Procrastination

The Personal Plan to Prevent Procrastination WHY You Procrastinate and HOW to Stop! 5/6/2006 INTRODUCTION .3 ARE YOU A PROCRASTINATOR? THE ANATOMY OF PROCRASTINATION: WHY DO I PROCRASTINATE? 11 STOP PROCRASTINATING 18 TEN SIMPLE STEPS TO STOP PROCRASTINATION .28 ESTABLISH NEW HABITS 31 CREATE YOUR OWN ‘PLAN TO PREVENT PROCRASTINATION’ 36 PUTTING THE PLAN TO WORK .43 SUMMARY 46 5/6/2006 Introduction "Never put off until tomorrow what you can the day after tomorrow” ~ Mark Twain ~ If you subscribe to Mark Twain’s tongue-in-cheek philosophy, you are not alone! Hundreds of thousands of people in the United States procrastinate, and who knows what the numbers are if you consider global procrastination! The important thing to know is that you can change You will notice, we did not say that you could be CURED That statement would be too broad There are some people who just don’t like to dig in and get things done when they should These people always seem to be waiting until the last minute to complete a task, no matter how far in advance they KNOW about that task For these people, a cure may not be possible But, even someone who is just naturally remiss about getting things done on time can change their behavior You may still WANT to procrastinate, but with help, you can get on track and get your taxes done on time, your laundry before you run out of underwear and even complete important projects before you miss a deadline In this book, we will look at the roots of procrastination – it isn’t just laziness – and you can even find out whether you truly ARE a procrastinator You probably already know, but it doesn’t hurt to have confirmation ☺ We will also give you some tips and ideas to help you curb your tendency to procrastinate And, finally, you will take all of this information and use it to establish your Personal Plan to Prevent Procrastination! Does that sound like a plan? Good! 5/6/2006 You might be interested to know that procrastination plagues all age groups and occupations and is equally evident in both genders! Over 60% of college students surveyed said that they wanted to be more disciplines and stop putting off things like term papers and studying for exams Studies show that over 70% of New Year's resolutions are abandoned by, or before, February 1st of the New Year! No matter who you are, no matter your age, your gender, your occupation or procrastination plight, the first step toward procrastination prevention is changing your mindset We will talk about the various ‘types’ and styles of procrastination later For starters, just consider changing your mindset Take a look at these two options and choose the one that is most like you How YOU see things, today? Pete the Procrastinator thinks… Polly the Productive Person thinks… I really don’t feel like doing this but I HAVE to it or…(I will get in trouble, fail my test, disappoint my family, lose my promotion, etc) When will this task ever be finished? This task is overwhelming I’ll never finish I want to this and a good job It will make me feel….(good, proud, happy, satisfied) I have to this perfectly or…(I’ll be disappointed, they will think I’m a loser, etc.) I don’t have any time for myself and I want to something that makes me feel good instead of this stupid task! What a bore There’s nothing fun in my life! I’ll never get it right I’m bound to fail! I can’t wait to get going on this task! It’s a big task I need to decide where to start and what steps to take next I will be fine I’ll just take it one step at a time and the best I can I will allow myself some mental and physical breaks and come back to my task with more clarity, focus and dedication I can make my work and my life fun by focusing my time and getting through the things that pay the bills and my obligations and I look forward to reaching these goals because they are just as satisfying as my social and recreational life I need to figure out what I have to to give me the best chance to succeed Let’s see… What you think? Are you more like Pete or Polly? 5/6/2006 In a moment, we will give you some test questions to help you figure out if you are a borderline procrastinator, an expert procrastinator or just someone who needs help getting organized and setting goals When you really think about it, procrastination is a very strange human behavior! When you procrastinate, you typically so because you think that, by putting off that dreaded task, you will make your life more fun and pleasant What actually happens is that you can’t get the task off your mind and you feel more stressed because you know that when you finally start the task, you will have even less time to get it done You imagine staying up until all hours to finish, and going without eating, or sleeping Is THAT more fun or pleasant? Consider this scenario: Last week you were given a project that is due at the end of THIS week You delayed starting the project because you told yourself you would it this week, when you had more free time You think “I really have to get started on this project, or I am never going to get it done I have to a lot of research and I have to talk to a few people at work to get some numbers” You are invited