Many people complain that they don’t have enough time and want to learn to organise their activities better. We want more free time and to work more relaxed, without the pressure of deadlines, but everyday habits don’t support us. Why? Because we procrastinate too long to do the hard things and because we get distracted by activities irrelevant to the goals we have.
We’ve all delayed starting a challenging activity, delayed completing a project or kept putting off doing the course we thought would be useful. Procrastination occurs most frequently for four reasons, which I explain below.
Why we procrastinate?
For immediate reward. It’s more enjoyable to watch our favourite TV show than to work for example. We choose to enjoy the present over a better or more relaxing future. Most people who put off doing something choose another activity that is easier to do and more enjoyable.
“I’ve been taking up sport since Monday. Today I’m watching a bit more TV”
“I start saving next month. Now I’m going to the mountains with friends”
“I do that report after lunch with my colleagues”
And in this way we find ourselves running out of time and we keep putting off doing what is really important and useful.
To avoid failure.
Yes, fear of failure is a common cause for inaction or procrastination. I don’t start writing the book I dream of because I’m afraid of what readers will say. I don’t start that business because the business plan doesn’t look perfect, so I risk too much failure.
To reduce stress.
We usually procastinate with those activities that take us out of our comfort zone and challenge us to be more creative, more hardworking, more persistent. Or these challenging activities cause us stress. Even if it is positive stress, most people relate to it in a negative way.
Because we can’t decide.
Or in other words lack of ownership and courage … we don’t decide what is best for us, we lack long-term vision, we lack a plan of action. The good news is that we can develop the ability to make decisions and think strategically. In telework the challenge is even greater when you have to make your own daily schedule.
How to stop putting things off?
Ask yourself WHY you keep putting things off. Most of the time the answer lies within ourselves, in the personal values we hold and in limiting beliefs.
Do things one step at a time, small steps at a time. If a project seems too big and complicated we can get overwhelmed and give up before we start. A good method is to do things one step at a time. Break the big project down into smaller, easy steps.
Allow yourself to be good enough, not perfect. In my experience, most procrastinators are also perfectionists. They want to get it done and get it perfect. Or this is not possible! The important thing is to start and improve along the way.
Determine what the worst-case scenario would be. What is the worst thing that can happen if you do something and if you don’t do it. And then make a conscious decision whether you really want to do it or not. But make an informed decision and take the consequences.
