Proper time management is vital for almost every profession today. Being organized and know what to expect can solve many problems and reduce anxiety. However, as in every case, there is always a “but”, and in the case of time management this is procrastination. This term is a threat to professional productivity, especially because there are literally myriads of reasons why individuals choose procrastinate over doing what they are supposed to do.
What is procrastination
Procrastination is the tendency to prevaricate, delay or unreasonably postpone a task. It is a habit that affects everyone to a greater or lesser extent. Common symptoms include:
- Regularly being distracted from work by nonwork activities such as checking Facebook or emails;
- Leaving everything until the last possible moment;
- Constantly worrying about work but not getting anything done;
- Spontaneously performing tasks that you wouldn’t normally be enthusiastic about, such as household chores;
- Feeling that nothing you do is good enough;
- A sense of pointlessness or hopelessness as you feel there is too much to do.
On the other hand, the development of effective time management skills is an tool to achieve our goals. However, despite being enemies, procrastination and time management are related. This is because managing our time effectively can help us to feel in control of our workload, increase productivity and improve confidence. As a result, we will feel less inclined to procrastinate and able to enjoy a healthy balance between working and other activities.
How to fight through procrastination
It is very important for everyone to understand that procrastination is nothing to be ashamed of, and that everyone goes this phase at some point in their lives. So, how can we push through this and achieve our goals?
#1 Emotional Time Travel: If you are rebelling against the feeling of having to work, try projecting yourself mentally into the future. Imagine the good feelings you will have if you stop procrastinating and finish a project.
#2 Just Getting Started: If a fear of failure is preventing you from doing a task, just get started. Tell yourself you don’t have to finish the whole project now, and it doesn’t have to be perfect. Just do the first steps, or set a manageable.
#3 Address Unhelpful Thoughts: If you are feeling guilty about procrastinating, stop beating yourself up. Replace the self-critical thoughts with something more helpful. This does not mean pretending you don’t have the thoughts and feelings—it just means you aren’t dwelling on or adding to them. It also does not mean allowing yourself to perpetuate the pattern of procrastination by making excuses.
#4 Doing Easy Things First: This correlates with point number 2. If a task seems overwhelming, taking baby steps will go a long way. If you are feeling a lot of dread about something in particular on your to-do list, start with something else, preferably the task you feel most like doing. By doing this, you will gain momentum that will eventually help you start the tougher task later.
