Procrastination - Tips To Beat This Number 1 Time Management Thief

Procrastination is putting off things you should be doing, in favour of doing something else. It is one of the biggest time-management stumbling blocks, and if you've found yourself doing it, you won't be alone! Generally procrastination has us doing less important or urgent tasks instead of the important stuff. This may give you a fleeting sense of satisfaction as you tick things off your to do list, and allows you to convince yourself you are getting things done. However, the reality is that you are putting off the important stuff, and the result can be failed targets, missed opportunities, a feeling of being overwhelmed as there is so much to do, or feeling guilty for wasting time.

There are many reasons we procrastinate, for example:
* The task is unclear, or you lack the information or the skills.
* The task is unpleasant.
* You have too many things to do and can't settle on one.
* You are scared of failing the task (and sometimes even of succeeding).
* The task is overwhelming - you don't know where to start.
* You can't start until you know exactly what to say (perfectionism by another name).
* You are not in the mood.

How can you stop procrastination?

Procrastination is a habit that develops over time, and like all habits it takes time to beat. However, to effectively manage your time, you will have to do just that. There are lots of hints and tips to help you break the habit. But first things first:

>>>Learn to recognise when you procrastinate
>>>Chose to do something about it!

So what can you do about it? Start with some planning, in true time-management style! Take the task you want to focus on, and break it down into manageable chunks, either as subtasks, or by the amount of time you want to spend on the task in any one sitting. If you are unclear of what you are supposed to be doing, this is the time to seek clarification. If you lack information, that becomes a first task to focus on. If you lack the skills, then deal with that before attempting to tackle the task.
Identify the downsides of not doing the task and use that to motivate you.

People who are good at time-management, work at the best time for them - some of us are up with the lark and working hard before breakfast, others work much better late into the night. Find your best time and work on the important stuff then.

Don't allow distractions and interruptions - shut the door, hang up a do not disturb sign, switch off the phone etc.If you are feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of things you have to do, take a deep breath, made a coffee and do some planning. Clear your head by writing everything down everything you have to do. Go through it and strike off any that really do not have to be done, delegate those tasks that can. Then decide what tasks are critical - must be done by the end of the day- and start on them.

Is the task unpleasant? Procrastinators tend to overestimate how unpleasant a task is and worrying about it will make it appear much worse than it actually is. Most people find that simply getting on with it is the best policy.

Ask someone to check up on you. Being held to account may motivate you!

Reward yourself. Working on big stuff tends to have payback in the future, and we discount that in favour of short term pleasure. Good time-management links short term activities to long term goals, so you don't lose sight of the big picture. So break the big tasks down and, reward yourself for competing these smaller steps - the rewards don't need to be big - a lazy soak in the bath or a walk is fine. Of course, you can always reward yourself big style for the finished product!

If you are a bit of a perfectionist remember that you don't have to get something 100% right most of the time, so simply get stuck in.

If you are simply not in the mood, stop and ask yourself "Is this really important to me?" Sometimes procrastination is a sign that a task needn't be done at all.

If all else fails, set an alarm for 10 minutes time and just start anywhere even if these aren't the logical first actions. You'll feel that you're achieving things, and you'll probably find that the tasks become clearer as you work. And the odds are you will be deep in thought and action when the alarm rings!

By: Caron Kincaid

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