Avoid Procrastination

Today I’m going to deviate from HVAC to talk about a problem many business owners as well as employees face: Procrastination. 

What is Procrastination?

Have you ever put something off that you should be doing now? If so, then you have fallen victim to procrastination. It happens to everyone every once in a while. The key is to know when it is unwise to put things off and how to avoid the temptation in the first place.

Bernard Meltzer once said, “Hard work is often the easy work you did not do at the proper time.”

What Causes Procrastination?

There are many reasons (excuses?) to put things off. It could be just that you are waiting for the right time to do the job, or that you are not in the mood. Other reasons could have to do with the way you organize your work. Answering these questions might help you determine why a task is not getting done:

• Are your goals clear?
• Is the task more difficult than anticipated?
• Is the task taking longer than expected?
• Do you understand what the outcome of the task is supposed to be?
• Where did the task assignment come from, and how do you feel about it?
• Is the task too ambiguous?

Some personality traits might be blocking your ability to perform as well, such as the fear of failure or success, perfectionism or the need to develop decision making skills.

How Do You Avoid Procrastination?

Confronting these issues can help you avoid putting off tasks. Below are some steps you can take to stop procrastinating and get the project done!

Set Goals:

• Clearly define your final objective.
• List the steps it will take to achieve your goal.
• Note the steps that have already been completed. A visual reminder that you are making progress can aid in keeping up your motivation.

Motivate Yourself:

• Ask yourself what is your motivation. Having a positive motive for completing a task can help to keep you on track. If you are thinking negative thoughts about a task, you are more likely to put it off.
• Make a list of your roadblocks. Decide what you can change and change it so you can reach your goal.
• Ask yourself what will happen if you do not complete the task. Knowing this may be enough to motivate you.

Develop a Plan:

• Make a list of the resources you will need to complete the task. These can be books, time and even people.
• Develop your plan using realistic steps.
• Schedule your tasks according to the amount of time it should take to complete each one.
• Set aside time each day or week to focus on the project.
• Set periodic goals and reward yourself when you reach them.
• Find someone to review your work periodically.

Some final reminders to beat procrastination: Always remember that mistakes do happen. Make sure you do not dwell on them, but chalk it up as experience, learn from it and move on. There will be distractions and escapes. Do not give in to temptation! There will be emotional roadblocks such as frustration when things don’t seem to be going right. Rather than let it stall your progress, develop a plan to get past it and move forward. Finally, visualize your success! Good luck out there!