Procrastination Time

We all procrastinate at one time or other. We put off doing things we could (and should) do now. Of course, we put off not only decisions but anything that is difficult, annoying, or unpleasantly time-consuming. When we do it only occasionally, procrastination is harmless. But when procrastination becomes a persistent habit, it is a serious threat to our professional and personal success.

Why do people procrastinate? Many causes have been suggested. Acknowledging the causes that affect you most can give you a basis for overcoming the habit.

Fear of Failure:

You may put off difficult work because you are not sure you can do it acceptably. If you are a perfectionist -if you want absolutely excellent results from any effort -you are probably especially prone to fear of failure. In fact, there is probably no human task that can be done perfectly. Most management theorists argue that “good enough” is the proper goal when efforts are directed toward priority goals.

Protective Self-Image:

You may have a view of yourself that prevents you from making a strong and immediate effort. You may be protecting your feelings of mastery by declining to try very hard for anything. Since you never really try, you are not threatened with discovering that your inflated self-image is vulnerable.

Waiting for the Right Time:

You may be placing disproportionate stress on outside events and conditions. You may say you’ll start straightening ·out your bookkeeping after this month is over; then everything will be clear to make a new start. In fact, however, such ideal conditions never materialize.

Pre-performance Rewards:

You may find that the rewards you give yourself for performing well relaxing with a cup of coffee or doing something else enjoyable -are so attractive that you can’t wait until you’ve actually performed. It is easy to say, ‘There! Now I know what I’m going to do: I’m ready to start right away. I think I’ll take a break first.” Rewards for performance are excellent ideas, but be sure to give yourself the reward after the accomplishment not before.

Have You Recognized Yourself Here?

Quite possibly not! Many people find that procrastination doesn’t stem from any identifiable cause. It is simply a bad habit. A natural tendency to put off things that require effort has become engrained in behavior patterns. This can be good news. It is easier to break a bad habit than it is to change your personality, for example, from being a perfectionist to not being a perfectionist.

Breaking the Procrastination Habit

Changing entrenched habits, whether time-related or not is a difficult but not unattainable goal. The essential approach is to block old habits with new and better ones. Several tactics are usually employed:

1. Make a definite, even radical change in your routine. Eliminate behavior that is associated with the habit you want to extinguish. If you procrastinate by drinking coffee and chatting with your coworkers, stop doing this completely for a while. Give up coffee, and tell others that you have given it up. Give yourself mental or physical’ rewards for any period during which you have stuck to your · new habit. Write down a list of the reasons you want to change your behavior and keep it with you: refer to it often.

2. Allow no exceptions to your new habit early in your campaign. If you decide to put your work in priority order and always complete the highest-priority item before tackling the next task, always do it.

3. Begin immediately. Making resolutions about a change that will ·become effective “next week” won’t work except in unusual circumstances. If you have time-wasting habits that need to be eliminated, start right now. The rudiments of a successful habit breaking campaign can be worked out in only a few minutes. You can refine your approach after you have hours or days of success under your belt.

4. Set up barriers to procrastination. Experts suggest these ways for breaking the logjam on your put-off projects:

• Set a starting time for each planned task. Not everything can be done immediately, but establish a definite time for starting each of your planned actions.
• Generate momentum. If necessary, start working on an easy, routine matter. Set a definite limit. however, of say 15 minutes or a half-hour, on how long you will perform the easy work before tackling the project you feel like putting off. Use an alarm clock to alert you to when the getting started period is over.
• Break major tasks down into subtasks. Reward yourself for completing each of these smaller units of effort. A break for a soda is fair enough for work taking a few hours. An afternoon off playing tennis or hiking might be justified for a lengthy, difficult project. The idea of subtasks is critical. These are the activities that should appear on your daily agenda, not the major task. Suppose you are preparing the annual budget. Don’t write “Annual budget” on your schedule. That will take you weeks. Instead, write “Complete table on projected materials costs.” That task can be done in a reasonable amount of. time, and it will contribute significantly to preparation of the annual budget.

5. Try some tricks. Reformed procrastinators advise that the following techniques really work:

• Do nothing for 15 minutes. One busy executive, for instance, just stares at the papers on her desk until the urge to get something done overtakes her. ‘ ,
• Down-size your goal. Instead of attempting to make a dozen telephone calls today, for example, settle for a half-dozen. That way, you’ll get a sense of accomplishment sooner.
• Adopt the “so long as I’m here” attitude. If you’ve got the file drawer open, perhaps -so long as you’re here you might as well reorganize it as you’ve planned for ‘months.
• Try the “spinach method.” If a certain task is ,unpleasant, as vegetables often are to children, try “eating” it first to get it out of the way so that you can enjoy the more attractive aspects of your job.
• Play the “penalty game.” Assign a minor penalty -such as missing your favorite TV show whenever you put off a task that you want to complete.