Fear of failure, fear of criticism, and an excessive need to execute work “perfectly” can severely hamper your ability to start any project, much less get it finished. Not only does it throw you behind schedule and hinder your productivity, the worry and stress associated with this thought pattern can negatively impact your health.
The myth of multi-tasking has convinced many people that they should always be doing more than one thing at a time. Unfortunately, for some people this results in an inability to focus on a single task from initiation to completion, and projects are left incomplete until the last minute.
Many people have difficulty asking for help or delegating tasks. This can be associated with perfectionism, a need for control, or a desire to avoid burdening others. Regardless of the motivation, a reluctance to enlist help can result in big problems when the job is too big to handle.
Sometimes people simply tend to underestimate the complexity of a task or the time required to complete it. Waiting too long to start the project results in rushing to get the task done, or missing deadlines because the allotted time was insufficient.
Do you recognize any of the above thought patterns? Becoming aware of these self-defeating habits is the first step to decreasing their impact on your life and countering your tendency to procrastinate.
Here are a few basic guidelines that can help:
Procrastination is a bad habit that many people struggle with daily. Discovering the thought patterns and attitudes that contribute to your procrastination habit can be useful in countering the problem. Start working on it – not tomorrow, but right now!
Re-Print Permission
This article may be reprinted in it's entirety if the following
conditions are met:
