Introduction
Unfortunately, procrastination can become an ingrained habit that is difficult to stop. So you will need to work to conscientiously combat the behaviors that have led to your procrastination in the past. There is no one right way to combat procrastination – anything that helps you to be more productive is useful. Consider trying a combination of the techniques in this section until you find the ones that work best for you.
Procrastination can become an ingrained habit that is difficult to stop. You will need to work to conscientiously combat the behaviors that have led to procrastinating in the past.
When the Task is Unpleasant
This category of activities is probably the most often experienced – and certainly one that most workers can relate to. What’s important is finding a way to motivate yourself and to be accountable for your actions so that you are less likely to procrastinate and so that you focus on the value that your efforts will bring. Here are some tips that you can use when you simply don’t want to do what you have to do:
• Identify what will happen if you don't complete the task. How will it impact you? Your coworkers? What about your customers, both internal and external?
• Remind yourself that you are being paid to do the tasks that your supervisor or the organization feels are most important. If you aren't doing that, you aren't doing what you are being paid to do.
• Determine ways to reward yourself for completing unpleasant tasks. Preferably, they should not be unhealthy rewards!
• Ask your coworker to check up on you to make sure you have done what you said you would do. This is a positive use of peer pressure.
• Remind yourself that you don't have to WANT to do something in order to DO it.
When You Are Disorganized
When you are disorganized, you need to learn the tools that will help you to make organization a normal part of your day. Remember that it can take weeks to change a habit, so you need to give yourself the time to make your new practices your new habits. Here are some suggestions for how to get organized once and for all:
• Make it a rule that you will not leave for the day without clearing up your work space.
• Force yourself to handle emails and paperwork the first time that you touch them in order to avoid
the piles of paper that can tend to accumulate.
• Plan your day according to what the most important things to achieve that day are.
• Use a timer to keep yourself aware of the time you are spending. If you have to work on other tasks besides the one you are facing, set the timer to limit the amount of time you will allow yourself to spend on it before getting back to the task at hand.
• Create a filing system that would allow anyone else to walk into your space and easily locate what they are looking for.
• Don't leave for the day without making a to do list for the next day
