Do you remember that the last post about Talent we talked about Self-Motivation? OToday, we are going to focus on procrastination. Do you know what it is? Go for it!
How often does it happen to you that when you have a job to do your first thought is: "I'll do it later", "I'll do it tomorrow", "I'll do it soon", etc. and the time taken over that task becomes indefinitely longer, longer and longer? Sound familiar to you?
PROCRASTINATION
“It is putting off, putting off and putting off priority tasks and generally replacing them with others which are of secondary importance, are insignificant and are more enjoyable.”
It is a behaviour which, by repeating it so much, becomes a habit. It is addictive and causes us anxiety as well as having the following negative consequences:
- Loss of productivity: failure to meet objectives, to complete scheduled activities and tasks
- Loss of credibility with others: when you push back the deadline for delivery of a project to a client or you put off doing a task that you have been set by your boss or requested by a partner, etc. What do you think is the image you project to them?
- Loss of opportunities: when you delay sending your CV in response to a good job offer you have been told about, or when you don't send the proposal to a client, etc.
- Stress and anxiety: although initially when you put something off you feel relieved, as time goes by and you see that you haven't done what you were supposed to do, it increases the feeling of unease because you have been "wasting your time", "avoiding your responsibilities", "the negative image that you can project to others", etc.
If you analyse the reason behind your procrastination you may realise that "you put off tasks that are boring or complex”.
In most cases, the reason behind our procrastination is perfectionism, that is, we put off completing a task because:
- We don't know where to start
- We're afraid of doing it wrong
- We don't feel up to doing the task
- We think that the other person isn't going to like it
In short, we're afraid of failure!
But what techniques can you use in order to stop procrastinating and work effectively (achieving your goals) and efficiently (in the shortest possible time)?
Change your irrational and limiting beliefs
Stop thinking: “I'm lazy", "I still have time," "I'll do it later," "It's okay if I don't do it now," "I won't be able to do it," "I don't know how to do it," and replace these beliefs with empowering beliefs: "The sooner I get to it, the sooner I'll finish", "It's probably easier than I think", "When I finish it, I'll feel good about myself", "Others will see me as a good professional ", etc.
“When you have to climb a mountain,
waiting won't make it smaller". (Popular saying)
It is important that you consider the following:
- What degree of perfection does this task call for? Maybe you are making life difficult for yourself and demanding a 10 when in fact the task only needs a 7
- In reality, is perfectionism a virtue or is it more of a curse? Think of all the things you haven't done, the opportunities you've missed, the time you've wasted, etc. because you wanted everything to be perfect. It's crucial that we strive to give the best of ourselves but it is also essential that we achieve our objectives and results.
- How do you know that you're going to fail in a task that you haven't even begun?”
- “Finished is better than perfect": meeting the deadlines you have committed to, while complying with the quality standards agreed to with the other people, is better than not meeting them.
The 10 minute technique
If you have to prepare a proposal, a budget, a project or a CV and you don't know where to start, open up a Word document and start writing. Later you can worry about making it more beautiful, expressing things better, changing it, improving it , etc. The first thing you need to do is to get down to it and to put your mind to work because when you put it off the only thing you do with your mind is block it.
- The 10 minute technique:
- Choose a task you've been putting off and set an alarm for 10 minutes' time
- Begin the task, with the idea that you're only going to work for 10 minutes, not a minute more, not a minute less
- When the alarm goes off, take a break for a couple of minutes and go get a coffee
- Then consider whether you want to set yourself another 10 minutes of work and repeat the process.
- This technique works since we are saying to our mind "relax - you're only going to work for 10 minutes", which furthermore is the time we need in order for our attention to become focused.
-
- Divide the task into small parts and set a completion date for them
In this way the task or project will seem more doable and you will be less reluctant to start.
"Don't look at the whole staircase,
just take the first step".
Martin Luther King
Ask for help from someone you trust
To encourage you and help you finish the task.
Visualise yourself with the task done
Consider and make a note of the benefits of eliminating this habit from your life and the impact it will have on your personal and professional life.
Reward yourself
Each time you complete a task you have set yourself, give yourself a reward: it could be a compliment - "How satisfying to have finished this task!" - or you could treat yourself. This basic psychological principle states that positively reinforced tasks tend to repeat themselves
Now it's your turn. Think about the tasks you tend to put off, think about why you do it and apply some of the techniques outlined