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One of the biggest problems arising out of our super busy, high achievement culture is that we all have too much to do. This is bad enough, but very often we don’t really want to do some of the things that are on our list, which, in turn, leads to an even bigger problem: procrastination. Unfortunately, procrastination only increases the number of things on our to do list, because we are not clearing our in boxes fast enough to keep up with the other tasks that are pouring in every day.
Of course, there are often legitimate reasons for postponing a task. Other tasks sometimes take precedence, and, in some cases, you must delay a task until you have all the resources you need to do the job well. But that is not the case every time you put off (avoid) doing a job, and genuine procrastination can be deadly. Not only does it increase the level of stress we feel every day, but it leads to work being done late, done poorly or both. The only cure for procrastination is to STOP doing it. But, how?
Here are some of the common reasons for procrastination, along with suggestions for dealing with them:
Category One: The Nature of the Job
Some jobs are just unpleasant -- Anything from cleaning out the attic to having a difficult conversation with a low-performing employee can be very intimidating. There may seem to be very little upside for you in these tasks and they can drain you emotionally and physically. Schedule them early in the day and think of something nice you can do for yourself after the job is done. Once the job is done, you will see that is wasn’t as bad as you thought it would be.
Some jobs are very complicated -- Maybe you have been assigned a complicated research or writing project. Or, maybe your service organization has put you in charge of developing a new community outreach program. There is so much to do and you don’t know where to start. In such cases, don’t think in terms of the whole job. Instead, break the project down into manageable steps and set deadlines for each one. Remember the old saying about how to eat an elephant?
Category Two: Too Many Projects
For many busy people today, this is the unexamined source of many of our procrastination problems. We are assigned (or we say yes to) too many things. As our plate begins to pile high with a variety of urgent and/or important things, it can become very overwhelming and lead to things like:
Indecision – the simple process of choosing which task to do next can slow you down. You have to begin by dividing all the tasks into A, B, and C priorities. Delegate whatever you can and decline or postpone the least important ones.
Distraction and confusion – this is related to Indecision. It is easy to bounce back and forth between all the tasks on your list and never finish anything. Instead of trying to keep everyone happy at once, pick one job and stick to it until you are done.
Indifference – While this can be a problem with any task, it become a chronic condition when you have too much to do; you just loose your interest and motivation altogether. First, determine the priority and value of the task. If it has a high value, block out time for it on your prime time schedule, zero in on it and get it done. If it is not a high-value item to begin with, delegate it or scratch it off. It is hard enough to accomplish all the tasks you care about. Don’t sap your energy on things you don’t care about unless it is absolutely necessary (read: important to your spouse or your boss!).
Category Three: Emotional Issues
Fear of failure (lack of self confidence) -- Maybe you don’t have enough training to do the job well; maybe you have a boss who is hard to please; maybe the stakes are very high; maybe you struggle with emotional conditions that see any level of risk as a threat. No matter what the root cause may be, when people don't want to face the consequences of failure, they delay. Ask for help if you need it. Set a deadline and clear your calendar of other interruptions. Promise yourself a reward when the job is done.
Perfectionism – This is actually related to fear of failure. In the minds of some, the best way of avoiding failure is to always be perfect, and if you can’t do the job perfectly, it is better not to try. Often, the only way to overcome this problem is through counseling and behavior modification training. On a practical level, remind yourself that it is more important to finish the job, even if it could be done better.
Passive aggressive attitudes – This is a sneaky form of anger we use when we are mad at someone but we don’t want to confront them directly. Avoiding or dragging out a job is a way of punishing or controlling the other person. In cases like this, you can talk out the issue with the person, be a grown up and do the job anyway, get counseling, or quit. Life is too short to waste everyone’s time playing games.
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September Time Management Quick Tip of the Month – Caller ID
Caller ID is one of the great time management inventions in recent history. It is no secret that one of the biggest time bandits we all deal with is unscheduled conversations and interruptions. Anything you can do to minimize interruptions will help you get more done. Caller ID gives you the ability to see who is calling and decide if you want to take the call or let it go to voice mail. Some people still feel a twinge of guilt about screening calls in this manner, especially if the call is from a friend, your boss, or an important client. However, when you screen calls you are not making a judgment about the value of the person, you are making a judgment about the value of the task you are handling at the moment. If the task at hand has a high priority and an impending deadline, Caller ID at least gives you the luxury of taking only the most important calls and following up on the rest of them later.
