Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro(R), shares tips on overcoming procrastination. (C) 2011 Laura Stack, All Rights Reserved http://www.theproductivitypro.com

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried. — Anonymous

This week, I’d like to discuss a form of self sabotage that I see all too often: procrastination, the fine art of putting things off. And off, and off, and off….

We’ve all let things slide when we shouldn’t have. It’s not always about forgetfulness, or overwork, or even laziness. In fact, some of the worst procrastinators are busy professionals who are otherwise successful in the workplace.

Ultimately, all procrastination does is generate anxiety and negativity. So why do we hobble ourselves this way? The reasons are rarely clear-cut, but often they consist of some mix of the following:

• Lack of self confidence
• Uncertainty
• Excess perfectionism
• Distractions
• Fear (of the unknown or a negative outcome)
• A perception of the task as difficult and/or time consuming
• Time pressure (either too little or two much)
• Anger or hostility toward the task
• Low frustration tolerance

What it all boils down to is that the unpleasant (or potentially unpleasant) tasks are the ones we tend to put off—no matter how high their value.

But all that really matters is how you fight procrastination. What can you do, in the real workaday world, to stop procrastination in its tracks?

Visualize. There are two basic kinds of motivation, and you can use both in your visualization scheme. First of all, consider the positive: visualize having that lingering task completed and out the door. What kinds of wonderful things will result? At the very least, imagine how great it’ll feel to have it off your plate!

Personally, I prefer positive visualization; but negative visualization can work too. You know from personal experience that unpleasant things rarely go away if you ignore them. They just get worse. What will happen if you let the unfinished task fester on your to-do list? There might be financial and career impacts.

Some researchers suggest you think of an ignored task as a cancerous cell: if left untreated, it’ll end up gobbling your time and resources, to your detriment. I think that’s a little extreme (even scary), but if you think it’ll work for you, go for it.

Strategize. If you have trouble getting starting, try breaking the task into smaller chunks—which is one of the basics of getting your high-value, high-intensity work done anyway. Plan how you’re going to tackle each individual subtask; if you have to, sketch out on paper how you’re going to handle them.

Put those subtasks on your to do list; and if someone doesn’t do it for you, set deadlines for each, along with an overall timeline for when you have to have the whole task completed. Then set out to meet those deadlines.

Eliminate distractions. How are you going to get anything done if you’re always checking your email, answering your cell phone, or surfing the Internet? If you’re easily distracted, get rid of the distractions until you make some headway on the task. Unplug the landline, turn off your cell phone, disable the Internet, and forget you even have email!

Get Busy. Assuming you have all the information and resources you need to move forward, action always beats meditation. Once you’ve given the task enough thought, leap into action. Focus like a laser on your task. If you have to, grit your teeth and tell yourself, “I’m going to do this, like it or not!”

And in Conclusion…With some tasks, you simply have to put your head down and bull on through. No, it’s not likely to be fun; but then again, if it was, we wouldn’t necessarily call it work, now would we? While it’s great to love what you do (and of course that’s the ideal circumstance), as realists we know that we can’t love every single aspect of our jobs.

There will be certain tasks that you need to do, jobs that only you can do sometimes, that need your attention at least as much as the fun stuff. So do them. Even if you do it a little at a time, eventually you’ll get that monster task of your plate, so your boss will stop growling about it and you can stop angsting about it.

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Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro(R) talks about the productivity killer – procrastination!
(C) 2010 Laura Stack. All rights reserved. http://www.theproductivitypro.com

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I asked readers to fill in the blank on our last monthly survey and received some great responses.  There were tons of interesting answers, but it didn’t take long to start seeing some patterns.  Read on for the seven most common responses (and what you can do about them).

1. E-mail.  Let’s face it.  E-mail can be a phenomenal productivity tool, but it will eat your day alive if you let it.  Lots of people complain that their overflowing inbox is beyond their control, but here are three steps you CAN take to start getting a handle on it right away:

Do you keep one eye on your inbox all day long?  What does that do to your productivity?  If you drop everything and attend to every e-mail that comes in throughout the day, you are derailing your productivity, over and over again.  Not only do you waste whatever time it takes for you to read, ignore, or act on a given e-mail message, but it also takes time to refocus your attention on whatever you were doing prior to the interruption.  Try to close Outlook completely while you work on other tasks, if you simply can’t resist looking.  Also turn off your alerts, so the envelope in the system tray doesn’t constantly remind you there’s email waiting. 

For a previous blog posting I wrote on how to process email using my 6D method, go to http://www.theproductivitypro.com/blog/2006/08/how-to-process-email-and-deal-with-information-overload/

2. Watching television.  Why is it that we can spend all day scrounging for extra minutes and then head home only to flush countless hours down the drain watching television?  Television (even bad television) can be extremely habit forming and one show can very easily lead to another, turning your half-hour escape into an entire evening wasted.

Take a quick inventory of the last few TV shows you watched.  Think about how many you thought about in advance and then sat down to enjoy.  Now think about how many you ended up watching just because they were on.  Pick a few shows that you really enjoy and watch them each week.  If you have TiVo or a DVR, that’s even better.  Watch on your own time and skip the commercials.  Then shut the TV off and go about your business!

3.  Searching the Internet.  The Internet is a bottomless pit of information…some useful and some not-so-useful.  It’s much too easy to sit down to do one thing (pay a bill, look up an address) and end up wasting time on something else entirely (reading news stories, checking your social networking profiles).

If meandering around the web is relaxing for you—that’s fine—just make sure you do it at an appropriate time and place that doesn’t interfere with work or family time.  Otherwise, treat the Internet like any other tool: use it when you need it and put it away when you’re done.  Once you’ve got what you came for, close the window and move on.

4. Procrastinating on starting a difficult task or project.  Occasionally, things don’t get done because we just can’t seem to get the ball rolling.  Sometimes the task or project giving us a hard time is completely within our control, but we just don’t make it happen.  Whether the task is intimidating, time-consuming, or simply unpleasant, the solution is often the same: break it down into manageable chunks.

Forget waiting for a “block of time.” That no longer exists. Instead of viewing the task as one huge project, break it down into manageable chunks you can schedule over a period of a week or two. A twenty-hour project can be seen as ten two-hour tasks. Getting it down on paper can help you see how to best approach the project. The key is to do something to move toward completion. If you need to focus without interruption, it’s best to not work in your office.  If you can take one large task and break it into many smaller ones, it’ll be much easier to get things going.  Rather than feeling like you have to tackle some monumental project all at once, you can just look at your bite-sized first step and get started right away.

5. Handling family concerns during my work day.  Life happens.  And it isn’t always convenient.  Some things can only be arranged during the week from 9:00 to 5:00.  Fortunately, companies are starting to realize that it’s in their best interest to assist employees attempting to manage their lives during the day rather than standing in the way.  That can mean anything from allowing workers to access the Internet for incidental personal use to offering flexible schedules to accommodate personal appointments.

Talk to your boss, your peers, and your staff about finding opportunities for flexibility within the workday.  If employees don’t feel like they have to accomplish a million things during five lunch hours a week, they’ll be more productive during the rest of the day.  Do whatever you can to promote a strong, reasonable work-life balance at your organization.     

6. Scheduling meetings.  Do you find that it’s close to impossible to get five or more attendees that are available at the same time and the same date?  When key players are overbooked, it can take hours just to schedule a single a meeting.  Here are three questions you should ask yourself whenever you schedule a meeting:

a. Do we really need all these people?  Make sure you aren’t inviting anyone that doesn’t need to have a seat at the table.  Not only does it make scheduling  more difficult, but you’ll either (A) waste their time or (B) bend over backwards to accommodate someone who isn’t going to show up anyway.
b. Can we keep people in the loop without inviting them to every meeting?  Some meetings are full of wallflowers that need to know what’s going on but don’t necessarily need to contribute.  Publishing meeting minutes or distributing essential information electronically can save time and shorten the attendee list.  Also take a look to see if some work areas are sending multiple representatives.  By choosing a single designee from each area, you can make sure everyone is represented without having everyone in the room.  ?
c. Do we need to meet at all?  This is a question we should ask about EVERY meeting, not just the hard-to-schedule ones.  Any meeting that doesn’t have a clear objective (if not a formal agenda) should be on the chopping block.

7. Working on fun things instead of boring tasks.  I love that this one made the list because it shows how honest my readers are!  We already talked about failing to get started on tasks because they are large or overwhelming, but what about the small, mundane tasks that you just can’t seem to get motivated to complete?  The best thing you can do is realize that you’ll focus much better on the work that is important to you if you don’t have a bunch of small, less interesting tasks hanging over your head.  One thing to keep in mind?  About 99 percent of the time, those nitpicky tasks are DRAMATICALLY easier and less painful than you think they’re going to be.  Getting started is the hardest part.  If you’re really having trouble, schedule a five-minute appointment with yourself to begin the chore. When the designated time arrives, start working on the task. If you feel like stopping at the end of five minutes, you can stop. The only rule is you must schedule an additional five minutes for tomorrow. When you begin to see some progress, five minutes soon becomes 10, 15, 20…

Make it a productive day! ™

(C) Copyright 2009 Laura Stack.  All rights reserved.  http://www.TheProductivityPro.com

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Today we feature guest columnist Monica Ricci.  If you enjoy this article, I recommend you subscribe to her blog’s feed: Monica Ricci’s Your Life: Organized. 

Closing The Loops

Several months ago, a thought whizzed through my head and it was “Life is a series of getting things out and putting them away.”  This is what I call “closing the loops”. If you think of a loop, maybe you picture a circle or an oval. All smooooth and sexy, the curves…

of a loop will never hurt you and the curvy shape is easy on your eyes. No, there’s nothing about a closed loop that hurts!

Now, contrast a nice smooth, wonderful closed loop with an open loop. Open loops are all those little things unfinished that you left for yourself to deal with “later”. The remnants of breakfast from this morning that you never put into the dishwasher, the stack of mail you never processed, or the shoes you dropped by the front door, the appointment you haven’t written into your calendar yet… They’re all examples of open loops. The bummer about open loops is that rather than being all nice and round, the ends are exposed and they’re barbs! Like snakes with sharp teeth, they bite you as you walk through your house. Mess here. Ow. Stack of papers there. Ow. Crumbs and dirty bowls on the counter. Ow. That’s treacherous stuff and I don’t have to tell you, it sucks the life out of you day after day. So how do you close the loops?

Simple. When you get something out, put it away. When you make sandwich, put away the ingredients before you eat it. When you process the mail, throw out the junk and move action items to the same spot every day. Basically, closing the loops is simply becoming aware of what you’re doing in the moment and choosing to follow through with whatever you start.

Follow through. Finish. Close your loops. It only takes milliseconds and it will make your life, your house, and your outlook a whole lot happier.

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Today I’m pleased to feature a guest blogger and fellow productivity consultant, Matthew Cornell.  He has interviewed me in the past and featured me on his blog.  I’ve been following his good work and musings on productivity and wholeheartedly recommend you subscribe to his feed.

by Matthew Cornell: Three Indecisiveness Phrases:

I’d like to tell you about three phrases you and I use that actually mean the opposite, and, when used improperly, hurt productivity and weaken your mind (Gasp!) Fear not, I’ll also share the only times they are OK to use. And I’ll start with a biggie.

“Let me think about it”
This is a classic in being indecisive. Situation: Have you ever been asked for something or had an offer made to you and you answered “Let me think about it”? Typically what this answer really means is “The answer is no, but I don’t want to disappoint you so I’m going to pretend to think about it.” Implied in this is “…and I hope you forget to bring it up again.” Nasty!

In this case, you’re is using the phrase as a crutch, and it has a cost:

It’s going to dog you until it’s resolved.

You’re misleading someone and wasting their time; it’s disrespectful.

You’re training yourself to be indirect and less decisive.
What you’re really doing trading is clarity for a temporary reprieve in disappointing someone. It’s a bad practice. If you know the answer, train yourself to be direct (but sensitive) and get closure right then. If you want to leave the bridge open, fine, but not if you really don’t want to discuss the issue again.

That said, this phrase does have a few specific productive uses:

You need to collect more information. However, ask yourself whether this is an excuse to put off deciding. It’s frequently better to make a decision early on, with less than 100% of possible information, than to strive for perfection. Most decisions can be mitigated later.

You need to clear or verify it with someone else. In this case, commit to a specific date to get back to them, no longer than a few days.

Germination: You really might have to let it germinate. The blogosphere is rife with creativity stories around the subconscious, and hey – who am I to take away your productive shower time But be honest about whether you really need to sit on it.

Here are a few rules if you do decide to defer:

Only one defer allowed per person. Think of it as a rare coupon you don’t want to squander.

Make your decision time bound: Limit how much you’re willing to spend on it, and don’t make it too big – one hour max, say.

Commit to a decision by a specific date (no longer than a week), and tell it to them. Then keep your word.

“Let’s get together sometime”
This really means “I’m not interested (or mildly interested), but not enough to follow through.” The solution here is simple: Pick a date. I found myself weaseling out last week. I really did want to get together with a friend and peer, but I was having a weak moment and used the phrase. It felt weird. Thank goodness she called me on it and said “Let’s set a date. how about next Monday at lunch time?”