to a birthday party for your friend’s birthday, and you tell yourself you will go for just an hour and put in an appearance Then you MUST go home and write your report outline and some research But, you stay for the whole party, telling yourself that you couldn’t possibly leave or your friend would feel hurt You can’t sleep that night thinking about how far behind you are and you tell yourself you should have started sooner, but you forgive yourself by saying that you really just haven’t had time, and isn’t your friend’s party important TOO? Finally, on the night before the report is due, you fly through the outline, perform some cursory research and say the heck with talking to the people at work You get it done however you can just so it will be done on time The next day you turn in a report that is far from your best work and you are angry with yourself 5/6/2006 You tell yourself you will NEVER DO THIS AGAIN! But…you DO! Of course, you KNOW that it is always better to just DO IT and get it finished and then move on to something else, hopefully, something more pleasant Most researchers and psychologists now believe that procrastination is not just laziness Rather, it is rooted in a more complex set of issues like fear of failure, or fear of success, or perhaps anger over the loss of control of one’s life, e.g being told what to do, and when to it Depression is another cause for procrastination, as is the constant need for fun, entertainment or pleasure You will see, as we work through this book that it is important to pinpoint exactly why YOU procrastinate, so that you can address the real cause of your procrastination, and regain control of your life! 5/6/2006 Are You A Procrastinator? “Discipline is Do what has to be done; When it has to be done; As well as it can be done; and Do it that way every time” ~ Bobby Knight ~ So you think you are a procrastinator? Here are a few clues If you answer ‘yes’ to most of these questions, you may be right about your tendency toward procrastination: Are you hesitant to take a risk or try something you have never done before? Do you avoid conflict or confrontation, and put off decisions? Do you schedule more recreational and social activities than you have time for and then put off the critical tasks you have to perform because you are ‘too busy’ with your friends or cohorts? Do you stay in the same relationship, job or situation longer than you should because you just don’t have the ‘oomph’ to make the change? Do you suddenly get sick when you have to something you don’t want to do? Do you blame other people or criticize the situation or task as too hard, too boring or something someone else should do? Do you develop elaborate plans that never come to fruition? If you answered ‘yes’ to three or four of these items, you are probably a procrastinator Go back and look at these questions and think carefully about them, this time What you will see is that the issues are not related to laziness, but rather to complex emotions, lack of self-esteem, fear and other factors 5/6/2006 The fact is that the triggers for procrastination may be different for you than they are for your best friend and they may EVEN be different for you on one occasion than they are on another Once you identify yourself as a procrastinator and face up to the issue, you have taken the first step toward prevention Many procrastinators deceive themselves about whether they even HAVE a problem, making excuses for the things that aren't done and blaming everyone and everything EXCEPT themselves The fact is that most procrastinators not perform at their potential That is because they not give enough attention to the rights things When, at last, they are forced to accomplish the dreaded task, they must complete it with less time and focus than they would need to perform at their best Procrastinators make promises to themselves, saying that they will never ‘do it again’ and that this time they have learned their lesson If you are still unsure about your procrastination problem, answer these questions We’ll see how you fare when this Procrastination Questionnaire is completed: # Question When I am working on a task, I often start thinking about something else or I begin to daydream I tend to focus on short-term things that satisfy me rather than my long-term goals I anticipate the worst when I am thinking about the outcome of an uncertain situation I try to focus on the task at hand but I get distracted before I know it I find it hard to concentrate for long periods of time I things that I think need to be done whether they are the things that I have been asked or told to nor not If I have a problem I can’t get it out of my head and it distracts me from other tasks I procrastinate on things I really don’t feel like doing or things I think may be difficult If I even THINK something isn’t going to work out well, I start to get upset right away I daydream about grand success, but I don’t see any progress I act without thinking when there is a crisis or problem 10 11 Often Sometimes Rarely or Never 5/6/2006 12 13 28 I delay tasks until it is nearly too late to get them completed I miss deadlines and fail to get things done – even if