How to Beat Procrastination - 30 November 2009

Trent Mankelow

I was gonna do a talk on

procrastination but I decided to put it off

What is procrastination?

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Procrastination – The act of postponing or

delaying an action needlessly

Source: http://www.blurburger.com/shoebox/toons/albums/toons/toon_procrastinator.gif

What percentage of people procrastinate?

What percentage of people procrastinate?

What do you procrastinate over?

• Me:– Chores e.g. Cleaning the shower– Thinking tasks e.g. Writing our

newsletter– Big projects e.g account management– New projects e.g. hiring a board of

directors

Why do we procrastinate?

• We are afraid of failure

• We are afraid of being imperfect

• We are overwhelmed

Why should we care? What impact does procrastination have?

• Makes it difficult for others to get their job done

• The quality of your work may suffer (especially if it’s done at the last minute)

• You can miss deadlines• It can add to your stress levels (and your

guilt levels), and affect your life outside work

Is procrastination always bad?

Sometimes procrastination = percolation

Tips on Starting

Sometimes starting is the hardest thing

Ironically, “the act of starting reveals the real work you have to do” – The NOW Habit, p111

How to start: Sprints

How to start: Sprints

1. Choose a task to be accomplished2. Set the Pomodoro to 25 minutes (the Pomodoro is the

timer)3. Work on the task until the Pomodoro rings, then put a

check on your sheet of paper4. Take a short break (5 minutes is OK)5. Every 4 Pomodoros take a longer break

Check out• www.pomodorotechnique.com• www.focusboosterapp.com

Spend five minutes thinking about the outcome

Take a break first

How to start: Brainstorming

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Get a friend to help

Source: http://www.teachingauthors.com/2009_07_01_archive.html

As part of the brainstorm I make sure I have a concrete, next action to start with

Use a pen and paper

Start the day right

Decide on a Most Important Task before you leave work each day

Park on a downhill slope

Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/DunedinBaldwinStreet_Parked_Car.jpg

Avoid e-mail for the first hour of every day.

You heard me.

Tips on Writing

Do “shitty first drafts”

•Write •in •bulletpoints

Consider only giving yourself a certain number of revisions

Other random tips

Say No

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Plan play

Source: http://www.toothpastefordinner.com/120304/go-outside-and-play-with-your-utah.gif

“We are more likely to work productively when we can anticipate pleasure and success” – The NOW Habit, page 75

Celebrate success

List your anxieties

1. What is the worst that could happen?2. What would I do if the worst really happened?3. How would I lessen the pain and get on with

as much happiness as possible if the worst did occur?

4. What alternatives would I have?5. What can I do now to lessen the probability of

this dreaded event occurring?6. Is there anything I can do now to increase my

chances of achieving my goal?From The Now Habit, p 99

What other ideas do you have? How do you break through procrastination?