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| Copyright © 2007 Organized Visions. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy |
| Beating Procrastination |
I tried something that I don’t usually do. I put off writing my articles for this month’s
newsletter as much as I could to get a “window” into the experience of procrastination. The
verdict? I felt stressed. I was worried about whether or not I’d finish everything in time.
Although the deadlines for sending my newsletter are self imposed, I still try to hold to a
certain time frame out of respect for my readers.
So the old adage “Never put off for tomorrow, that which you can do today” has new
meaning for me. Sure it sounds a little preachy, but there’s value to the statement. Many
times we defer doing something for a later time and then wind up chasing our tails trying to
catch up. When it comes to procrastination, I have to agree that it’s like stealing time from
yourself.
So in honor of National Procrastination Day, here are some tips that you can start putting in
place to help you beat procrastination.
Be Honest about your Project Management Style
Evaluate the way you tackle projects. Need a little help? Think back to how you handled your
school projects. Which one of these styles fit you?
When you got an assignment…
A)…you laid out a plan right away and thought of everything you needed to get it done. You
had a schedule and stuck to it to get the work behind you early.
B)….you gave the assignment some thought, but took your time getting around to what you
had to do. You finished it, but with only a day to spare.
C)…you never gave it a thought until you were hit in the face (usually by someone from
Group A) saying ''hey did you start that project yet, it's due in 2 days''. You were frantic
trying to get things done and were either just under the wire, or a little bit late.
Recognize yourself? If you fall into Group A--- good for you. You plan ahead and make your
time work for you.
Group B, it's great that you finished it in time, but imagine how much better it could have
been if you started sooner and you stressed just a little bit less about finishing.
Okay Group C or should I say adrenaline junkie, you obviously thrive on working under the
wire, but aren't you tired of racing for every deadline?
Although you may like the rush of working under the wire, in the long run it’s holding you
back. Try to figure out why you’re always under the wire. Identify exactly what’s not
working and confront the reason.
• Is it because someone else is making you do it?
• Does it bring back bad memories?
• Is it something you feel you're not good at?
• Just not enough hours in the day?
Avoid Delaying that Hated Project
some things, you work better under the gun. Most times, it's a necessary evil, something that
some things, you work better under the gun. Most times, it's a necessary evil, something that
has to be done, but not one of your favorite things. It could simply be that other things rank
higher in importance.
higher in importance.
Whatever the reason, try to:
Get Time Back on Your Side
Timing is everything. Implementing a few tried and true time management techniques might
be the key to helping you beat procrastination.
It’s great if you’re able to get work done just under the wire, but you don’t want the
reputation of being a procrastinator, especially if team projects are a part of your work
environment. Take a hard look at what’s holding you back and make a commitment to beating
procrastination once and for all. Visit our Articles page for more ideas on Time Management.
As always, if you have questions or would like a little help getting back on track, we’re just an
email away at nchamblin@organizedvisons.com
newsletter as much as I could to get a “window” into the experience of procrastination. The
verdict? I felt stressed. I was worried about whether or not I’d finish everything in time.
Although the deadlines for sending my newsletter are self imposed, I still try to hold to a
certain time frame out of respect for my readers.
So the old adage “Never put off for tomorrow, that which you can do today” has new
meaning for me. Sure it sounds a little preachy, but there’s value to the statement. Many
times we defer doing something for a later time and then wind up chasing our tails trying to
catch up. When it comes to procrastination, I have to agree that it’s like stealing time from
yourself.
So in honor of National Procrastination Day, here are some tips that you can start putting in
place to help you beat procrastination.
Be Honest about your Project Management Style
Evaluate the way you tackle projects. Need a little help? Think back to how you handled your
school projects. Which one of these styles fit you?
When you got an assignment…
A)…you laid out a plan right away and thought of everything you needed to get it done. You
had a schedule and stuck to it to get the work behind you early.
B)….you gave the assignment some thought, but took your time getting around to what you
had to do. You finished it, but with only a day to spare.
C)…you never gave it a thought until you were hit in the face (usually by someone from
Group A) saying ''hey did you start that project yet, it's due in 2 days''. You were frantic
trying to get things done and were either just under the wire, or a little bit late.
Recognize yourself? If you fall into Group A--- good for you. You plan ahead and make your
time work for you.
Group B, it's great that you finished it in time, but imagine how much better it could have
been if you started sooner and you stressed just a little bit less about finishing.
Okay Group C or should I say adrenaline junkie, you obviously thrive on working under the
wire, but aren't you tired of racing for every deadline?
Although you may like the rush of working under the wire, in the long run it’s holding you
back. Try to figure out why you’re always under the wire. Identify exactly what’s not
working and confront the reason.
• Is it because someone else is making you do it?
• Does it bring back bad memories?
• Is it something you feel you're not good at?
• Just not enough hours in the day?
Avoid Delaying that Hated Project
some things, you work better under the gun. Most times, it's a necessary evil, something that
some things, you work better under the gun. Most times, it's a necessary evil, something that
has to be done, but not one of your favorite things. It could simply be that other things rank
higher in importance.
higher in importance.
Whatever the reason, try to:
- Build in rewards for an earlier start and finish. Sometimes a little motivation helps.
- Think about what you do like about the project and focus on that. If possible
incorporate it throughout the project. - Break it down into smaller more palatable sizes. If you set a time limit and give it just a
few minutes each day, it may not seem so bad or overwhelming after all. - Get it out of the way first. (think vegetables before dessert) If you get it out of the way,
then you'll be able to give your time to more enjoyable things.
Get Time Back on Your Side
Timing is everything. Implementing a few tried and true time management techniques might
be the key to helping you beat procrastination.
- Lay out a project plan. It is important give yourself a realistic schedule so that you have
enough time to work on all the parts and still get your other work done. - Schedule your peak time for working on your most important project. If you do your
best work early in the morning, block your first two hours of the day to work on the
project. - Say no to those things that aren’t as important. Cancel the long coffee breaks. Be honest
about where you are wasting time and address it. - Dodge interruptions. Let your co-workers know that you have something big going on
and you need their understanding and put up a do-not-disturb sign if you must.
Schedule when you check your email and let your voicemail take a message if you’re in
the middle of “peak time”
It’s great if you’re able to get work done just under the wire, but you don’t want the
reputation of being a procrastinator, especially if team projects are a part of your work
environment. Take a hard look at what’s holding you back and make a commitment to beating
procrastination once and for all. Visit our Articles page for more ideas on Time Management.
As always, if you have questions or would like a little help getting back on track, we’re just an
email away at nchamblin@organizedvisons.com
