A few weeks ago I posted this article. A new friend in England and I have connected, as a result of reading the article. He sells “work from home” franchises. It’s a small world, isn’t it? You might want to connect with him to hear about his opportunities. Just click the link in this paragraph to learn more.
Here’s the article again!
Daily procrastination is a demon we face. People who look well-organized may simply have learned to cope. Literature abounds with ways to manage time. I’m writing to remind you that you can permit procrastination or you can prohibit it.
Paul Allen may be the best known productivity expert. His book Getting Things Done, published in 2001, continues to be a best seller. Many of us tried to read and follow Allen’s advice, only to divert our attention to things far more pleasant than organizing our lives.
Coping with Procrastination
As a work-from-home writer, I can attest to the many ways to procrastinate. Let’s see, would I rather write or play with the dog? Would I rather check my email for the 40th time or write a query? How do I cope?
I adore crossing off items on my “to do” list, but procrastination often bites me in the fingers. Today I had no outside appointments, which means I can write all day. Are you kidding? Since my 8:30 a.m. appointment to work on taxes lasted until 10:30, I missed my writing appointment with me from 9-11. Although my “write time” disappeared, I try hard to attend all my daily “self” meetings. I managed research this afternoon and wrote a brief outline and I’ll finish writing this before I watch a favorite television program, recorded on the DVR.
I use an Excel spreadsheet to track my queries, projects and follow-up calls. All of us must schedule time for paying bills, updating files, marketing/networking contacts, and production, whether we provide a service or product.
Recently a young writer asked me for advice; she was looking for writing advice, but readily admitted procrastination is a significant problem. The best tip I had for her was scheduling time daily when she would faithfully fulfill that obligation to herself.
“I work best under stress.”
In an article from Psychology Today, written by Hara Estroff Marano , she shared research to help determine whether you have a problem. Ms. Marano is the Editor of Psychology Today.
“According to Joseph Ferrari, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at De Paul University in Chicago, real procrastinators tell themselves five lies:
• They overestimate the time they have left to perform tasks.
• They underestimate the time it takes to complete tasks.
• They overestimate how motivated they will feel the next day, the next week, the next month — whenever they are putting things off to.
• They mistakenly think that succeeding at a task requires that they feel like doing it.
• They mistakenly believe that working when not in the mood is sub-optimal.”
I often hear people say, “I work best under pressure.” Oh, really? Getting started is often the real issue. Perhaps the project is not well planned. Perhaps the tasks are overwhelming, causing fear. Let’s look at that. You don’t have to feel good to start the project. You just “gotta do it.” Learn to say “no” helps. Tell people you need to talk later works.
Next time you keep pushing an important task to a hidden desk drawer, try making appointments with yourself. Only look at E-mail two or three times a day. Don’t watch so much television. I’m willing to bet the quality of your productivity (and life) will increase substantially.
Ruth Glover writes to assist you improve your quality of life in many ways. Today she tackles procrastination. She’s a writer, speaker and trainer.
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