Procrastinating gets in the way of everything, but most especially your success
Accomplish more when you learn how to procrastinate less
“If I only knew how to stop procrastinating, I could be unstoppable!” Do you find yourself thinking this often? Is it because you just can’t seem to get started on a project, or is it because you never seem to finish on time? If either of these statements rings a bell, then you could be a chronic procrastinator.
Procrastination presents a huge roadblock to your success. Psychology Today attributes a variety of factors such as poor performance, anxiety, stress and even diminished health to the self-sabotaging trait.
There are all different types of procrastinators so there are a variety of reasons why people “put off tomorrow what they can do today.”
The key is to know which type of procrastination applies to you, and what your personal tendencies are so that you can follow the right steps to kick your specific habits.
Before we look at our 10 ways to conquer procrastination, it helps to understand why you are having trouble completing your tasks. Possessing the necessary knowledge can better equip you to find the best solutions.
Let’s look at the following six reasons why people procrastinate, and see if you can identify your silver bullets:
A Faulty Concept of Time – Do you ever catch yourself thinking, “I still have two months until that’s due!” This procrastinator is the person who is delaying a project repeatedly because there always seems to be more than enough time. Then the deadline looms closer and they panic, “It’s due in two hours! What do I do?”
Fear of Failure – Are you a perfectionist? Some people simply put off working on a project because they feel they will do a subpar job. If they can’t do something perfect that will gain the approval of others, they would rather not do it at all. They may want to wait for a moment that will be without distraction, or that their mind will feel extra sharp– but that may never come.
These procrastinators have a mix of emotions going on inside. They fear failure, disappointing others, and admonishment for the mistakes they make. It all comes down to one thing – they are afraid.
Overwhelmed and Overanxious – Do you tend to look at the big picture and immediately get intimidated by the seemingly endless amount of work ahead of you? If a task seems too daunting or impossible or that it will take too much time or energy, some people buckle under the perceived pressure.
The size of the project makes them anxious and stressed, and they shut down as a protective measure. These are the people that cram everything into a closet to make it “disappear.” According to webmd, high levels of stress can cause people to become forgetful, disorganized and susceptible to poor judgment and depression, which in turn adds to the large stack of problems, and makes it even more difficult to create jobs. Now we have a perfect circle of stress.
Following in Someone’s Footsteps- Think back to your role models growing up – the ones that were close to you: parents, grandparents, friends, etc. What were their work habits? Did they procrastinate? You most likely modeled your personal work style after them and picked up on some of their traits.
You Just Don’t Want To Do It – Let’s face it. Nobody likes to do everything, and many people don’t like to do something all of the time. Sometimes it stands to reason that you just don’t feel like doing the work. You might ignore your to-do list because of physical, mental or emotional limitations: you might feel too tired, too hungry, not excited about the project or bored by the material.
Short-Term vs. Long-Term – Have you heard of the famous “marshmallow experiment” based on tests done at Stanford University in the 1960s and 70s? Testers put kids in a room with one yummy, gooey marshmallow and told them they could eat it, but if they waited, then later they could have two marshmallows. Then they observed via hidden camera to see what the kids would do.
This is a classic example of delaying the short term to reap the gains of the long term. People who tend to downplay the long-term gains, or neglect to consider them at all, focus more on the now. They focus on the long nap they get to take, the movie they get to watch or a day at the beach over doing the work that will bring greater future rewards.
Do any of these (or all of them) hit close to home? Do you find yourself having some major “aha” moments? Good. Identifying the problem, and understanding it, are the first steps in fixing it.
Now, keep these reasons in mind as you check out these 10 tips on how to stop procrastinating right now:
Plan for More Time – Make a game plan when you start on an assignment. Start earlier than you think you need to and allow more time then you feel the job requires. Schedule frequent breaks and make sure you don’t skip them.
Self-Love – Nobody’s perfect. Remind yourself of this daily and practice self-love. Coach yourself that it’s okay to make mistakes and focus on getting stuff done on time, instead of it needing to be perfect.
Keep a log of when the pursuit of perfectionism has backfired on you. Don’t be afraid to fail. In fact, keep this little bit of trivia in mind: Thomas Edison and Walt Disney had multiple failures before they found success, just think if they would have let the fear of failure stand in their way.
Baby Steps – This is a time where you don’t want to just look at the big picture. Instead, break up larger projects into smaller chunks and set milestones for certain small achievements. Keep yourself on task by setting timers.
Remember to breathe and to take everything a step at a time.
Work on breaking out of your comfort zone to help diffuse the feelings of anxiety when faced with a large task. Some great apps to help you stay on track are Toggl and Todoist. You may also find that by completing the hardest or most unwanted tasks first, you’ll gain a sense of accomplishment that will make the rest of the jobs feel even easier.
Positive Role Models – Seek out people who will motivate you to get things done. This can be a colleague or mentor in your field or a supportive friend that possesses the traits you are working to achieve. Observe how they work on projects and model your behaviors after them.
Reward Yourself – Decide on several items or activities as rewards for certain accomplishments. Space out your rewards to help keep you on track. Keep a picture or reminder of your reward where you can see it while you work.
Weigh the Pros and Cons – Make a list of the pros and cons of not completing a task on time. Consider the future gains that you will lose out on if you miss a deadline or flake on a project.
Limit Distractions – Do not let yourself get lost in the abyss of the internet and other distractions. If you are working, you should not be checking Facebook or emails or writing your grocery list. These are little tiny tasks that can be very deceptive because they make you feel like you are being productive. To help limit distractions, check out the app offtime. You can also leave your cell phone in a desk drawer, turned upside down, or in another room entirely, to minimize distractions. If you have to, give family members or VIP clients a special ringtone so you can answer only for them.
Schedule Time to Procrastinate – Yes, you read that correctly. In addition to time blocking the rest of your schedule, you’ll also find that it helps to give yourself a set time each day to procrastinate. Fill this time with whatever you want: you can check email, shop online, watch cat videos on YouTube, just be sure to stop when the 1-hour timer goes off, and get back to work.
Accountability Partners/Outsourcing – It is important to know your limits. Find a trusted individual who can meet with you while you work to help keep you focused. If time is not on your side, it is worth it to outsource tasks that make you very overwhelmed. We’ve previously written blogs on how to hire an assistant or hire freelancers online, that you can check out within the group coaching or Members Only area at our link below.
Expert Advice – If you are really putting forth effort and still not seeing results, you may need to look a little deeper into why you are procrastinating. Find someone whom you can talk with that can help you pinpoint personal triggers and work out a plan of action tailored specifically to your habits and needs. This may be a consultant, a business planner, or even a counselor or psychologist.
Finally, start putting into practice some of these tips on how to stop procrastinating so you can be on your way to a more productive you. Take a look at www.CindyBishopTraining.com for other great tools and resources to help you get organized and on your way to accomplishing more in your business and in your life.
About the writer
Cindy Bishop is the Managing Director and Founder of Cindy Bishop Worldwide, a real estate business building and education company.
Cindy is a skillful leader in providing training programs as well as in participatory programs for strategy development, goal setting, and team building. Her vision has helped real estate agent succeed in developing a solid business.
Cindy Bishop Worldwide showcases strong leadership skills, strategic thinking and change management capabilities to form collaborative partnerships across organizations to create a network of experts equally passionate about educating and empowering real estate professionals.