Determine Your Procrastination Personality
Brook Noel is the author of The Change Your Life Challenge: A 70 Day Life Makeover Program for Women. Learn more at www.changeyourlifechallenge.com
Let's face it: at one point or another, we are all bound to procrastinate on something. Even the most efficient time-manager will have a bump in the road now and then. But what happens when procrastination becomes the norm instead of the exception? While Nike? tells us to "Just Do It," what happens when we "Just Don't!"
Procrastination is a frustrating diversion for many. In Day 9 of the CYLC book we explore a Prescription for Procrastination. However, given this is such a hot-topic for many, I wanted to offer further exploration. Now, this exploration won't do you any good if you don't explore with me. So create a new file in Word or grab a pencil and paper. Go ahead, I'll wait here. (Come on? go? if you procrastinate you'll be missing the point! And don't do this in your 'head' because you don't like to write things down-just follow the instructions and grab that paper.)
Make five headings at the top of your piece of paper.
1. Procrastinated Task: List out at least 10 tasks you are currently procrastinating on, or remember procrastinating over in the past. (The more you list, the more revealing this exercise will be.)
2. Extent of Procrastination: How long has the task remained unfinished?
3. Life Area: What area of your life does it fall into? (Consult the sections of the CYLC book if you need help determining the different life areas, i.e. spiritual, self-care, relationships, time-management, etc.)
4. Deadline Driven: Is there a definite deadline; if so, list it out.
5. Solo or Not: Does this task involve other people? If so, list the people.
6. Reason: (We will get to this column in a moment)
Leave some space below each task that you record.
Give yourself as much time as you need to list 10 or more tasks before completing the next section of this Challenge.
Let's analyze each column.
1. Procrastinated Task: Look at this column in conjunction with Life Area. Is there a certain life area where you tend to procrastinate? (The tasks may fall into a couple of life areas-if so list them out.)
2. Extent of Procrastination: Look at how long you have procrastinated on your tasks. Then take a moment to write down all the cons of this procrastination on another piece of paper. If you are delaying exercise, could you be seriously impacting your health and your family and you might pay for it later? If you have been procrastinating on taxes or budgeting, are you furthering financial stress that will continue to weigh on your shoulders? Take a realistic look at the cost of your choices. Also, evaluate whether you are a "dawdler" or not. Dawdlers take mini-steps, just enough to say they aren't procrastinating, but never seem to finish a project. Renounce dawdling and start doing!
3-5. Deadline Driven and Solo or Not: These columns offer an interesting insight into common themes among procrastinated tasks. Some people find that the tasks they procrastinate on do not have deadlines. If this is the case, an easy remedy is to assign a self-made deadline to everything. Other people find that it is the solo activities where they procrastinate most. A quick solution is to find a support partner to be accountable to.
6. In the space that you have left blank, write down what you have learned about each of your procrastinated tasks. List a new action based on what you have uncovered. Keep this list right next to your keyboard and read through it everyday along with the page you wrote on the cost of procrastination. Continue to do this, each and every day, until you have crossed these items off of your list. Overcoming procrastination is a lot like riding a bike. Once you understand the logic behind your specific choices, you can make better choices moving forward.
Brook Noel is the author of The Change Your Life Challenge: A 70 Day Life Makeover Program for Women. Learn more at http://www.changeyourlifechallenge.com
Wood Dale Chicago prom limo .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareThere is no such thing as time management. You cannot... Read More
Still awaiting the birth of my baby (I am overdue),... Read More
From Potential to PerformanceOne of the great things about life... Read More
Partnering with the University of Pennsylvania Law School and the... Read More
"If you control your time, you control your life" -... Read More
Why Read?It's been said that there are three kinds of... Read More
Once you have completed your day you can boost your... Read More
It's always a challenge finding time to clean my house.... Read More
As a business owner, wouldn't it be great if you... Read More
What keeping time really means is...being on time!You know, there... Read More
Your time and energy are the two most precious gifts... Read More
When do you want to make time for a networking... Read More
"It's just been one of those days?I can't seem to... Read More
Benjamin Franklin wrote: "If you want to enjoy one of... Read More
Friends, colleagues, and clients are all telling me that one... Read More
TIME MANAGEMENTWith the creation of the universe, God gave humankind... Read More
In this digital age, the importance of being able to... Read More
Do you believe that the best way to deal with... Read More
I've divided my tips into two sections - 5 ways... Read More
Zak is my three-year old godson. He is the apple... Read More
Whenever I've worked on 'de-cluttering' my living or working space,... Read More
Today, it is hard to open an e-mail newsletter, a... Read More
"How do you DO it?!" If I had a dime... Read More
Letters, magazines, bills, flyers, what to do with them all.... Read More
How many people do you know who are so busy... Read More
Antigo wedding limo .."TIME CANNOT BE 'MANAGED.' THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF TIME MANAGEMENT... Read More
OK...let's assume that you're truly motivated to change. Great. But... Read More
Want to improve your time management?Edward W. Smith, motivational speaker,... Read More
Reflect on the rewards of kicking the procrastination habit. They... Read More
What would be your reaction if someone said to you... Read More
When do you want to make time for a networking... Read More
My job in Chicago began with three months of probation.I... Read More
A common remedy for improving your time management is to... Read More
One of the most common complaints that small business owners... Read More
If I had a dollar or even better a pound... Read More
Riding the subway home yesterday, my typically silent car was... Read More
"It's just been one of those days?I can't seem to... Read More
As a professional organizer, consultant and trainer, I have come... Read More
Our daily lives are inundated with a crammed to-do list.... Read More
Number Yourself: Count yourself as an important individual. You are... Read More
"Can you find four extra hours in your day?" a... Read More
"I never seem to have any time for myself. What... Read More
As each day passes, and more and more things need... Read More
I am an ordinary man - A middle class high... Read More
Let's say that you have a software project that's under... Read More
This past Friday I was asked to speak with a... Read More
It is common knowledge that creating and living according to... Read More
One of the biggest problems most people have when it... Read More
Balancing a family's varying schedules can be near impossible. Soccer,... Read More
Whenever I've worked on 'de-cluttering' my living or working space,... Read More
Time Management |