Procrastination can actually be a defense mechanism you use to deal with your time management stress. You really don’t procrastinate because you’re lazy or have some sort of character flaw. Procrastination can just be your way of dealing with something you aren’t comfortable with or about.
When you realize you’re procrastinating instead of stressing about it get to the reason you’re doing it. Evaluate what’s really important to you not to someone else, but you. Are you procrastinating on the things that are important to you or to someone else? List the specific things you’re procrastinating about.
Reduce your time management stress by understanding why you need to take action. As you review the things on your procrastination list ask yourself why is it important? The things on your procrastination list can only be important if they take you closer to the accomplishment of something you really want. If they don’t they really aren’t important, and you should just take them off your plate. You aren’t procrastinating you’re simply making a wise decision.
If there’s anything left on your list reduce your time management stress by figuring out how to proceed. The only things left on your list are things that are really important to you and for you. What’s keeping you from doing it or holding you back? Are there little steps you could take each day that would bring you closer to accomplishing what you’ve been putting off? Do you need help in the form of knowledge, resources, or outside assistance? How much time would each little step take if you just did one thing each day? How much better would you feel if you could just do one little thing each day to move you closer to the accomplishment of this thing that is causing you unnecessary stress?
What’s keeping you from taking action? Are you stuck in limbo not taking action because you’re unsure about your return on your time investment? You’ve already decided this action will take you closer to what you want or it wouldn’t still be on your procrastination list. What are you risking if you just take the action and you don’t get the full return on your time investment that you want? What will you potentially gain if you do get the full return on your time investment? Focus on whichever is most motivating to you and praise yourself for the little actions you take. Make a commitment to yourself to take the action and then keep your commitment. If you decide at some point this thing really doesn’t fit into your plans like you thought it would you can then make a good decision and take it off your plate.
Would you like to learn more about your time behaviors? Try this Time Management Analysis.
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