Procrastination has a number of forms and motivations. At its essence, it is a tendency to defer action unproductively. This can result in things being done last minute, or not at all, resulting in poorer outcomes and missed opportunities.
Alternatively, the issue concerned perhaps was not important enough in the first place and so has stayed around for days weeks and months as mental “clutter”. Procrastination can come from a lack of specific skills and organisation. Most comes from our internal world and includes how we manage thought, self-awareness and the mental disciplines we bring to bear on our lives and businesses. For many people, procrastination is the outcome of a lack of personal focus resulting in other things being prioritised over that which are truly important.
We live in an increasingly anxiety fraught world, the reasons for which are legion. Our attempts to manage anxiety often involve avoidance and denial as well as selective perception wherein we can re-prioritise unnecessary things as more important than others. These are natural human defence mechanisms, well documented in the annals of psychology texts, be they popular or academic. Difficult tasks in our external world often raise the prospect of conflict with others or internal conflicts. If what we are about to do simply does not accord with our identity the natural anxiety that evokes, often can result in us fudging things.
We also live in an information-based world. Information overload often in itself is anxiety provoking as we must sift through vast amounts of data and establish which may be relevant to us before we act. This information bombardment can seem constant. Our phones texts and emails pursue us relentlessly and the social media platforms that support them need to be actively managed by us if we are not to be under constant pressure. Fragmentation comes when we cannot focus ourselves into course of action. Our concentration splinters and we never properly process the tasks in order to make robust decisions.
Leadership, management and indeed business training, coaching and mentoring can make a huge difference on these journeys, not only offering insights into business but also for wider life aspects. We need to learn to understand the complexities that are involved in the procrastination/fragmentation process. Meantime, here are some key messages that we can get hold of and make a difference.
One: Actively prioritise. It’s the old ‘first things first second things not at all’. Do we do what we like, or what we must, and which should come first;
Two: Do difficult things first. Start your day with those things that are going to be the least pleasant and get them done. That way the energy of any anxiety is channelled into action leaving you free to devote your efforts to other matters and better enjoy your day!
Three: Adopt “ditch or delegate”. Look at the areas that you are avoidant or procrastinating in. Then decide if you really need these, are the benefits really greater than the hassles or is there someone who can better take these on? Delegate can include asking a friend, a member of staff colleague or outsourcing.
Four: Resist beating yourself up. Most people procrastinate in some way. Instead, admit it, challenge it, ditch or delegate.
Five: Protect time for detailed matters. We don’t give complex things the time they need. Some tasks are necessarily time intensive and require a full concentration. We need protected time where attention to detail is important. It’s at these times we must learn switch off the phone, tell people are not available and tell ourselves this is something we are doing today.
Six: Foster concentration and contemplation. Time to think, time to explore matters with a third party and time to meditate can all help in re-fixing our concentration, reiterating our decision-making processes and creating a concrete basis for action.
Seven: Remember the benefits. Look beyond the challenges of something you have been delaying for whatever reason to see the outcome you want for you and others. It’s a “light at the end of the tunnel” thing.
Those of us delivering professional coaching and mentoring frequently encounter this with clients and recognise the value they find in sharing and examining these practices so that they can take appropriate measures to be more effective, feel better about themselves and experience greater satisfaction in life and work.
I hope you enjoyed this article, and it has not been a distraction from something else you have been putting off! Now go do something (ringing Gedanken might be quite a good one).