they are important to my success I can’t get interested in anything unless it is entertaining, exciting or enjoyable I put off tasks I don’t like until my success or well-being is threatened or damaged I feel like I get nothing done on most days I find myself doing one thing when I know I should be concentrating on something else – but I can’t help myself I am easily distracted by something I find entertaining or enjoyable I know things would be better if I focused on certain tasks sooner I get anxious if I feel something is risky and I find it hard to continue with the task I always think things will turn out badly or that I will fail I prefer to accomplish smaller things that give me pleasure than to work on long-term goals that take time to achieve I don’t like to postpone things that give me pleasure Even if something isn’t that important, if is bothering me, I can’t ignore it and it distracts me from other, more important, things I often find it hard to stay on track I think of things that are not related to what I am supposed to be working on, and I suspend the task at hand to something different I know I am going to get into trouble by putting off an important task, but I it anyway I put off doing things I don’t feel like doing # Question 29 I wait until the last minute to even the most important things I find it hard to start new projects or tasks, and once I get them started, I suspend them without completing them I think I should stop procrastinating but I repeat my mistakes without changing my behavior If I don’t feel like doing something, I find an excuse not to it I waste a lot of time I want to change and stop procrastinating 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 30 31 32 33 34 Often Sometimes Rarely or Never OK, let’s see how you did on that questionnaire: If you answered ‘yes’ or ‘sometimes’ to 1-10 of these questions, you are probably pretty average Sometimes, you feel overwhelmed and find it hard to focus or start new tasks, even if they are important But, most of the time you avoid procrastination If you answered ‘yes or ‘sometimes’ to 11-20 of these questions, you have a problem, and you should look at the areas in your life where you most often procrastinate, or the types of things you tend to put off Get to the root of the problem 5/6/2006 and use the ideas in this book to establish a Personal Plan to Prevent Procrastination If you answered ‘yes’ or ‘sometimes’ to 21-34 of these questions, you are in bad shape! You spend a lot of your time trying to catch up, doing things at the last minute – and not very well – and explaining your way out of jams You should seriously consider the things you find it difficult to and determine what is holding you back Use this information to establish a Personal Plan to Prevent Procrastination Regardless of the size of your procrastination problem or the roots of this problem, there is help on the way Read on! 10 5/6/2006 If you MUST or WANT to talk to them, be sure you have other, more rational voices, to counter their influence Find a mentor or other person to help you establish these new habits and provide advice and support, and talk to them often about your plans Ask for suggestions and recommendations when you need help If you are comfortable with a little nagging, ask one or two people to act as your conscience Ask them to remind you about tasks that have to be completed, or to ask you about your deadlines regularly, so that you don’t allow yourself to ignore a task ESTABLISH A ROUTINE Writers like Stephen King and other authors often talk about their routine If you are working on a project alone, it is easy to lose steam and get entangled in other activities Especially if you hit a rough patch in the project and you don’t want to face the problem Establish a routine to get you into the work mind set Work at the same time of day, for the same number of hours Some people use the same music, or ritual to form a pattern that they brain instantly recognizes This sends a signal to your brain that it is TIME TO WORK You are more likely to start and complete the task you want to accomplish when it is part of the routine of your day When you are used to going to the gym every day at 5:00 p.m., you will probably go, even if you are having one of those days where you don’t WANT to go! 35 5/6/2006 Create Your Own ‘Plan to Prevent Procrastination’ “The secret of success is constancy to purpose” ~ Benjamin Disraeli ~ Now it is time for you to establish your own plan In this section, you will review each chapter of this book, and use the information provided, to help you choose the best solutions to address YOUR procrastination Let’s start with the Personal Evaluation You will apply solutions to each of these areas after you complete the evaluation form Good luck! Personal Evaluation Answer (yes/no) Are you a Procrastinator? Are you hesitant to take a risk or try something you have never done before? Do you avoid conflict or confrontation, and put off decisions? Do you schedule more recreational and social activities than you have time for and then put off the critical tasks you have to perform because you are ‘too busy’ with your friends or cohorts? Do you stay in the same relationship, job or situation longer than you should because you just don’t have the ‘oomph’ to make the change? Do you suddenly get sick when you have to something you don’t want to do? Do you blame other people or criticize the situation or task as too hard, too boring or something someone else should do? Do you develop elaborate plans that never come to fruition? 