We are all guilty of procrastination from time to time. It’s only natural to resist what we have to do sometimes, particularly when there are more appealing things to do waiting right there for you. But if you have a chronic problem with procrastination, it is likely impacting your ability to get your work done and get it done on time. In order to manage procrastination, you need to first become aware of when it is happening. If you can’t determine when you are procrastinating, you won’t be able to come up with the motivation you need to stop procrastinating and move forward. Next, you will need to try to understand why you are procrastinating. Is it something you don’t enjoy? Or is there another reason why you are stalling on getting the task done? Once you understand why you are procrastinating, you can take the steps needed to manage and resolve it.
Defining Procrastination
There are times when you have a valid reason for avoiding doing a project. For example, perhaps you don’t have all the information you need or you believe that by waiting an additional time period you will have more accurate results. And then there are the times when waiting is simply that – waiting. When you are focusing on something other than what you should be focusing on according to your priorities and the priorities of your organization, you are procrastinating. Another more scientific definition comes from psychologist Clarry Lay. He states that procrastination is the gap between the time that we intend to perform a task and the time that we actually perform it. That gap of time could actually be applied to the task that you are avoiding, getting it completed and out of your way that much sooner.
When you are focusing on something other than what you should be focusing on according to your priorities and the priorities of your organization, you are procrastinating.
Remember as well what procrastination is not. Not every time that you put something off is procrastination. If you have put off a task because it is unimportant in favor of one that is important, that is not procrastination. That is good time management and prioritization.
