Procrastination

One of the terms that we all seem to know and understand is procrastination. I can remember when I was a boy pretending to be asleep so I wouldn’t have to go to school, or so I thought, I would hear my mother yell, “Boy, stop procrastinating or I will give you a good reason to remember why it’s not a good idea.” That’s when I would jump up, bathe, brush my teeth and get dressed as fast as I could. I didn’t know how to spell the word, but I knew it meant ‘get a move on’ or get a spanking.

Regardless of who you are, rich or poor, young, or old, any gender or cultural background, we all procrastinate at certain times when we don’t want to do something that we must do. Procrastination is the action of unnecessarily and voluntarily delaying or postponing something despite knowing that there will be negative consequences for doing so. On several occasions I have been guilty of putting things off till the last minute. Here are some of the reasons we put things off because we fear they may be difficult:

• Ending a relationship. It’s easy to make the decision and talk it out in our heads, but telling the partner is not so simple. Many people will procrastinate and not share the information for many months and often years.
• When given a work task that you feel should have been given to another staff member, so what do we do, we push it aside until the last minute and rush to get it done. Sometimes we do, other times we may end up in the hot seat.
• Completing a homework assignment is my most challenging task to date. I am presently enrolled in a Beginner’s French class. I actually love learning a new language, but I often feel that I suck at it when words come out like gibberish. So, what happens, I postpone studying or completing my homework until 24 hours before class when I am under stress. Has this ever happened to you? I have paid to see great performers perform badly. They usually apologise to the audience for not being better prepared because they didn’t believe they would actually be in front of an audience because of the restrictions of COVID. Did they refund our money? Not a chance in hell.
• Keeping appointments with people we may not want to see. So, we focus on our mobile devices and play games or view TikTok or other sites until we realise that we are going to be late for the meeting. The next step, usually trying to create a believable excuse or lie and sending a text message to explain the tardiness.

Over time I have learned that procrastination is always frustrating because it results in wasted time, lost opportunities, disappointing job performance, and usually feeling down about yourself. At the time, it always seems like a better idea a hang out with friends, go for a couple of beers, or convincing yourself that going to the shopping mall will help your mind to relax so you can get the job done later. Often in relationships, couples may discuss trivial things to avoid important issues that may be impacting their partnership.

In all honesty, this is the first time I have forced myself to stop and recognise when I am choosing to procrastinate instead of moving forward with my plans. One of my goals this year has been to start writing a mystery novel. Also, I have a plan to lose my COVID belly that refuses to go away. It seems to keep teasing me and testing me to see if I can stay focused. It’s difficult when you love food and people enjoy sharing good food with you. I focus on the long-term results, but I failed to develop a strategic plan for achieving those goals. Interestingly enough, through my consultancy, I help people and companies to set goals, develop strategic plans with tactics to reach their desired target. I struggle because I failed to see the rewards to get motivated to take action. Life taught me that a time frame and action plan are necessary when procrastinating on personal things for myself.

Most people can find time to do the things they want to do. If there is a task facing you that may be too difficult, painful, boring or tedious, then procrastination takes the steering wheel. Do you ever make excuses for things that you don’t want to do? Here are a few of the ones I have made this week:

• It’s too cold and windy to walk for exercise today, maybe when the weather is better.
• It’s too hot to walk for exercise today, maybe when the weather is cooler.
• I really need to reorganise my closet now while I am thinking of it.
• I have too many Zoom calls scheduled; I need a break.
• I still have 3 days to get this project completed, there is no rush, I got this.
• I work better under pressure.
• I just need to check these 65 emails and then I will complete the task that’s due tomorrow morning.

We all have the power within to handle the good and bad of procrastination Trust me, there is a good side to it as well. By controlling the feelings, you have the power to calm the impulse to act in haste. To my surprise, I have found that pressing the pause button to review the task help me to understand what needs to be done next. Often taking the time will allow you to take a different, and more efficient path to reach your goal. It’s also a great opportunity to listen to your gut feelings. Sometimes rushing to complete a project or task can be detrimental. I have discovered that when a major project is due and I am pulling away from it, my mind is subconsciously building the framework, creating innovative ideas, and putting things in action. Usually by the time I sit down in front of the computer, the information is firing through my fingertips on the keyboard. By taking a break, it gives me an opportunity to set clear priorities and focus on tactics for reaching my goals.

Are there ways to overcome or better handle procrastination? Here are a few tips:

1. Understand and identify the root cause of your reason of avoiding certain work or projects. Every day I say I am going to start exercising, but something more important creeps in like counting the number of black swans in the water. So last night I set everything up that I would need to start lifting weights and laid out the appropriate outfit.
2. Prioritise your tasks. Sometimes it’s easier to make a list of tactics, arranging them from easy to difficult. I always remember one of my professors asking the class, “How do you eat a meal?” We would all laugh as he would give us the answer, “One bite at a time.”
3. Do one thing at a time. This can be quite difficult whether you are alone or with others. Our mobile devices are always beeping to alert us of the latest news story that we simply must be aware of, friends texting to ask what we are doing, a department store alerting you that if you shop now you will get 40% off an item that you expressed interest in weeks ago or simply to post an Instagram photo or story. Afterwards, it’s always difficult to remember or pick up where you left off.
4. Holding yourself accountable. Often announcing or sharing plans with true friends and colleagues may help us to work harder and stay on track.
5. My favourite part of completing a project or task is the celebration of accomplishments. When working with others, it’s a great way to build a strong team. A great team should always work together and support each because when the team is successful, everyone is a winner and that calls for a great celebration. Remember, regardless of the size of the task, reward yourself or the entire team for a job well done.
6. Evaluation is key on a personal level or in business. It’s essential to be able to track one’s progress. It provides an opportunity to analyse which tasks are more difficult and discover ways they can be made easier. This process also reduces anxiety and stress.
7. There are good and bad habits that exists in our lives. By making small changes in the way we put things off to the last minute can be changed. It feels easier to create a bad habit, but it’s no difference from creating a good habit. Research says that it takes at least 21 days or longer to create a habit. We can all create good habits to eliminate or reduce procrastination. Once created, it can reduce stress and enhance the quality of life.

Addressing and conquering procrastination gives us a chance to take charge of our lives, to builds self-confidence, and achieve happiness. I must remind you, dealing with procrastination is not easy, but it is possible once a commitment is made to shine like a bright star.