36 5/6/2006 Answer (yes/no) Procrastination Questionnaire (34 questions) If you answered ‘yes’ or ‘sometimes’ to 1-10 of these questions, you are probably pretty average Sometimes, you feel overwhelmed and find it hard to focus or start new tasks, even if they are important But, most of the time you avoid procrastination If you answered ‘yes or ‘sometimes’ to 11-20 of these questions, you have a problem, and you should look at the areas in your life where you most often procrastinate, or the types of things you tend to put off If you answered ‘yes’ or ‘sometimes’ to 21-34 of these questions, you are in bad shape! You spend a lot of your time trying to catch up, doing things at the last minute – and not very well – and explaining your way out of jams What kind of procrastinator are you? Carefree Critic Chaotic Mixture of _ and _ Combination of all three My procrastination comes from one or more of these issues: Motivation - You feel this task is irrelevant and has no meaning for you Training - You feel you not have the training or knowledge to accomplish this task, or you are uncertain about taking on something you have not done before Standards - You are afraid you will not perform the task perfectly Obligations - You may not be able to fulfill all of your obligations because you have so much to Assumptions - You believe that if you avoid or ignore the task it will evaporate You assume that it will take less time or effort to accomplish Fear - You are worried about how others may evaluate or judge you Avoidance - You just hate doing this particular task 37 5/6/2006 Answer (yes/no) My procrastination if rooted in one or more of these issues: Self Esteem – If you constantly downplay your skills and knowledge and doubt your own ability you will feel like your success (when it happens) is just a factor of luck You may find it hard to accept a compliment on your work because you really don’t feel you deserve it You may demand perfection from yourself even though, in your heart, you feel you can never achieve that perfection Pressure – If you find it hard to get a project or task started because you are swamped with other things, you may feel that nothing will get you out of this hole You tell yourself that even if you work really hard to accomplish this task, the only thing that will come of it is MORE WORK Control – If you are easily overwhelmed, or hate feeling controlled, you may feel that your situation is unfair Justification – If you are unhappy with someone or something, you may not try as hard as you would otherwise Now that you have completed your evaluation, you will choose solutions to address each of the issues you identified and the challenges you face Remember to review the chapters of this book for more detail on each of these solutions, so you can plan your approach appropriately! You can create your own solution to a problem, or use one or more of the solutions suggested in the sections of this book entitled ‘Stop Procrastinating’ and ‘Ten Simple Steps to Stop Procrastination’ Personal Plan to Prevent Procrastination Issue or Problem Identified In Evaluation Form Above Solution(s) Question – Record every question to which you answered ‘yes’ in the space provided below Then list a solution you will use to address each problem • • • • • • • • 38 5/6/2006 Issue or Problem Identified In Evaluation Form Above Solution(s) Question – Go back to the Procrastination Questionnaire in the section entitled ‘Are You a Procrastinator’ Look for the specific questions where you identified a problem, and record these issues in the space provided below Then list a solution to address each problem Use ‘Ten Simple Steps to Stop Procrastination’ to get ideas • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Question – In the space provided below, record the type of conscience or voice(s) you chose (carefree, critic, chaotic or some combination of these) Then review the suggestions in the section entitled ‘Stop Procrastinating’, and select the solutions you will use to silence these voices • • • • 39 5/6/2006 Issue or Problem Identified In Evaluation Form Above Solution(s) Question – In the space provided below, record the issues you chose that applied to YOU, e.g avoidance, fear, standards, obligations, etc For each issue, choose one or more solutions from the sections entitled ‘Stop Procrastinating’, ‘Ten Simple Steps to Stop Procrastination’, or ‘Establish New Habits’ to get ideas • • • • • • • • • Question – In the space provided below, record the root(s) of the issues you identified, e.g justification, self-esteem, etc Then use the sections in this book to identify solutions to each problem • • • • • • • • In the section entitled ‘Stop Procrastinating’ you chose ONE task or project to work on, and created a plan with some associated activities and