A common variation: “We’ll be in touch” – sadly not uncommon when applying for a job or sending an unwanted proposal. Please, put me out of my misery and get it over with! (I’m told companies sometimes get so inundated with resumes that they make it easier on themselves by not sending “sorry” letters. I don’t respect this practice. Disclaimer: I’ve never been in the hiring role.)

“Interesting”
This is a true classic, and often means “That’s really uninteresting” and/or “I disagree but don’t want to get into it with you.” To be fair, this can also mean “I don’t understand or agree, but I’m willing to think about it.” Also, it rally depends on the tone.

Instead of saying this, try getting into question asking mode and being genuinely curious. (For more, see How to help people, step 1.)

(An example: I once sent a resume to a company, waited a few weeks, heard nothing, then called the hiring person. She said “We got your resume. It was … interesting.” Her tone made me think “We thought your use of crayons for the resume was innovative.” Not getting hired worked out much better, BTW.)

Others?
Do you have any favorites? A few others:

“Send me a brochure” (“I’m not interested, but I won’t say so.”)

“That’s something” (“I have no idea what to do with this gift.”)

“She’s not here right now” (“She’s here, but she doesn’t want to talk to you.”

“Thank you for sharing” (“That was wildly inappropriate. Save it for you psychiatrist.”

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Unfortunately, not all of our tasks excite us, so spending energy on them feels wasteful.  If an activity’s not challenging or offers no reward, motivation is difficult. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could complete your tasks more efficiently, so you’d have energy to spare? Well, I can help you with that.

1. Get your domestic duties done. Develop an evening routine, and make sure everyone in the family takes part. This will help you retain your sanity, happiness, and energy level, and teach other family members to respect others’ boundaries.

2. Enlist help with meals. Cooking dinner every night can be a real grind. Cook more than your family will eat so that you can browse on leftovers some evenings, and teach your children how to cook — they need to learn anyway.

3. Divvy up chores. Every single member of the family should contribute to household chores, as age allows. Try not to make chores gender-specific. Girls should know how to mow the lawn, and boys should know how to cook. These are basic life skills that they’ll need as adults.

4. Communicate clearly. Clear communication is vital, because it’s a time- and energy-saver. Don’t assume that you know what someone means when they’re assigning you a task. Ask questions, clarify, and challenge unrealistic deadlines.

5. Focus on what’s important. Don’t be a perfectionist, and don’t perform menial
tasks that someone else can do more cheaply. Do first what’s due first, try to resolve small items quickly, and don’t spend too much time on low-priority items.

6. Transform your outlook about necessary tasks.  If you dread something, you’re likely to put it off — which can be disastrous if that task is absolutely necessary. Do what you can to make it easier, but if you can’t change the situation, then change your mind. 

7. Don’t procrastinate. Force yourself to complete your work quickly, even if you hate it or are afraid you’ll have nothing to do later on. The reward is the freedom from the stress that not doing the work was causing you.

8. Work before play. Instead of doing the fun, easy, or trivial tasks first, do the hard ones. After you’re done, you can read a book, take a long hot bath, watch the sunset, or whatever it is you love to do. Having a reward waiting can help you get it done faster, because you have something to look forward to. 

Spending energy completing low-value tasks feels like a waste of time, but it’s as necessary to mop the kitchen floor as it is to buy groceries or enjoy quality time with the family. Learn how to do your chores quickly and efficiently, and you can better enjoy the rest of your life. 

(C) 2008 Laura Stack.  Laura Stack is a personal productivity expert, author, and professional speaker who helps busy workers Leave the Office Earlier® with Maximum Results in Minimum Time™. She is the president of The Productivity Pro®, Inc., a time management training firm specializing in productivity improvement in high-stress organizations.  Since 1992, Laura has presented keynotes and seminars on improving output, lowering stress, and saving time in today’s workplaces.  She is the bestselling author of three works published by Broadway Books: The Exhaustion Cure (2008), Find More Time (2006) and Leave the Office Earlier (2004).  Laura is a spokesperson for Microsoft, 3M, and Day-Timers®, Inc and has been featured on the CBS Early Show, CNN, and the New York Times. Her clients include Cisco Systems, Sunoco, KPMG, Nationwide, and 3M.  To have Laura speak at your next event, call 303-471-7401.  Visit www.TheProductivityPro.com to sign up for her free monthly productivity newsletter.

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