…
Procrastination?
Written
by Charrise McCrorey
You
want to make a difference with your life, and you know you
will someday run out of time. So, perhaps one of your goals
for this year is to get control of some bad habits. For many
people, procrastination is a habit that holds them back from
accomplishing what they want. In order to live your best life,
the simple fact is that you need to get things done.
According
to Psychology Today, the definition of procrastination is
“the gap between intention and action”. Most of us do have
good intentions, so why do we put things off? Procrastination
is not something you’re born with; it’s something you learn.
It sometimes stems from perfectionism, delaying doing something
because you are too concerned with doing it perfectly. It
can be caused by an upbringing with an authoritarian parenting
style; causing procrastination to be a form of rebellion.
A procrastinator has an underlying tendency to lack self regulation
skills. Whatever the cause, since it is learned, it can be
unlearned.
As
a business coach, I often encounter this breakdown in productivity
with my clients. Many times, clients know exactly what to
do to move their business forward, but they lack the persistence
and discipline to get it done. I effectively coach through
this breakdown by literally walking them through the process
of “breaking it down”.
One
strategy in overcoming procrastination is to understand the
negative affect it is having on your life. Procrastination
eats away at self esteem; you feel guilty because you are
not getting something done. It causes disputes among work
teams. Its’ effects cause undue stress to you and the people
waiting for the task to be completed. It slows your progress
in life, causing you to be less effective as a person. If
you’re a business owner or leader, it undermines the level
of respect you command with your team, damaging your ability
to be a powerful leader.
Wanting
to do something, versus having to do something can make all
the difference. Another strategy involves finding the proper
motivation. It’s important to be skilled in prioritizing what
needs to be done. You might find that by making a list of
tasks, and then giving due diligence to what you gain by doing
those tasks, your list gets shorter. Sometimes it’s a matter
of deciding not to do some things. Matching the potential
positive outcome with the task will serve as motivation; conversely,
if the task is mixed with a multitude of tasks, it is likely
that you won’t imagine the potential outcome because it’s
all too overwhelming.
Perhaps
your motivation can come from your desire not to let yourself
and others down. Being a person of your word, by completing
work in a timely fashion as promised builds credibility and
respect from those around you. As humans, it seems we readily
let ourselves down by spending time and energy planning and
deciding to do something, and then simply allowing ourselves
to get off track and procrastinate doing it. It seems somehow
more acceptable to let ourselves down than to disappoint others.
Be respectful of your commitments, regardless of who they
involve.
