Image by L-T-L (mid-way through chemo) via Flickr
Understanding the problem is the first step.
You know, there are so many things that we do to ourselves that cause us to fail. I'm not sure if it's caused by a fear of failure or rather a fear of success, but either way, we all do it. Whether you are looking for a job, following up on job leads or getting a presentation together, one of the best ways to ensure failure, or at least sabotage your level of success is procrastinating.
Procrastination is one of the most common roadblocks we put up for ourselves on our path to success. You do it, I do it (more than I'd like to admit) and for some, it can be a huge stumbling point in their lives.
If there is no upside to doing this, why is it so common and what causes it? Some experts believe that it is born out of rebellion, others believe that it is a result of perfectionism gone awry. Whatever the cause, here are 5 things you should know about procrastination.
- 20 percent of people claim that they are chronic procrastinators. This means that they put things off until it's too late or until the last minute in all aspects of their lives. Their bills are habitually late, they are late for appointments, dates and other events. Despite their best efforts, they always seem to find themselves shopping for birthday and holiday presents at the last minute. Some even put off doing things like cashing paychecks or checking their mail.
- Many people think that it is a problem with managing time, when in fact, it's a much more complex issue. People who procrastinate don't do it because they underestimate how long a task will take. Instead, they are overly optimistic about their ability to get the job done. In addition, some people who are perfectionists use it as an excuse for why their work wasn't perfect. The thought is that if it isn't that great, they can blame it on the lack of time. If they actually gave themselves enough time to complete the task, they would obsess about getting it perfect.
- Many psychologists believe that procrastination is something people do in response to an overly controlling upbringing. In many cases, it may be the only sort of rebellion a child or teenager is capable of. Whatever the cause, telling a chronic procrastinator to get a date book is similar to telling someone who is depressed to "just cheer up". The problem goes much deeper than simply dealing with the symptoms.
- People who procrastinate frequently may also have alcohol problems. Even if they don't have a dependency issue, they might have trouble knowing when to say when.
People who have co-workers or loved ones who chronically put things off until the last moment often feel as though the procrastinator is dishonest or frequently lies to them. The truth is, procrastinators lie to themselves. They rationalize and make excuses to themselves much more often than they do to others. When they say that they are going to start on something right away, and then don't, they actually believed it when they said it.
Procrastination is the easiest way to set yourself up to fail. If you have trouble with this, there are many resources that can help you. It isn't something that will go away and it isn't a sign of a lack of discipline. In order to make a change, you first have to determine what causes you to put things off. For some people, it is the adrenaline rush of working until the last possible minute. For others, it is more of an avoidance technique. Perfectionists and those who are afraid of failure or success put things off because they'd rather people believe that they didn't put in enough effort instead of thinking that they aren't capable. The other type of procrastinator is someone who finds it hard to make a decision.
Once you know what's causing you to put things off, you can take the steps to heal and become more effective in you professional life as well as your personal one.
Do you have trouble with putting things off? If so, what things do you find helpful? Please share your thoughts and suggestions in the comments.
By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for Administrativejobsblog. Along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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