dates Go back and review that task and plan now, and choose some techniques and solutions you can use to keep you on track Consider solutions in ‘Establish New Habits’, if you can This will give you plenty of practice and you can start to reinforce those new habits, right away In the right column of this table, record the solutions and ideas you will practice on this task 40 5/6/2006 You are nearly finished with your plan Now it is time to summarize the techniques and tools you have chosen to address your procrastination problem The final step involves a review of all of the solutions you chose in your Personal Plan to Prevent Procrastination In the right column of the table below, record each of the solutions and ideas you chose In the left column of the table, indicate the number of times you chose that solution to address one or more problems Procrastination Solution Summary Define Solution # of Times You Chose Solution Now look for patterns Are there solutions you favored consistently throughout this exercise? If so, these are obviously the ones that appeal to you But, before you declare success, consider whether they are truly the BEST solutions for you Are you being honest with yourself about what will work, or simply picking the easiest solutions, or the solutions you think you can somehow elude? If you have been honest about your approach and you really want to solve your procrastination problem, then the solutions you chose most often are the ones that will work the best for you 41 5/6/2006 You can use ALL the solutions and ideas you selected, as you deem appropriate, but keep in mind those that came up most consistently during the personal planning process These selected solutions may be your ‘ace in the hole’, when nothing else works 42 5/6/2006 Putting the Plan to Work “Between saying and doing many a pair of shoes are worn out” ~ Italian Proverb ~ You have come far in planning to defeat procrastination There is only one thing left to do! You must put your plan in place A plan on paper is not a plan, but simply a PLAN for a PLAN! Every attempt you make to implement the solutions you have chosen will help you establish new habits You may fail occasionally and revert back to your old ways But, be patient with yourself The chances are good that you didn’t become a procrastinator overnight, so you will probably not undue years of conditioning in one day! There are several things you can to launch a successful plan to defeat procrastination: Tell others what you are planning This will give you some momentum to get the plan started You won’t want to look bad in front of friends, family and co-workers So, making your plan public will be a great help Start today! Don’t tell yourself that you’ve worked hard on your Personal Plan and now you deserve a break That attitude is coming from the OLD voices, not from the new YOU! Even if you only ONE THING you plan to to implement a solution – even if that ONE THING is small, you are sending a message to your brain that says “I really MEAN THIS Now, let’s GET STARTED!” 43 5/6/2006 Use the solutions and concepts you have chosen to create a calendar of exercises Every day, test out another solution on the tasks and projects that crop up on that day It will help to solidify your new habits and to remind you that you have weapons in your arsenal with which to fight the dreaded procrastination! Lead by example Choose another procrastinator to take under your wing and show them the way out of the maze By teaching someone else the basics of procrastination prevention, you are reinforcing your own new habits and solutions And it is less likely you fall off that horse, if you have someone else watching you ride! Review your Personal Plan frequently At the beginning of any lifestyle change, it is important to stay on track If you slip too soon and too often, you may become disenchanted and decide to stop The way to keep your motives and plans at the forefront, is to look at them often And to really READ them and focus on what you said you would This will reinforce your dedication to your plan Maintain an Internal Dialogue and Image of Success Imagery and affirmation are important tools to keep you on track When you feel yourself getting weak and trying to find excuses NOT to something, talk to yourself Repeat what you want to get done and tell yourself in NO UNCERTAIN TERMS, that you are getting better and that you have plenty of examples of your success to demonstrate that improvement If and when you DO slip, forgive yourself and renew your commitment to stay on track Before you go to sleep at night, tell yourself you are an achiever, a productive person who has a plan to succeed It sounds silly, but this type of affirmation works well to break old paradigms and change your image of yourself 44 5/6/2006 As you talk to yourself, form a picture of yourself in your mind That self is successful, confident and ON TRACK Picture yourself completing a task and celebrating the completion of that task Get the image as accurate and specific as you can, and hold onto that image while you affirm your success with your internal dialogue! Keep trying! You will get better at this technique as you practice And, it works! 45 5/6/2006 Summary “Success is simple Do what's right, the right way, at the right time” ~ Arnold H Glasow ~ We have come to the end of one path, and the beginning of another Now, it is up to you! If you truly want to change your ways and stop procrastinating, you CAN DO IT! Review the solutions you chose, and get started on your plan TODAY! If you are a true procrastinator, you know that waiting to start THIS TASK, is only prolonging your life as a procrastinator! You may never be CURED of procrastination, but by using your newfound techniques, concepts and solutions, you can change your attitude and your behavior and you can change your life Your friends, teachers, employers, family and co-workers will see you in a different light! You will be dependable and responsible and you will repeat the benefits of all dependable employees, students and friends Your self-esteem will improve and your confidence will grow as you meet deadlines, achieve goals and prove to yourself that you CAN DO IT! It all starts with you! You spent a lot of time reading this book, working through the exercises and discovering the root of your procrastination problem And, you established your own Personal Plan to Prevent Procrastination, using concepts and techniques to address your procrastination issues and to keep you on track You have come far! As we said earlier, you must start this process now, in order to keep your momentum alive 46 5/6/2006 The more practice you get at setting goals, making plans and staying on target, the more these techniques will become second nature Remember we said that every time you give in to your tendency to procrastinate, you reinforce: Inaction instead of Action Avoidance instead of Proactive Participation Current State instead of Improved Condition Fear instead of Confidence With that in mind, we will leave you now with a simple challenge Do you remember these two people? Dennis Sarah Dennis is a very bright man who by rights should be in a management position in a research firm His skill and intellect is well-respected and yet he cannot get out of the lower level research levels Why? Because he can never meet a deadline In spite of numerous chances and understanding managers, Dennis is hopefully frozen in time He makes grand plans to finish his book and to document the research plan he wants to get approved, but he never finishes anything His family and wife have lost patience with what they perceive as apathy when, in fact, Dennis is very frustrated He says he would change the situation if he could! 47 Sarah is trying to complete her doctorate and has postponed it several times because she just can’t seem to get the work done She says that she works better under pressure, but when she waits until the last minute to the work, she is unhappy with the results She often gets sick just at the wrong time, when something is due and again she misses a deadline She finds it hard to concentrate and is prone to insomnia when the pressure is on, but still she cannot change her ways 5/6/2006 Look at Dennis and Sarah’s description of their procrastination problem Ask yourself these questions: What YOU think? What issues and roots you think each of them has, and why these issues cause them to procrastinate? What would YOU advise? Dennis Sarah What YOU think? What would YOU recommend as solutions for THEM, if you were to advise them? What would YOU advise? Dennis Sarah This last exercise is a great test of your knowledge of the issues, and roots of procrastination, and the possible solutions for the various causes of procrastination Remember, YOU are the expert on procrastination now! 48 5/6/2006 The more you practice your solutions, and the more you consider your options and keep your goals in mind, the more successful you will be The techniques we gave you are tried and true, but there are many ways to address procrastination With some thought and analysis, you may find ways of your own! If these new solutions work for you, then they are the RIGHT SOLUTIONS! Everyone procrastinates for a different reason Some people procrastinate for many reasons, and some procrastinate for a different reason on each new task So, these guidelines are just that: Guidelines! It is your Personal Plan to Prevent Procrastination that will help you defeat this monster! That’s because YOU designed it for YOU, to address YOUR reasons for procrastination So get to work! Why are you waiting? Show the world the NEW YOU! Achieve your goals, succeed in your life, your career, school and/or your relationships, and KNOW that YOU are in CONTROL! You CAN stop procrastinating, NOW! 49 5/6/2006 ... gender, your occupation or procrastination plight, the first step toward procrastination prevention is changing your mindset We will talk about the various ‘types’ and styles of procrastination later... Plan to Prevent Procrastination Regardless of the size of your procrastination problem or the roots of this problem, there is help on the way Read on! 10 5/6/2006 The Anatomy of Procrastination: ... PROCRASTINATOR? THE ANATOMY OF PROCRASTINATION: WHY DO I PROCRASTINATE? 11 STOP PROCRASTINATING 18 TEN SIMPLE STEPS TO STOP PROCRASTINATION .28 ESTABLISH