FOCUS is the
free on-line newsletter which gives you the tools and strategies to
advance your career or grow your business.
This issue
discusses effective ways to Stamp Out Procrastination.
PROCRASTINATION:
We all do it. We all would like to stop.
Ending Procrastination
ranks #2 among New Years Resolutions. Only dieting is more common
among those resolute to shape up during the New Year.
By February, the
New Years Resolution Doers are working toward their goals while the
Procrastinators are still planning to do so. Which group are you in?
Do you dream,
plan, and make notes about things you want to do but somehow just
don’t get around to doing them? Lose your focus midway through
a large project? Get distracted easily? Or get sidetracked by tasks
that seem urgent when you should be completing tasks that are
critical? Do you start more projects than you compete?
If you answered
YES to any of these questions, Procrastination is undermining your
best efforts and may be blocking you from having the business you
want.
Here are some
useful tools for dealing with this insidious habit.
WHEN:
It’s important to recognize when you procrastinate. Most of us
put off tasks which seem difficult, unpleasant, boring, or which
overwhelm us.
People tend to do
more to avoid pain than to gain pleasure. That’s why most of us
put more energy into avoiding what we don’t want (criticism,
additional work, complaints) instead of harnessing energy to go after
what we do want (smoother operations, career growth, early
retirement).
We put off completing
a project until the deadline is close at hand, then
jump on it because the pain of missing the deadline is worse than the
pain of completing the project.
WHY:
Most of us procrastinate to experience instant gratification. We put
off an undesirable task to do something else which makes us feel good
at that moment by distracting ourselves with something we’d
rather do.
So we answer
email rather than finish the proposal we’re writing. We get a
second cup of coffee rather than call a client about a problem. Or we
busy ourselves with an administrative task rather than complete next
year’s budget.
BREAKING
THE CYCLE:
Now you know WHEN and WHY you Procrastinate so how do you stop? A
technique which has proven useful with many of the business people
I’ve coached is the Rocking Chair Image:
Imagine yourself
sitting in a rocking chair when you’re quite old and
contemplating the last chapter of your life. Think about all the
things you’ve done with your life as well as all the things you
dreamed of but didn’t do. Think of all the possibilities you
let slip through your fingers because of Procrastination. Remember
the times you thought “I’ll do it later, tomorrow, next
time or next year.” In the rocking chair, it will be too late
to turn your possibilities into realities.
But you’re
not in the rocking chair yet. There’s still time. However every
hour, day, or year you procrastinate takes you that much closer to
the rocking chair. There’s an old joke: “I’m really
going to stop procrastinating… one of these days.” The
time to stop procrastinating is NOW.
HOW
TO DO IT:
Here are 3 simple steps you can take RIGHT NOW to end
Procrastination:
