Procrastination can be debilitating for job seekers if they continue to put off polishing resumes and writing cover letters. However, there are some benefits to procrastinating if frustration levels have reached an all-time high. Learn how procrastination can both make and break your job search and how to use procrastination as a tool throughout the process.
Procrastination Defined
It is common to put off one task because it is difficult or you're uninterested. Procrastination, though, during a job search can lead you to distraction. Instead of completing tedious tasks, such as job searching online, updating social media profiles and writing cover letters, procrastination can lead you to the couch for must-see TV or out the door to meet up with friends, even when work is pending.
Procrastination also leads job seekers to work on the easy tasks while putting off the more difficult ones. For example, you may find yourself putting away laundry or washing the car instead of working on your online portfolio.
Traits of Procrastinators
A procrastinator is often hesitant to reveal progress during the job search. Instead of focusing on the future, procrastinators tend to cling on to past successes to justify putting off work that needs to be done to find a new job or career. As a result, a procrastinator is less likely to act on intentions because fear and doubt have become overwhelming. They may also experience bouts of anxiety, depression and low self-esteem because they have not yet fulfilled their goals or feel pressured by pending deadlines.
When procrastinators face their fears yet fail to take action, it can be a breaking point for their career search. However, some procrastinators thrive on the adrenaline of the rush and may work faster when up against a deadline, which can make their career.
The Procrastination Problem
Procrastination becomes a problem for job seekers when it completely derails their efforts to look for a job or follow up with potential employers. Missed opportunities due to procrastination can be costly if the issue persists.
Procrastination also leads to stress that can affect your physical and emotional well-being. Fear often fuels your desire to put off tasks, your self-confidence and self-esteem plummets when you miss opportunities, and your energy level is affected. The adrenaline rush of trying to make up for lost time can cause you to lose sleep, miss meals and experience rapid heartbeat when trying to race against the clock.
Putting off submitting your resume and cover letter can lead to missed deadlines or sloppy work that is submitted at the last minute. As a result, you could taint your professional brand, appear to be sloppy or lazy to professional employers, and miss out on interviews and job offers because you put the work off until the last minute.
The long-term effects of procrastinating during a job search are not trivial. In fact, this habit not only affects your productivity but also your happiness. When deadlines are missed or you fail to complete a project or task, it is likely your mood is affected as well as your confidence in your abilities and skills.
The Procrastination Benefits
On the other hand, procrastination is often a necessary tool to improve productivity with your job search. Job seekers who find themselves staring into space while searching for open positions or consumed with anxiety because they have yet to receive a response from potential employers need to take a break.
A pause from job searching for an afternoon or even a day allows them to refresh and prioritize. For example, if you find that you are so unorganized with your job search that you can't finish one task, it may be time to put off some tasks to get organized. Create a database of professional contacts, potential employers and job submissions to easily track your progress instead of slaving over your resume and cover letter. You can easily go back to these tasks after you feel that you have all of your legwork in place.
Procrastination is also a healthy habit for job seekers who work better under pressure. If you find that you produce your best work one day or even hours before a deadline, allow procrastination to make your career by working on the easier tasks associated with applying for a position first. Once you have all the minor tasks out of the way, the race to finish the most difficult can be exhilarating. As the adrenaline kicks in, you may find that you have more energy and are less distracted because your focus is sharp.
The key to using procrastination to your advantage is to analyze how you work best. While some job seekers work better with a plotted time slot of must-do tasks necessary to apply for positions, others work better by pushing tasks off until the deadline is looming. Ensure that you are prepared for distractions, and make procrastination work for you so you can make your career opportunities instead of breaking them.
Photo Courtesy of Ambros at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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