Are you still not sure of how often you procrastinate when you good simply tackle the task and get it done? Here are some common indications that you may be procrastinating:
• Filling your to do list just to look busy
• Handling papers repeatedly instead of doing what you need to do with them the first time
• Reading emails repeatedly without deleting, filing, or responding to them
• Finding reasons to leave your desk when you start working on a high-priority task
• Leaving something on your "to do" list that is actually important
• Deciding to postpone working on something until you feel like it, have more energy, or are in a
better mood
• Saying yes to helping others with tasks that are not as important as those already on your to do list
• Deciding to wait to work on a project because you think you do your best work under pressure
If you performed the Daily Activity Log exercise described in Chapter One, you can now look back at your logs and see if you can identify where you were procrastinating. Look for tasks that you normally have a hard time completing. Then look to see what you did earlier that day. Did you take multiple coffee breaks? Did you make phone calls that weren’t really necessary at that time? Once you recognize when you procrastinate, you have the opportunity to change your attitude and your behaviors in order to manage and eliminate procrastinating behavior.
Why You Procrastinate
Although each of us has a different reason for procrastinating, there are some common situations when people tend to procrastinate. If none of these seem to fit your exact situation, they may help you to brainstorm your own feelings about the tasks that you are avoiding. Some possibilities for why you procrastinate include:
- You simply find the job unpleasant
- You are disorganized
- You find the task overwhelming
- You are a perfectionist
- You are having trouble making a decision
First we will examine each of these common causes of procrastination. Next, we will discuss means for combating procrastination in each case.
You Find the Task Unpleasant
The fact is, there are certain aspects of all jobs that are unpleasant. You might be bored, you might be unsure of how to handle the situation, or you might need help and you've been afraid to ask for it. Sit with the feeling of unpleasantness and see if you can determine where the feeling is coming from. Ask yourself some questions such as:
• What am I afraid will happen?
• What result am I avoiding?
• Do I understand the importance of this task?
• Do I recognize the value of completing the task?
If you repeatedly hear yourself saying, "I just don't want to" you haven't gotten to the root of why you find the task unpleasant. Keep the conversation with yourself going until you can pinpoint why it is that you feel this way about the matter at hand.
You Are Disorganized
No one wants to admit it. But some of us are disorganized. We might be lacking the tools that would help us to prioritize and to avoid procrastination. If you see yourself as disorganized and you've learned to tolerate that, it's a convenient excuse to have the next time that you want to avoid doing something.
Organized people tend to avoid procrastination by organizing their work space, their priorities, and their projects so that they remain motivated by the work at hand. Once you see the cost that being disorganized is having on your ability to complete tasks, you may be motivated to improve your organization skills.
Some signs that you might be disorganized include:
• A general array of clutter on your desk
• No discernible filing system, or one that is ineffective
• A large pile of papers "to be filed"
• Taking more than 30 seconds or so to locate any necessary documentation
• Losing important contact information or other data
• Forgetting meetings or other scheduled events or tasks
• Missing deadlines or completing them at the last minute
