I met with my client, Paul, earlier this week. Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, it had been three weeks since our last meeting. I was looking forward to reviewing with him his list of Key Strategic Indicators that he’d committed to delivering – the critical, quantifiable reference points he’ll use to track the health of his business and his progress towards his stated goals. An hour before our call, nothing had been posted. Not a good sign.
I asked about his progress and, following a big sigh, he said: “It's been on my calendar since the last time we met. I hadn’t forgotten about it; in fact, I’d actually scribbled several ideas in my notebook over the last couple of days. I have been thinking about it a lot this last week, but, hey–I’ve been so busy.”
“I had a couple of client issues that only I could handle, I needed to see my chiropractor. We’re working on a major promotion for the holidays and there’s a problem with one of our suppliers. I have a couple dozen emails requiring action, bills to pay online, photos of my new grandson to sort and upload, a new blog article I want to post, and, by the way–have you been watching the new season of Stranger Things?”
“So, you say you’ve been too busy?”
“I have been busy; it's been kind of crazy here, but I know I should have been able to find the time to do this work I committed to. I just sort of flaked out.”
“You didn’t flake out, Paul. You procrastinated.” I waited for his response. Silence. Another long sigh.
“I know that’s true, and it really stresses me out, but I don’t know what to do about it.”
If you’ve ever complained that “I never seem to have enough time!” then you and Paul might be compatriots–conspiring against yourselves.
If you consistently put off the critical things that you’ve promised–to yourself or others–you’d take care of, there’s something else going on here.
Fact is, we all get the same amount of time every day. It's all about how we choose to use it.
There are myriad reasons why we procrastinate; and there are often telltale signs that we are procrastinating even when we think we’re being truly productive.
If you answered “yes” to any of these, you may be a practicing procrastinator.
To admit that there’s a problem is the first step in addressing it.
While there are many underlying causes of procrastination, some are particularly common and easily identifiable:
Deferring some tasks, especially low-level, unimportant tasks, is not necessarily procrastinating. Part of the art of self-management is being able to prioritize and, where possible, delegate. It might also be a good strategy to intentionally hold off on mission-critical tasks if you’re unable to focus due to fatigue – but that should be the exception – not the excuse.
Deferring mission critical or simply unpleasant work does not make it go away – it just builds up in the background, lurking out there, adding to your stress and sense of overwhelm. It's a vicious cycle.
As satisfying as it may seem to feel busy all the time, you’re probably not getting the results you want.
For some people, the greatest hurdle is perfectionism. If it can’t be perfect, it can’t be done. Ok. I’m going to ask you to just stop that. It’s not going to happen. Nothing is perfect, and striving for perfection is just another way of putting things off indefinitely. Really – sometimes “good enough” is good enough. Leave room to improve and innovate – but give yourself something to start with.
Plan your work and work your plan. Write it down.
That first part is a popular cliche. I added the last part, because we know here at EMyth that there is extraordinary power in putting things on paper. There is an extra force introduced when you make your intentions visible.
Developing effective countermeasures will not happen overnight. It’s a process, not an event. Confronting your own particular procrastination demons will not be comfortable or pleasant. But overcoming them is a gift that pays you back exponentially. Reclaim your time, your sanity, your peace of mind, and your life!
The end of the year is the perfect time to commit to change. Let us help you get started with “10 Steps for a Strategic New Year.” Review the checklist. Write down your thoughts, intentions, and goals for getting your business organized. Commit to a fresh focus in 2018.
As legendary football coach, Don Shula, once said: “The start is what stops most people.” Don’t let that happen. Contact us to set-up a free coaching session to help you start the new year with a fresh path forward.