Unmastering The Art of Procrastination

"Procrastination is like a credit card: it's a lot of fun until you get the bill." Christopher Parker

We all do it. We know we have to do something and we put it off. There are all sorts of reasons why we put it off and some of them justified. However, the net result of putting things off until tomorrow, often leads to not doing what we really want to do. It can result in missed opportunities or disappointment, a sense of failure and stress.

Often the things/areas of your life that you wish to change are bigger and better versions of your current life. However, for you to receive the gifts of a new life or more improved area of your life.... it requires action. When you procrastinate, you choose to delay action on the thing or things that you want to change most.

Surprisingly, we often perceive something that is preventing us from achieving what we want as a benefit. This is because we often become "stuck" in an area of our life. We actually don't mind being stuck because it sort of puts whatever we need to deal with on the backburner and prevents us from taking any risks or experiencing discomfort. So by putting things on the backburner and staying stuck, we don't have to have the difficult conversation with a client/friend/partner or family member, we don't have to go for the interviews, we don't have to network because we are stuck!

So in true reality TV style here are some tips in no particular order!

10 Tips to reducing Procrastination

1. Acknowledge your Procrastination.  It is difficult to solve a problem if you don't acknowledge or recognise that you are doing it.    This is an important step. Unless you are aware that you have a habit of putting things off that do need doing and that this is having a negative effect, you can't take steps to stop it. There can be all sorts of reasons for delaying a project - fear of not meeting expectations, fear of failure, fear of taking a risk, the unknown, being tired, feeling low, it's boring, it's mundane or real or perceived  lack of skill or confidence to complete the task.  Don't beat yourself up about it or feel guilty because you procrastinate, it does not reflect your worth.  It just means that you have to change this habit and start a new habit of getting things done.
2. Set a goal with a deadline. Setting a goal without a deadline can often make it easier to keep putting a task off under the banner of "I have enough time" or "I work better under pressure".  If you have no deadline, then there's nothing to encourage you to take action.  Always set a deadline even if it is an artificial one!  For example, if you have a task that must be completed in 2 weeks, set your deadline a week early.  You will finish it earlier and you will start to develop a new habit of completing tasks earlier.
3. Avoid Perfectionism.  If you feel you have to do everything perfectly, you can be in danger of a creating a habit of putting something off until the right conditions or situation exists.    Acknowledge that you are not perfect.  A report that is completed on time and not rushed is better than handing in a rushed and sloppy report because you have left it too close to the deadline.  Or worse, you miss the deadline.
4. Use small pockets of available time. You don't have to wait for a big block of time to complete something.  In his book, "Getting Things Done" David Allen suggests organising your "to do" list by where you are rather than by project.  So if you are at home and have 15 minutes you look at your "at home" list. If you are out and about, your "anywhere" list and you complete something on that in that 15 minutes.  If you are continually waiting for a large chunk of time before you start something, you may never start because the large block of time never comes.  If you use small blocks of time you are likely to start and achieve more.
5. Break up large tasks. If a project is large it can often feel overwhelming.  Break it down into smaller doable steps.  If the task is large and unpleasant the tendency to procrastinate is increased.
6. Just Start. Challenge yourself.  Use a timer to commit to starting the project for a short period of time.  Set the timer for 10 or 15 minutes and tell yourself that you only need to spend that time on the task.  Sometimes this can create the momentum to continue or at least get you over the hardest part of just starting.  After all 15 minutes is better than 0 minutes.
7. Reward yourself. Often when you start a task you start thinking about all the more enjoyable activities you would rather be doing.  So remember to schedule these activities in for when you finish the task or part of the task.  It will also mean that you can actually enjoy your leisure activities, without constantly thinking about that tax return, which has to be completed.
8. Have a Rest. It is important to take regular breaks to recharge your batteries.  If you are starting to get tired there is less incentive for you to continue or even start a task.
9. Think about the positive outcome. If you are trying to complete a project which you find boring or tedious, think about the reasons you are doing it.  You hate cleaning but you feel great when your home is clean and tidy.  Focus on the positive outcomes of what completing the task will do.

10. Increase your Confidence or Skill Level. You may procrastinate because you do not feel you have the confidence and or the necessary knowledge to complete or even to start something. Find out where you can get the skills or speak to someone with the right skill that can help you.

Finally, if Procrastination is an issue for you and you decide to take some action, remember life happens! Sometimes you will have a lot on your plate and you may have to put things off.  Don't blame yourself when this happens.  Just make a mental note and schedule in some time to complete it (with a deadline).  For some people Procrastination is not a big issue and with a few simple steps they can overcome this habit.  However, for others it can be much bigger.  If you find yourself in the latter group, setting a rigid schedule for yourself may be procrastination in disguise.  You will end up spending a lot of time devising a schedule and then put it off.  So start slowly, try a few of the tips mentioned here or find some of your own.  Reward yourself for acknowledging this and taking some action.