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Procrastination
– Not Time Well Spent
 re
you like me? I'm a professional procrastinator. If people wanted
to learn how to procrastinate, I could earn millions training
them! This  is
not a good thing.
Granted,
there may be some benefits to procrastination. Take for example
"Structured Procrastination". If you do this, you actually
get a lot done. Many of us, rather than do the job that needs
to be done right now, will do all the other jobs first. So we
do accomplish things, just not always what needs to be accomplished.
(For a fun essay on this topic, go to www-csli.stanford.edu/~john/procrastination.html.)
Procrastination
is also a good time to brainstorm and daydream. Sometimes it's
during this time that the most innovative ideas are discovered.
Still,
procrastination is not one of the most sought after attributes
of good employees. It can lead to many missed opportunities and
deadlines. How can we overcome this problem? Let's look at some
causes and cures.
Cause:
Perfectionism / fear of failure
Cure: You set yourself up for failure when you have
impossibly high standards. Adjust your expectations to a reasonable
level. Do your best. Remember your strengths and past successes.
Cause:
Poor time management
Cure: There are many time management systems, designed
for different styles/personalities. Check out books such as "Time
Management for Unmanageable People" by Ann McGee-Cooper (I'm
reading this one right now), "The Procrastinator's Handbook"
by Rita Emmett and "Eat That Frog!" by Brian Tracy.
Find one that works for you. Don't put it off.
Cause:
Feeling overwhelmed
Cure: Break down tasks into manageable, bite-sized
chunks and set a timeline to get each mini-task done. If you just
have too much to do, learn to say "No" when people ask
for things. You're only human and can only do so much. But don't
use this as an excuse to do nothing, either. Go back to those
bite-sized chunks and get started!
 vercome
procrastination and think of all you will accomplish. Start with
one strategy and work on it for a while. When you see the benefits,
you'll hopefully continue to a procrastination-free future.
"A
year from now, you may wish you had started today."
~ Karen Lamb ~
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UPCOMING
WORKSHOPS 
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Get
this newsletter in your inbox every month...
 Summertime
Motivation
In
other countries, where the heat
is intense, work seems to progress at a slower pace. That's the
way it is; everyone accepts and expects it. Here there doesn't
seem to be that acceptance. When the summer heat starts to drain
your energy, try a few of these strategies to keep yourself motivated
and get the work done:
-
Break work into smaller chunks and tackle it one bit at a time
- Reward
yourself for your accomplishments – ice cream, coffee with a
friend, something small to give you an energy break and some
pep to carry on
- Keep
cool – if you don't have air conditioning, put some ice on your
wrists or temples. This cools the body nicely.
Hang
in there. Enjoy the summer!
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