Turning procrastination into productivity
Procrastination is one of those things that even the most well-organized people fall victim to at some point or another. Think about the last time you found yourself watching television when you really should have been doing something far more important. While common, procrastination can have a detrimental impact on your life, so you need to understand how to turn it into productivity.
Why procrastination doesn’t work?
It will be a lot easier to start working on the problem if you realize that one of the biggest lies of procrastination is that you’re saving time. You’re not. You’re using more of it. Avoidance only delays the feeling of anxiety, it doesn’t erase it. So the only thing that will happen is that you will have less time to deal with yourself and make things happen.
Identifying the most common causes behind procrastination
Causes for procrastination vary greatly from person to person but in order to be overcome most require a change of mindset. Identifying your reason for procrastination is the first step to building a plan to attack. Here are some of the most common reasons for procrastinating:
Procrastination due to intolerance of uncertainty
Intolerance of uncertainty is an important cause of anxiety problems. Some of the signs for that type of procrastination are if you avoid situations and tasks that involve feeling unsure or if you overcomplicate the issue of where to start.
Procrastination due to overestimating the number of tasks you can get done in the time available
Biting off more than you can realistically chew is a common issue. The good news is that you can easily solve this problem. Try a self-experiment where you track how much you actually get done from your to-do list each day. Record this each evening for a week.
Procrastination due to predicting a negative outcome
Often when people drag their heels on a task, it’s because they’re predicting a negative outcome. For example, you may expect that someone will react badly to you raising an issue.
Half the battle is noticing that you’re making a negative prediction. Recognize that a negative outcome is only one of the possible outcomes.
Regaining control by getting clear on your goals
You need to investigate whether you lack a clear and specific goal, which makes it much easier to procrastinate. It’s not the only reason, but it’s a big one that helps you avoid taking action. A useful model you can use to improve the clarity of your goals is the “SMART” strategy. You will know exactly where you want to go.
Read our article about SMART goals to learn more
Three useful tips to eliminate distractions and overcome procrastination
Tip #1 Increase the path to distractions
If you have the habit to check social media regularly it will be useful to increase the path to distractions by at least 20 seconds of extra effort. For example, set a different password for every social media or app, that often distracts you from work, and don’t save it. You will most likely give up the purposeless check-ins if they consume a little bit more time and energy than usual.
Tip #2 Start in the middle
By letting your mind wonder how to start this new project you can easily get distracted by other thoughts. This “official” part is often the hardest one. So, in order to keep your mind focused on the main idea skip the beginning and start with the more creative part.
Tip #3 Inform people about changes
It is hard to focus on a big task when there are a few emails or phone calls waiting for you to answer them. Don’t underestimate the time and energy that these tasks consume, set a specific time for them. But don’t expect that people will somehow magically learn about your desire to change this part of your work habits. If you offer a kind explanation about why your habits are changing people can be incredibly receptive. Just let them know.
Turning procrastination into productivity is an essential skill for everyone. It doesn’t matter if you need to improve your work process or start a new project or maybe both, this is something that will make you a better professional. Stop procrastinating and make your next big idea happen with the support from GlobalizeIT.
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