Easy as A, B, C . . . from BB
I have a bad habit: I tend to put off today what COULD be done just as well tomorrow. Technically, this is called “procrastinating.”
I’ve been blaming it on the fact that I work best under pressure. If I’m sure some task is going to take me 10 hours, I wait until I have only 2 hours available. And then I get it all done.
It’s a New Year. And I’m trying to come up with a New Me. Well, of sorts. So I decided I would take a look at procrastination.
Author and owner of Solutions Organizing Simple, Ranka Burzan, at http://www.solutionsorganizing.com, wrote in an article entitled “Procrastination vs. Productivity” that there are two types of procrastination. I thought I’d better read it as I may have both types. Deliberate procrastination and productive procrastination.
She stole the words right out of my mouth: “I work better under pressure”! Which, she claims, seldom works because you are eliminating choices by waiting and setting yourself up for failure. OK. So I know how to handle that type. What about the other?
“Productive procrastination is sneaky: You are so busy doing mundane chores that you don’t get around to those that will bring you more clients and better revenue.” Hmmnnn. I really DO subject myself to both types.
Her example talked about making “cold calls” which you hate doing, so you get everything else on the To Do list done first—I know the drill: purge files, dust furniture, make a snack, read yesterday’s newspaper so I can throw it out, etc. Still, like she says, you get to look at all you DID get done! And I’d rather do ANYTHING than to make phone calls.
We “procrastinators” probably act out of fear. Fear of failure. Fear of not doing the job well enough. Lack of confidence. Feeling overwhelmed or tired or defeated (or all three) before you even begin. Even fear of success can cause procrastination.
OK. Now comes the good (or maybe HARD) part: first, identify what you REALLY want to be doing. [Do you REALLY want to do this? Or is it a MUST that you do it anyway? If so, read on:] Learn everything you need to know about it, line up the resources you may need, establish a TIME FRAME . . . and (here’s the good part): a REWARD system for doing a good job.
If you’re stuck, find a way out: delegate, use skills to cajole others into helping, ask for help, learn new information, etc. Break the full job into manageable, small steps, and work on it daily for 30 minutes until you’re done WITHIN your established time frame.
Don’t forget to create a work environment which is inviting and functional, where you’ll be more motivated to DO IT NOW!
See you day-after-tomorrow for Tuesday’s Tutor!
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