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Do you find yourself waiting until the last minute to finish a critical report for the boss? Are airline reservations often made just in the nick of time? Is that filing project you need to start still staring you in the face? If you recognize any of these scenarios, procrastination may be sneaking into your life, stealing valuable time and eroding your productivity.
Procrastination is the habitual delay in starting or seeing a task through to conclusion. When you make a promise to yourself to start a project and then hesitate or become distracted or do something else instead, that's procrastination. But is this always a bad thing to do? The word "habitual" is the key. Once delay becomes a habit, it begins to undermine your ability to function effectively and becomes a problem for yourself and for others.
For example, you have blocked out Thursday afternoon to begin computerizing the filing system. After lunch you check in with the office manager to see if there are any problems requiring your attention before you begin the file update. You then allow yourself to be pulled into a discussion that began in the hallway and developed into an impromptu meeting in a co-workers' office. The meeting produced a couple of phone calls that can be taken care of quickly and so you do. Then, of course there is that complaint letter from a customer that you really should answer.
Sound familiar? Discussions with co-workers, generating progress reports and answering correspondence are all indisputably necessary tasks. But if by doing any of those tasks you are avoiding the A-number-one top priority, you are procrastinating.
ADVANTAGES OF PROCRASTINATION
If procrastination only had negative consequences, very few people would do it. As it is, we all procrastinate to varying degrees, reaping the short-term positive rewards that come from putting things off. On those occasions when you have too much to do, deciding not to do any of them can reduce the immediate tension and stress you were experiencing. There is a natural tendency to avoid unpleasant things. Putting them off (even though you will have to do them later) means, at the very least, that you do not have to face them right now. Plus, if you are lucky, they will go away or someone else will do them.
Procrastinating can also be exciting. It causes crises and the adrenaline rush that goes along with them. Waiting until the last possible minute is really similar to pitting yourself against the odds. You are gambling that not only will you win out over stress, fear, hunger and fatigue, but that the mail will arrive on time, the copier will not break, the other person is not out sick, and that the tire will not go flat as you race to your 8:00 o'clock meeting. When you make it, you probably feel high, euphoric, successful and incredibly competent. These are intense feelings, much more so than the quiet calm of satisfaction produced when the project is completed early.
Waiting until the last minute to start a difficult task can also be used as a defense for poor performance. You can always claim that it would have been better if there was more time. (The report would have been more comprehensive if you had been given more time to do it.) It can shield you from the consequences that you expect to occur after the project is completed. For example, not accepting a high visibility special assignment will shield you from the consequences of a) being in the limelight and possibly failing or b) doing well and being offered more challenge. This could take the form of a new position as the office manager, a relocation or a new set of circumstances that may be frightening. If you are not feeling up to the rigorous standards that you have set for success, or are trying to live up to the expectations that have been set for your performance by others, delay can be used as a means of self-protection.
BREAKING THROUGH PROCRASTINATION
In trying to overcome procrastination do not decide all at once that you will never procrastinate again. That is like deciding to climb Mount Everest next week without ever having been rock climbing. Be reasonable and be fair to yourself. Start slowly. Give yourself time to break a habit that has become ingrained and automatic.
In some instances, procrastination is caused by not wanting to begin a large, complicated or time-consuming project. Formulating a budget, writing a new procedural manual, organizing a fund raiser or learning Chinese cannot be done quickly. In those cases, break large projects into small, manageable parts. Smaller tasks are attractive because they are short, easy and produce immediate gratification. This technique will also make it easier to delegate because it forces you to be clear and concise about the project boundaries. Keep in mind that all projects, no matter how massive are only a series of small items reassembled.
Another effective technique to use is to make a voluntary commitment to someone else. Allowing others to become involved in your efforts by reviewing your progress, helping you set deadlines or evaluating your results, can be very helpful. Often we are too close to the situation to be objective. Your concerns, fears and anxieties become secondary to fulfilling the expectations of the people you respect and trust.
One of the best ways to break the procrastination habit is to reward yourself for good behavior. Punishing yourself for goofing off is not nearly as effective as rewarding yourself for success. Learn to reward yourself at milestones in the process, not just at completion of that project. Rewards can be anything you like to do. They can be simple and inexpensive but they should be things that are important to you. Reading for pleasure, daydreaming, relaxing, participating in sports, visiting friends, traveling, going to dinner, and exercising can all be used as rewards. At work, doing the portion of your job that you find enjoyable can be a reward. If you regularly work overtime, go home on time, or take a lunch instead of eating in a rush at your desk.
Similarly, make a conscious decision to bring excitement into your life. Become a stunt driver, take up hang gliding, learn to photograph sharks, become a reporter, etc. There really are alternatives to creating a potentially disastrous crisis in order to fulfill your need for attention, drama and excitement.
Recognize that the symptoms of overwork, frequent and continual crises and clutter are often the results of procrastination. They are common to us all and can even become a part of our work style. Lack of planning, an inability to set priorities and lack of delegation are often strong indicators of a procrastinator. A behavior that is ingrained and habitual, especially one that is giving you some benefits, is not going to stop abruptly. When you find yourself blocked, unable to start a task and you have tried everything else, ask yourself: "Is there anything, no matter how small, that I am willing to do?" When you find that small thing, you are no longer procrastinating.
Ok. You have the info. DEBATE.
Kenneth
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