Procrastination

Have you ever found yourself procrastinating at work or at home?  If you answered yes, you are not alone.  There are a number of us who have perfected this particular form of art.  

You might find it interesting to know that psychologists believe that rather than laziness, it’s really task aversion that is the issue for procrastinators.  You see the task as being too difficult, boring or painful.  It’s the way you manage distress at the heart of it.

With this information we’d like to share some suggestions for you to improve on your procrastination.  

• Try not to make a “huge deal” out of the task.  Say, “it’s not my favorite task but I can get through it.”

• Focus on why it would be helpful to complete the job.  It can turn out to be more stressful to have it hanging over your head rather than getting it done.

• Don’t say, ”I’ll get it done when I have time”, instead mark a time on your calendar.  Set a timer to get the work done if you need to focus.

• Be realistic about the time needed and if it’s a large project break it into chunks.  Trying to tackle a big project can be overwhelming and cause you to put it off.

• Have you said, “I need to be in the mood.”  Stop those excuses.

• If you work well with a partner, add one and make sure you don’t get distracted by social media or your phone.  You might consider actually turning your phone off while you do the work.

• You can reward yourself. Rewards can be a good incentive.  What would be a good thing to treat yourself with when the project is complete?

• Do you beat yourself up on past or present procrastinations?  Avoid that. Think positively and figure out the stress around a particular project and address it.

Private Home Health Care understands that some of us are perfectionists.  We want you to go easy on yourself and follow some of the tips above.  You will find yourself feeling better when a project is completed.