Procrastination is the enemy of good time management, and most of us suffer from it to a greater or lesser degree. It causes us to stall out, delay, or dawdle when taking on a job we know we have to do. Getting past procrastination is a core skill for good time management.
Whether you suffer from it as a passing malaise or a chronic condition, get procrastination out of your way by remembering the procrastinator’s ABCs: take action, break it down, and create momentum.
Take Action
Since procrastination holds us in a state of suspension, simply making a start can break through it as easily as a footstep shatters an icy puddle. Taking one step forward, no matter how small, releases the energy that was keeping you imprisoned and static. Try these tactics to take that all-important first step:
• Start small. If you’re truly dreading the task, bite off the tiniest chunk possible to begin. Getting over it and getting started can calm the anxiety and get you underway with the rest of the job.
• Do the worst first. Jump-start action by beginning with the toughest, most dreaded segment of the task. By getting the worst of it out of the way, you’ll make the rest of the chore look easy by comparison.
• Reward yourself. Reduce resistance to a dreaded job by offering yourself a carrot, not a stick. Before you begin, brew a favorite beverage and put on music that motivates you. Associate the postponed task with pleasant circumstances, to create motivation to dive in and get it done.
• Beat the clock. Trick yourself into taking action by scheduling the job immediately before something else you’d like to do. Take on the task a few minutes before a favorite television show begins, and try to see how quickly you can carry it out. Focusing on speed, not the task at hand, short-circuits the inner procrastinator.
Break It Down
Procrastination can surface when the task you’re avoiding feels overwhelming or poorly defined. The solution is to break the job into smaller steps so that you can see the way ahead clearly.
Removing any confusion about how to proceed sidesteps procrastination in favor of taking action. By focusing on one step at a time, breaking down the job shifts mental energy and undercuts the desire to put off the whole thing.
Create Momentum
When fighting procrastination, you can make a start and break it down, but with some jobs, you just can’t lose that heavy feeling of “I don’t want to!” If this variant of procrastination dogs you every step of the way, try this tactic: create momentum.
As you carry out the job, whenever you need to take a break, don’t do it at the end of a step! Doing so just brings procrastination back to bear when you must pick up the next piece of the process.
Instead, pick a stopping point right in the middle of an action. When you return to work, your next step forward will be obvious, sitting there right in front of you. The momentum you’ve created will carry you past the temptation to put off the task one more time.