Procrastination simply
means the act of delaying or postponing. Many a time people procrastinate
on purpose in the workplace like avoiding to return calls or do follow-up as
they find it unpleasant. They keep trying to find excuses as to why they didn’t
do it. What most of us don’t realize in the process is that because of these
small delays it has a huge impact on our productivity and we often end up
missing out on important goals.
This will eventually lead to people in the team to become
de-motivated as they are absolutely sure that things won’t happen on time. When
this dis-illusion reaches higher depths one starts losing interest in the work
and starts moving towards depression.
When Procrastination becomes
a habit, one starts feeling guilty and ashamed and will start avoiding or
dreading team meetings. This gets
carried on to the personal lives also and leaves one in a state of self-doubt. Procrastination has a huge impact on people’s
productivity levels, particularly office jobs.
Few common signs of procrastination at work:
·
Constantly making excuses
· Taking several breaks during work which are
un-necessary
· Late or no responses to emails, phone calls and communications
· Growing sense of frustration and fear
· Constant mood change
· Do not want to take responsibility
It
is possible to overcome procrastination by following few steps listed below
Step 1: Identify
that you're procrastinating
Have a to-do list every day which will help you to achieve your immediate goals and keep checking
the list if you are on track. Sometimes few tasks have to be kept aside as
something of emergency crops up and need immediate attention. Then putting
aside the task for a little time to address something genuine is still ok.
Ensure that you are still in touch with your to-do list and have your focus on
the goals.
In case you do not
come back to your immediate goals and to-do lists for a long time and do not
want to even look at it, then it is a sure sign of procrastination. Do not fall
into the trap and even if you have fallen, start taking the right actions to
come back on track and see to it that you complete your previous goals and
current goals and put in the extra effort to stay on track.
A check-list to
find that out if you are prone to procrastination at work
· Fill
your day with low-priority tasks.
·
Leave
an item on your To-Do list for a long time, even though it's important. Read
emails several times over without making a decision on what to do with them. Start a
high-priority task and then go off to make a coffee. Fill
your time with unimportant tasks that other people ask you to do, instead of
getting on with the important tasks already on your list. Wait to
be in the "right mood," or wait for the "right time" to tackle
a task.
Step 2: Understand
your reasons for procrastination
We need to
understand the reasons why we procrastinate before we even begin to tackle
it.
When a task becomes
repetitive and requires less attention, then one starts finding the task
becoming boring. That is when we need to probe further and check out what are
the ways to make it more enjoyable.
For instance, are
you avoiding a particular task because you find it boring or unpleasant? If so,
take steps to get it out of the way quickly, so that you can focus on the
aspects of your job that you find more enjoyable. Sometimes with the intention of getting everything perfect, many perfectionists procrastinate
purely with the intention that nothing should go wrong. If you are one among
such persons, do not fear, just go ahead and do whatever is required
considering the risk factors and the effort will always lead to good learning
and taking action.
Another major cause
of procrastination is poor decision-making. If you can't decide what to do, and
that confused state will not give the right kind of clarity. So dive deeper and
check out what might be stopping you and work on it to overcome it.
Step 3:
Adopt Self-rewarding Strategy
Procrastination is
a habit that cannot be broken overnight. The habit of postponing can be
overcome only when one stops it. Commit to a task and put a timeline for completing it. Focus
on doing
it step by step and do not avoid the same. This will help you
to proactively tackle your work.
Always promise yourself a reward. If you complete a difficult task on
time, reward yourself with a treat, such as a movie or a coffee with your best
friend or order goodies from your favourite coffee shop. And make sure you
notice the feeling of the reward as and when you finish things!
Have an accountability partner to follow up on the same. Peer pressure works! Act as you go. Tackle
tasks as soon as they arise, rather than letting them build up over another
day.
Rework on your internal dialog. The phrases "need to" and
"have to," for example, imply that you are bound to do it. This can
make you feel demotivated. However, saying, "I choose to," implies
that you are the master and can make you feel more in control of your workload.
Switch off
Whatsapp, email and social media. Avoid sitting anywhere near a television
while you work! Work on those tasks that you find least pleasant first. This
will give you the rest of the day to concentrate on work that you find more
enjoyable.
Comment below with your thoughts. Watch this space for more insights on healthy mindset for self-leadership. Want to bring about the culture of managing with meditation, progress and perform mindfully for maximizing your outcomes in a playful approach at your workplace or in your venture, attend our Turning Point– Turn in and Tune in workshop. Mail us at culture@hasovan.com for more details. Our team would be happy to get in touch. Catch the work-place philosophy of various companies in the book “Erupt with Joy” by Savitha Hosamane.
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