A recent Forbes article, You’re Not Lazy; You’re Scared: How To Finally Stop Procrastinating, proposes this interesting perspective about procrastination. Procrastination is frequently cited as one of the major factors impacting effective time management. And it is often cited as something you can and need to “get over”. We’re told to stop wasting time and “just do it” and then all will be good. Certainly, some procrastination IS just due to laziness or lack of motivation or desire – consider the partner who doesn’t take out the trash or the child who won’t make her bed; these are things they are unlikely to be avoiding because they are afraid of them. However, according to the article, often when an individual procrastinates it is “rooted in fear—of failure, of success, or of not being perfect” – which causes them to avoid doing a task at all costs.
In conversations with some associates about this premise, we all could recollect situations where this has been the case in both our professional and personal lives.
For example, a colleague leading a large staff while she was a young and inexperienced manager, remembered the dread she experienced when it was time to write annual performance reviews. It was easy to write glowing praise for the top members of the team but she would put off to the last minute having to document the marginal and poor performers, thinking about the difficult conversations to come when delivering the reviews. Similarly, another colleague recalled being assigned to run a complex high-profile project and consistently missing deadlines because his fear of not being successful led to overthinking and mismanagement. Finally, another associate kept putting off signing up with a personal trainer at the gym because she was afraid of being embarrassed by being out of shape.
Most people managers will probably admit to putting off coaching sessions with difficult employees, not out of laziness but out of fear of how to properly handle the situation. And project managers missing deadlines and deliverables are much more likely to do so because they lack clarity about the deliverables and expectations than because they just don’t ”feel” like doing the work. As far as working out – after a year of too much home time and overeating – many of us can relate to making excuses for going back to the gym.
So how can we recognize when our procrastination is driven by this kind of anxiety and how can we work through it to more effectively manage our time?
First, instead of saying “just do it” say “just start it”. Take small steps that will lead to a sense of completion and accomplishment rather than looking to immediately conquer the world. If you’re that people manager, just start by bullet pointing some specific areas where an employee failed to meet expectations and the impact it had on their team and you. If you have questions about an assignment that is creating anxiety and confusion and keeping you from acting, write them down. If going to classes at the gym is intimidating, agree to just one session to evaluate where you are. Set and meet small goals and celebrate these successes.
Second, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Ask another manager how they have handled a similar difficult employee. Don’t be afraid to meet with your manager and ask for clarity about a task and what the expectations are. And as far as the gym, recruit a friend who no doubt shares your same concerns, and agrees to work out together.
Finally, allow yourself to acknowledge your feelings. Timothy Pychyl, a professor who studies procrastination at Carleton University in Ottawa, found that “people prone to procrastination are, overall, less compassionate toward themselves. One of the most effective things that procrastinators can do is to forgive themselves for procrastinating.” Recognizing that your procrastination isn’t a sign of bad time management will help you to develop a more positive and focused mindset and allow you to achieve your objectives.
Focus Matters! Are you maximizing your time and energy to achieve your goals and objectives? Refocusn Consulting can help you align your actions with intention and clarity to increase your productivity!