Make Procrastination Wait

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Author: Andrew E. Schwartz

Article source: http://www.opdnews.com/. Used with author's permission.

Reflect on the rewards of kicking the procrastination habit. They are quite clear: -- Daily feeling of accomplishment. -- Long-term sense of achievement. -- Better performance. -- Satisfaction with a job efficiently done. -- Freedom from the tyranny of imposed tasks—more confidence about mastering future assignments. -- Better professional image. -- Higher self-esteem—belief that you can and will make decisions and take effective action. -- More control of your job and career.

1) Begin the task. Take some facilitating action as soon as you have made a decision. Once you have started, you will be on your way to meeting your obligation.
2) Don't end a working session until you have actually done some work toward your goal. Handle a part of a job that you are comfortable with, however small. You will gradually build momentum and grasp the benefits of seeing your initial efforts through to completion.
3) Recognize your ineffective work habits and change them!

To control your time, plan it. Many options are open, use the one that works best for you. Take care, and remember that all require commitment — commitment to planning responsibly, and commitment to the plan itself. To plan constructively, follow these suggestions: -- Clarify your objectives. If you prioritize your values, goals, and activities, you will gain perspective on your career. You can change a vague feeling of fear into a clear feeling of challenge by knowing what you actually want to achieve over the short-term and the long-term. -- Focus on rational, important priorities. Don't waste time over the trivial. -- Outline a weekly work plan and daily to-do lists that integrate the tasks at hand and your long-term goals.

1) Set your own intermediate deadlines. Plan enough time for each phase of a large job and control your own work schedule. You will be more likely to meet staggered deadlines.
2) Post your deadlines visibly and tell a trusted colleague about them. You will thus make the deadlines "real" and have the personal support you may need to stick to your plan.
3) Give yourself time to make a mistake and learn from it. Remember: If you miss a deadline, others are not likely to go out of their way to help manage your emergency—unless you have a good record and have had the time to help them before.

CEO, A.E. Schwartz & Associates, Boston, MA., a comprehensive organization which offers over 40 skills based management training programs. Mr. Schwartz conducts over 150 programs annually for clients in industry, research, technology, government, Fortune 100/500 companies, and nonprofit organizations worldwide. He is often found at conferences as a key note presenter and/or facilitator. His style is fast-paced, participatory, practical, and humorous. He has authored over 65 books and products, and taught/lectured at over a dozen colleges and universities throughout the United States.