I've been thinking about procrastination quite a bit since starting my own company. There is an entire industry promoting helpful tips on how to avoid procrastination. I've never really spent much time until recently reading any of the advice. Instead, in the past I just tried to avoid procrastination. My success rate is hit and miss. Some careful analysis of my own love/hate relationship with procrastination has led me to some interesting conclusions. First, if you are like me -- you just can't avoid procrastination. It's just part of your character. I know I like to work in spurts. Do nothing. Pulse. Do nothing. Do nothing. Do nothing. Pulse. Well, this pulsing strategy works really well for some types of adventures. Some it doesn't. It's not conducive to owning your own business -- there are just too many plates to spin. Something always needs your attention. So if we can't avoid procrastination, how can we minimize it? How can we negotiate with it?
First, see procrastination as a strategy or a technique for achieving a host of different goals. I've begun to see procrastination as a form of asymmetrical warfare a part of my psyche uses against the more successful, driven and motivated portion of my psyche. But why? Well, I would categorize the goals behind procrastination this way:
- Delaying a potential frustrating, embarrassing, or difficult event
- Using my time in an alternative time-wasting manner, such as daydreaming
- Avoiding a boring or uninteresting task
- Being lazy because I'm either mentally or physically exhausted
- Being lazy because I believe I'm either mentally or physically exhausted
The little rogue state that encourages the use of procrastination isn't such a boogie man -- just misunderstood and underrepresented. Also, he's not that mature; so he doesn't use good techniques in dealing with situations. Armed with this information, I've come up with some alternative negotiating strategies for dealing with him. Yes, I negotiate with myself! I'm not that concerned with my sanity because they are bilateral talks -- if they were six party talks, well then I'd be riding the crazy train.
Here's a few different negotiation strategies, they go something like this:
Scenario 1:
"OK, so I see you want to procrastinate. Why?"
"Well there is some unpleasant event I don't want to deal with."
"OK, let's take care of that right away! Now!"
"Now."
"Absolutely, the sooner the better. That way there is no time to worry about it. The more you worry the more dreadful it seems."
"I don't want to."
"I know, guess what, let's use that time we free up from worrying to do something fun."
"Fun?"
"Oh yeah, let's daydream, read a book, walk in the park, grab a beer, or catch a movie."
"Really? Can we get a beer and see a movie?"
"Sure. But, first we deal with the event."
"OK!"
Scenario 2:
"Hey, do we have to do such and such? Let's do nothing instead!"
"Why don't you want to do such and such?"
"It's boring!"
"Yeah, I know"
"Cool. Agreed? We can do nothing then?"
"Hold on. We really need to get this done. Here are the consequences of not getting this done. Guess what, it may actually mean we have to work harder."
"So. But, not right now."
"I hear ya. Guess what, I'll make you a deal. Let's work on it for 40 minutes and then we can take a little 20 minute screw off break. What do you think?"
"I don't know."
"Come on."
"OK, but, just this time."
At
this point, I think to myself, no problem I can negotiate with you all
day like this. We'll get 8 or 9 hours of work done at this pace.
Anyways,
you get the point. When you find yourself trying to procrastinate find
out why. Then try to negotiate with the part of you that wants to.
Trade with that part of yourself if you have to. Sometimes, when you've
driven procrastination a way for a while let him win a few
negotiations. Just don't let him in on the secret that you have only
let him win the battles you wanted to loose. You're consciously
creating free time for your mind and body to relax and have fun -- and
that is doing something! That helps you drive your success and stay
motivated.
How do you deal with procrastination?
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