Even as children, we disliked that classic saying: “What you can do today, don’t put off until tomorrow!”—yet we still didn’t clean up our toys right away, delayed our homework until the last minute, and pushed unpleasant tasks to tomorrow, the day after, or next week. And as adults? Not much has changed. We’ll go to the gym tomorrow, mow the lawn on the weekend, visit our parents next month, and taxes can wait anyway… at least in theory!
At work, it’s easy to fall into the same pattern—putting off projects, emails, and calls while focusing on more pleasant tasks. But when your boss suddenly asks for a project update or the result of that “planned” call, panic and stress kick in. Sound familiar?
If not, congratulations—you’re not affected by “procrastination”! But if this sounds all too familiar, you may be stuck in it.
Procrastination – A Widespread Phenomenon
How often today have you thought, “I can do this later”? Probably more than once. But why is procrastination so common? Most people tend to choose the path of least resistance. However, procrastination shouldn’t always be taken lightly. Delaying unloading the dishwasher isn’t a big deal—but postponing tasks at work can quickly lead to negative consequences.
How to Overcome Procrastination at Work
- Set Priorities
Take time every morning to review the tasks of the day and sort them by priority. Write a to-do list or create a folder in which you arrange tasks in descending order—from important to less important or from quick to more time-consuming.
You can then decide, depending on your biorhythm, when to tackle which tasks. If you are an “early bird,” you should complete important tasks in the morning, as this is when you are most productive. If you are more of a “night owl” and reach your peak in the afternoon, you should schedule important tasks for that time.
- Break down large tasks and projects
Do you feel overwhelmed by the size and scope of a task and don’t know where or how to start? Then take a moment and break the task or project into smaller parts. Instead of one large task, create five smaller to-dos related to it. This will make it easier to get started. You will also see results more quickly once you have completed part of the task.
3. Start self-deception
Sounds wrong? It isn’t! Do you have a deadline for your task or project? Then simply move that deadline a little earlier in your calendar. This way, you work with more time pressure, but you also have a stronger incentive to finish earlier. Completing your project before the actual deadline creates a positive feeling that will stay with you. In addition, you will have more time to correct any possible mistakes.
- Avoid distractions
Do you get distracted easily? When it comes to unpleasant tasks, distractions are always welcome excuses to fall back into procrastination. First, identify what usually distracts you and eliminate those triggers. Do you always react immediately to a new email? Simply turn off the notification sound. Do you feel disturbed by a colleague who talks loudly on the phone? Then address it or close the door if necessary. This way, you can stay focused on your task.
- Analyze the task
Ask yourself why you are postponing a task. Do you simply not feel like doing it at the moment, or is there another barrier behind it? Are you afraid of making mistakes? Or do you feel overwhelmed by the task? Then you should analyze these feelings more closely. Why do you feel this way? Have you failed at a similar task before, or is the topic unfamiliar to you? In that case, such fear is understandable. Nevertheless, you should see this task as a new opportunity and approach it with a positive mindset.
It is also important to analyze the consequences of not starting the task out of fear or possibly making a mistake while working on it. Just by putting it into words, you will realize that avoiding the task would likely have far greater consequences.
- Just start
Now ask yourself the following question: what would happen if you simply started with the most unpleasant task? Probably nothing—except that you get it done and can then focus on the tasks you actually enjoy.
So go ahead, just start and give procrastination the cold shoulder!