One of the biggest threats to productivity is procrastination. Why do we delay tasks to make time for things less important? Since understanding why we do things is the first step in determining a solution, let’s take a look at the leading procrastination causes at work, and then address how to move past them.
- Feeling overwhelmed. Procrastination is common when people feel the task at hand is too complex. In these situations it is important to break the project down to essential components, then take on one component at a time.
- A sense of control. Having the freedom to postpone a task can be liberating. If you find you are feeling this way, remind yourself why you want to accomplish the project at hand and the consequences that could take place if you don’t finish it in a timely manner. If this isn’t effective, think about what motivates you personally and make a deal with yourself.
- Not enough motivation. If the value of completing a task is unclear, reframe the way you look at it. Restructure how you think of the task so it becomes emotionally appealing to you.
- Fear. At work, fear can come in many forms: fear of failure, fear of rejection or even fear of success. The best way to subdue fear is to be aware of it. Once you recognize what it is you’re fearful of, it will likely start to subside.
- Fatigue or a lack of focus. If procrastinating due to fatigue or lack of concentration, take a look at our previous post: 11 Simple Strategies to Improve Concentration at Work.
- Uncertainty about where to start. When you don’t know where to start, build a roadmap for completion. Write down what you know about completing a project, like the end-goal, and it will become much easier to start filling in the blanks.
- Perfectionism. Often people want to delay working on something until they’re great at it. Ironically, the only way to get better is by practice and implementation so it’s important to not let this notion of idealism hold you back.
Take a little extra initiative to determine why you’re delaying work and it shouldn’t take long to find a solution and overcome procrastination. Visit our productivity page or request a free trial to learn how Sendio eliminates all unwanted mail, allowing you to focus on completing the important tasks in front of you soundly and efficiently.