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“Maybe it will just go away, if I put it off.” “I really am not into this.” “I can’t concentrate.” The list can go on and on when we try to put off a task. Procrastination prevents us from moving from one task to another. We cannot quite get the flow, and then we do not feel good about ourselves.
Since it is often difficult for us to recognize our faults, the web site, employer-employee.com provides the following signals that you may be a procrastinator:
- Do you find yourself setting unrealistic high standards, thus making it difficult for you to begin the project?
- Do you get so lost in the details of the project that you find it difficult to complete the work?
- Do you put off projects until the last minute thinking that the deadline pressure will motivate you?
- Do you over load yourself with projects and consequently cannot focus on what needs to be done?
- Do you avoid doing a task when you think you should not be doing it and are angry about it?
- Do you avoid a task because you fear doing it?
Reasons for Procrastination and Ways to Beat It
There are many reasons for a person to procrastinate, but the basic reasons are perfectionism, fantasizing, fear, crisis making, anger, overdoing, and pleasure seeking. Let’s take a closer look at these reasons.
Perfectionism. This reason is very common. The employee becomes absorbed in the minute details and tells himself that the project must be absolutely perfect before it can be completed perfectly. If the task does not get done, the employee does not have to face the fear of the imperfect project.
To help yourself change, substitute the “shoulds” and ‘musts” to “It would be nice.” “Let’s see how it turns out.” Then set a deadline for yourself and the actual deadline for the project. Your goal is to meet your deadline. Your reward for meeting your deadline is that you have more time to make the project perfect.
Fantasizing. These employees are better in their dream world of ideas rather than putting the ideas into reality.
Bring yourself back to earth. Fantasize more in your head than in meetings. If you find that you have backed yourself in a corner, tell your colleagues that you realize that the project needs to be broken down into smaller tasks. Set up an earlier deadline for you.
Fear. The employee is afraid of the task because it pushes him out of his comfort zone. Since he is afraid a negative outcome will occur, the thought of doing the project makes him freeze.
Fear is good. Repeat that mantra to yourself. It is easier to defeat fear in the beginning, so it will not snowball. As soon as you feel fear, do it! About 90% of what we worry about does not happen.
Crisis Maker. This employee thinks that he cannot become motivated until the last minute of the deadline. He may intentionally create a crisis and then solve it at the last minute trying to make himself look good to his manager. However, this does not endear the employee to his colleagues.
Your goal will be more difficult, since you have actually felt a psychological reward by being under many deadlines. Set early deadlines and create your own rewards for preparing ahead of the deadline.
Anger. The employee is angry because he has been assigned the task. Therefore out of spite and anger, the employee does not complete the project in order to get back at the person he is angry at.
Attempt to resolve your anger by perhaps speaking directly to the person whom you are angry. If this is not realistic, try to see a personal worth in completing the project. Feel pride in completing the project timely.
Overdoers. This employee avoids the tasks by taking on other tasks of lesser importance. Therefore, his reason for not completing the task timely is because he has too many things to do.
Even though it is difficult for this person to prioritize and delegate, this is exactly what he needs to do. Force yourself to prioritize so that you can see what is really just busy work.
Pleasure Seeker. This employee wants to do positive things. He may delay completing a project because he has more fun things to do. The results of the project usually reflect that attitude.
Concentrate on being realistic. Rewards come after work, not before work. Visualize how good you will feel when the project is completed. Then “double” your reward for finishing the project on time.
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