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Working productively: Avoiding procrastination

Almost everybody procrastinates occasionally. It's natural to want to
put off a project you don't like, such as writing a difficult report at work.
But if procrastination becomes a habit, it can cause serious problems
on the job.

Most people don't procrastinate because they are lazy or trying to make life difficult for others. Often they just don't know how to begin a project that seems difficult. Here are some tips:

Define the task you've been avoiding. If you can't get started writing a report, are you putting off writing the report? Or are you putting off collecting the facts you need for it? Once you've defined exactly what you're avoiding, you can focus on accomplishing this aspect of the task.

Write down what you need to do. Writing down a goal is one of the best ways to make a commitment to it. If you tend to lose your notes, try writing your goals in a notebook that you always keep at your desk. Break down the tasks into realistic, workable pieces.

Decide how much time you can give to the task you're avoiding. If you're facing a big job, decide how much time you can regularly give to the task. Then try to work on the project for just that amount of time. Set realistic goals for yourself. If you only have 30 minutes on a particular day to work on the project, then find a piece of the project that fits your schedule.

Do your least pleasant task first. Putting off a dreaded task may make your life easier in the short run. But in the long run, it can add to feelings of guilt and stress. Let's say you have to call a number of clients every day. If you wait until the end of the day to call the most difficult clients, you may spend hours worrying about the calls. If you make them first thing in the morning, you'll have a sense of accomplishment that may last for the entire day.

Give yourself rewards. Decide that you'll give yourself rewards when you finish tasks that you tend to avoid. If you put off doing your expense reports when you come back from business trips, you might decide that after each trip you'll go out for a fun lunch with a coworker after you finish a report.

Remember that people procrastinate for many reasons. If you can't figure out why you're having trouble getting started, ask for advice from a coworker. Someone who knows you well may see a problem that you've missed and can help you find a way to quickly overcome it.

This article is adapted from Ceridian's LifeWorks Online service. Contact your Ceridian representative for more information about Ceridian's employee effectiveness solutions.