Procrastination is the thief of time. It’s the thing that keeps us from reaching our goals and achieving our dreams before it’s too late. I know because I am a self-confessed procrastinator.
That doesn’t imply I don’t accomplish anything. It’s because I’m aware that I’m a procrastinator that allows me to identify it, both in myself and with others whom I work with. Procrastination may be deceptive, and spotting it might be difficult. However, if you know what to look for, like me, you can do something about it before starts to take hold. In this blog post, I share how it has impacted me, discuss how to identify procrastination and what to do about it when it starts to creep in!
So what is Procrastination? It is the act of putting off or delaying something that should be done. It’s normal to procrastinate from time to time. We all do it. However, for some of us, it can become a habit that starts to take over our lives.
So, how do you spot procrastination? Here are some tell-tale signs:
– You keep telling yourself you’ll start tomorrow/next week/when the time is right
– You find yourself making excuses for why you can’t or shouldn’t do something
– You Procrastinate by doing things that are unrelated or unimportant
– You Procrastinate by Procrastinating (i.e. you put off doing something by doing something else instead)
If you find yourself exhibiting any of these behaviours, it’s a good indication that procrastination has started to set in. So, what can you do about it?
The first step is to identify the trigger. What is it that’s causing you to procrastinate? Is it fear of failure? Fear of success? Lack of confidence? Once you’ve identified the trigger, you can start to address it.
The fear of failure regularly prevents me from getting things started. What if it’s not good enough? What if I’m not cut out for this? These are the kinds of thoughts that go through my head. If you can relate, then you’ll know how debilitating they can be.
I’ve found that the best way to address these fears are two-fold. First, it’s to take action regardless. The more you do, the more confidence you’ll build, and eventually, the fear will start to dissipate. Second, it’s to make sure you surround yourself with people who will lift you up and not drag you down. Never underestimate a word of encouragement, given or received.
For me, another trigger for Procrastination is when I’m feeling overwhelmed or uncertain about a task. The fear of failure, once overcome, seem to flow into a form of perfectionism and the yearning to know everything before starting. In that situation, breaking down the work into smaller, more doable chunks helps me to get started and overcome my Procrastination block. As everyone should know by now, it’s the secret behind “How do you eat an elephant?”
Another helpful tip is to set a time limit for yourself. If you have an hour to work on a project, instead of telling yourself you’ll work on it until it’s done, set a timer for two 25 minutes blocks and work on it until the timer goes off then reset for the next. Check out my post on the Pomodoro Technique.
Why 25 minutes and not 60 minutes? Simple. You’re more likely to stick to a shorter time period than a long one. And if you do find yourself still delaying starting a project or task, it’s easier to reset 25 minutes when rescheduling your appointments in your diary than it is to reschedule 60 minutes. Most calendars these days e.g. Outlook or Google Calendar, allow you to drag and drop events to reschedule them. If they are 60 minute events, I bet that you will find it much harder to find a time to drag and drop it in your calendar within the same day or next day. Only option then is to find a time in the following week which is in itself, a de facto way of procrastinating.
So we’ve looked at some tell-tale signs, some triggers and what you can do about them. But if the frequency of Procrastinating is the issue, there is no better way to overcome it than to make yourself accountable. Share your goal with a friend or family member; join an online accountability group; or hire a coach!
Finally, if you’ve tried everything and procrastination still seems to be ruling your life, it might be worth considering seeking out professional help. A therapist or counsellor can help you to identify and address the underlying causes of your Procrastination. Understanding the root causes is important to helping you overcoming it.
There are many other Procrastination-busting strategies and techniques out there, so find one that works for you and commit to giving it a try! If you’re sick of procrastinating and would like to build what I call “stick-to-itiveness”, why not sign up for my email challenge now. Click Here for the link to find out more and to register for the challenge.
Do you have any Procrastination-busting tips or tricks that has worked for you? Share them below.