Tips for Troubled Procrastinator Offer Relief from Guilt

I've always believed people make time for the things they really want to do, and I really want to write this.  Why, then, do we have so much trouble with mastering time, and why is procrastination such a problem?

If you struggle with procrastination, you are not alone.  It plagues all of us.  "Procrastination is doing low‑priority actions or tasks rather than higher‑priority ones.  It is an insidious habit that can ruin careers, destroy happiness and shorten lives," say Douglass and Baker, authors of the “Time Mastery Profile.”

If you find yourself cleaning files when you need to be writing that report, avoiding an associate rather than confronting him with a discipline problem, or watching TV instead of exercising, then you, too, have fallen in the habit of procrastinating.

And it is a habit.

Procrastination breeds procrastination.  Remember in physics class you learned that "a body at rest tends to remain at rest?" Well, it's true, isn't it?  Once you begin a task, you’re more likely to continue.  It takes more energy to start something moving than it does to continue movement that’s begun.

Makes sense, doesn't it?  If it's so logical, then why can't we stop putting off those things we "should" be doing?

According to Douglass and Baker, there are many causes.  The biggest cause seems to be the desire to avoid unpleasant tasks.  However, when unpleasant tasks are put off, stress increases, because the task still has to be done.  This stress, coupled with guilt, worsens the problem.

Another cause is that the task appears so overwhelming we don't know where to begin.  So, we don't.

Worry and fear are also major causes of procrastination.  We worry that something will go wrong, or we are afraid of failure or rejection.  We tend to conjure up the worst possible results of our actions instead of the best ones.

And finally, the desire to change our habits is just not there.

Unfortunately, there’s a price to pay for procrastinating.  It affects people around us, too.  We get cranky, become sarcastic to each other, and stress increases for everyone.  There can also be a loss of customers and dollars when tasks aren't completed on time.  If you put projects off to the last minute, they are often completed in haste, increasing the probability of costly errors.  “Haste makes waste,” as the old saying goes.

Because unpleasant and overwhelming tasks seem to be the greatest problems for most people, let's take a look at a few points that may minimize the habit of procrastination.

* Analyze the task first. What needs to be done?  What results do you want?  Having specific objectives will provide clarity and motivation.

*Confront the task and deal with it in a direct manner. Consider it a personal challenge.  Just do it!

* Do the least pleasant part first.  When that’s out of the way, the rest will move more quickly.

* Work on the task in short intervals of 10 or 15 minutes each.

* Set a deadline on completing the task.  Make it realistic, and put it on your calendar.  It may help to let someone else know your deadline.  They can hold you accountable.

*Promise yourself a reward for completing the task.  Make sure you give it to yourself.

Managing overwhelming tasks is a common problem, too.  The task seems so big, you just don't know where to begin.  Here are a few ideas to help you manage those large projects.

* Break the project into smaller units.  It will seem much more manageable.

* Focus on one unit of the task at a time. If each unit is considered a separate entity, with a beginning and an end, it seems more controllable.  A colleague wrote his book by writing just one page a day.  Before the year was over, the book was finished.

*Don't wait until you are “in the mood.” Inspiration is 90 percent perspiration.  Start working and the mood will follow.

*Develop discipline to take action now.  Challenge yourself to begin and end a project, because you know it is the right thing to do at this time.  Discipline breeds energy.

*Increase your interest in the task by increasing your knowledge of the subject.

You will be more likely to tackle a project if you can be excited about it.

*Develop a worry list.  You'll be surprised at how ridiculous your worries look on paper.  Allow yourself five minutes a day to worry, and then go on about the things that must be done.

*Face your fears.  The best way to overcome fear is to do the thing you fear.  Ask yourself what the worst possible outcome could be.  Then have a solution ready.

Take control of your life by controlling your time.  Don't be too hard on yourself.  Priorities change constantly.  Continually evaluate the best use of your time and follow up with appropriate action.

It’s what leaders do.


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Elizabeth Jeffries, CSP, CPAE, is an award-winning speaker and author on servant-leadership and personal performance. Elizabeth can be reached in Louisville, KY, at 502-339-1600 and on-line at Elizabeth@tweedjeffries.com or at www.tweedjeffries.com.