How to Beat Procrastination
 |
| Does this look like your day? |
A lack of time is one of the most common excuses that is
given for not being able to get everything done to deadline. While time
constraints can be a problem, procrastination is often the leading factor when
it comes to not completing tasks – many people who are the biggest offenders of
procrastination do not even realize that they do it! In many cases,
procrastination and not completing tasks is a huge obstacle between yourself
and success – here are some ways to help manage procrastination.
Admit You Have a Procrastination Problem
Being in denial about procrastination is a huge road block
that will need to be overcome in order to reach your goals. Recognizing you
have a tendency for the behavior or knowing when you are procrastinating is key
to overcoming it. It may not feel as though things are being pushed to the side
when we are constantly working on something, but it is important to ask if the
tasks you are working on are really a priority. Sure, you are getting things
done, but are there other things you should be doing.
Answer the Question, “Why?”
Generally, when an individual procrastinates, it is because
there is something that is stopping them from completely a task. If you are resisting
the completion of a certain project or action item, ask yourself why you have
an aversion to completing it. Does the task feel overwhelming? Do you not know
how to complete it? It is boring, tedious, or just not interesting to you?
Being able to answer this question is important in figuring out new ways to get
tasks you do not enjoy doing completed on time.
Think About the Consequences
If recognizing you are procrastinating and knowing why you
are is not enough to stop the behavior, it may be time to consider the worst
case scenario if you do not complete a task on time. Use payroll as an example
– some of the negative consequences of waiting to do payroll is the pressure to
get it complete as well as the risk of employees not getting paid. These are
huge penalties for not wanting to complete a certain task in a certain time
frame that affects both you and those around you.
Set Deadlines and Give Yourself Incentives
A big part of stopping procrastination is better time
management. When a task comes across your desk, make sure you set a deadline
for when it needs to be done and allot yourself specific time throughout that
period to get it done. Additionally, think about how you can incentivize
yourself to complete tasks you do not necessarily like to do – maybe when a big
project is done on time you can treat yourself to a new piece of clothing, a
special dinner out with co-workers and friends or something else you enjoy
Do Not Be Afraid to Ask for Help
If these tactics are simply not working for certain tasks,
it may be time to ask for help and pass them along to someone else. For
example, if there is a project that you do not know how to do properly or that
does not fall into your scope of work, it is perfectly acceptable to delegate
that task to someone with the right skill set and the time to get it done. Delegating
helps to free up your time as well as making sure important tasks are getting
done in a both a timely manner and correctly.
Stacy O'Quinn has enjoyed work at home success for years and
has helped dozens of others enjoy this same success. Stacy also has an
incredible opportunity for those looking for ideas to create their own work
from home business. For more information about Stacy and to find out how he can
help you, click here.
*Photo Courtesy of birgerking via Creative Commons License
No comments:
Post a Comment