Put Off Procrastinating

Are you always scrambling to finish important reports at the last minute? Do you routinely show up late for meetings? Do you begin projects at the eleventh hour? If you answered "yes" to these questions, chances are you've got a problem with procrastination. And putting things off is no doubt adding more stress to your day than necessary. Time to get out of your rut.

Here are strategies for conquering procrastination from Kerry Gleeson, author of The Personal Efficiency Program: How to Get Organized to Do More Work in Less Time (John Wiley & Sons, 2000).

Break the habit

Personal organizers

You're so used to putting things off that it's become a true habit — you do it without even thinking about it. Change your "Do it later" attitude to a "Do it now" mode. Get prepared to act on projects immediately and don't stop until you've finished the task at hand.

Do your least favorite assignment first

Imagine what a relief it will be to get your worst project done and out of the way. You'll have a clear mind to complete the rest of your work. As Mark Twain once said, "If you have to eat two frogs, eat the big one first and don't think much about it."

Think realistically

Imagining the worst only intimidates you. If you are feeling overwhelmed, examine the assignment step–by–step to see what it really entails. It's rarely as bad as it seems. Chances are, you'll see that the project is easier and less time–consuming than you thought.

Don't be a perfectionist

According to Gleeson, many procrastinators are also perfectionists. "If they can't do something perfectly, they feel they might as well not do it at all." Understand that this is an excuse, not a fact. Nobody's flawless and you can't expect your work to always be perfect. Removing the apprehension will let you get started on the task at hand.

Plan ahead

Give your work careful attention. Figure out exactly what needs to be done, how to do it, and the best strategy for tackling it. You'll get it done twice as fast.

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