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Taming Procrastination: 3 Strategies

25/5/2016

Delaying, prolonging and stretching out tasks. We all do it. We joke about it. We tease others about it. Procrastination, however, does get in the way of our productivity.

It seems that we are resigned to dealing with procrastination. It’s just a part of life. Right? It doesn’t have to be.

Let’s look at common reasons why we procrastinate and three strategies to deal with three types of procrastination.

Which one of these is you?
The reasons we put off task are many but generally fall into three categories. Check to see which one matches your current procrastination slump and discover a strategy for dealing with it.

1. The task makes you feel uncomfortable.

In this situation, it is the job in front of you that feeds your resistance.

You might need to have a difficult conversation with someone and address his or her performance issues. That makes you feel queasy. No one really wants to have a conversation in which you must tell somebody they need to do a better job.
Another example might be that the task ahead of you stretches you outside your comfort zone. Perhaps you are preparing to be the chairperson of a group that just recently joined. You may not really know what the expectations are of you, and you’re a bit nervous.

Strategy
If the task in front of you makes you uncomfortable, “Name it to tame it.” By pausing and identifying what’s going on under the surface, you’ll be able to get a handle on your emotions that are triggering your procrastination.

It is your emotions that stop your actions.
Naming the emotion you feel, allows you deal with your resistance to the task in front of you.

When I say to myself I’m apprehensive about how this conversation is going to turn out; I can remind myself that I need to take a deep breath first. I will make sure I am well prepared. I can also schedule it at a time that allows for fresh energy, perhaps earlier in the morning.
- Name the anxiety allowed me to address it instead of the anxiety paralyzing me.
When I recognize I’m scared about chairing the upcoming meeting; I can use the fear as a cue. The fear reminds me I see value from this group. It can help me connect with why this is important for me to do. I might remind myself I joined this committee because it can potentially make a big difference for our clients.
- Naming the fear allows me to move through the feelings of apprehension rather than it hindering me.

2) The NEXT task makes you uncomfortable.

Try finishing these sentence

If I finish this project, I will have to….
When I finish this project, the next step will be…

What emotion did the next task bring up for you?

It might be that you will have more work to do.
- That makes you feel overwhelmed.
You may be seen as more competent and be assigned more duties.
- This makes you feel anxious.
It might take you to the next level of training.
- That might have you feel nervous.

It’s the subsequent feeling, about what happens next, that has you procrastinating on the current project.

Strategy
Take time to recognize the links. Notice what is coming up after the task you are procrastinating on.

Make notes of your fears and what anxiety right arises in you about the next step. Then, go back to the first strategy. Name it to tame it. Naming the emotions allows you to get a handle on it. Being in control of your emotions puts you back into motion.

3) You are depleted
The most often overlooked reason we procrastinate is that we are truly depleted. We are like cell phones. We run out of charge. The problem is most of us only plug back in for a short time. Bumping back up to 10% charge doesn’t allow us to function adequately. Before long we are feeling drained again. When you’re running on empty, it’s extremely difficult to focus and use brainpower.

Strategy

Rest and recharge. Give yourself a real break. Take at least an evening to shut off completely and do something that refuels you.
Eat several times a day and make sure you include lots of protein. Our brains burn 20% of our daily calorie burn. We need to fuel our brains. Protein is critical for that.

Employing these strategies to move through resistance will put you back in control. Noticing the emotional connection to what is going on helps you to regain momentum. Remember, name it to tame it. And, please don’t forget to recharge fully.

Kathy is a leadership coach for women who want to strengthen their leadership and find balance in life. She mentors females as they rediscover their purpose, passion and persistence for life while dealing with office politics, jerk bosses and the challenges of family life. In her signature program Women with Grit: Leading with Courage & Confidence, Kathy gives her ladies the hope and inspiration they need along with a kick in the pants to make positive change in their lives.

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Getting 'er Done (BIG Project Tips)

20/5/2016

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Distractions and disruptions can mean disaster for big projects!

Don’t let that happen to you. If you focus on the following three tips, you’ll find you can ditch distractions, diminish the disruptions and delight in what you can accomplish.

I was afraid I wouldn't get it done
I am working on finishing up my first book. I wrote it in between traveling, speaking, coaching, and teaching as well as my day-to-day tasks of running my business. The fear that I was going to be able to pull it off with such a full schedule prompted me to develop a completion strategy.

To finish the book amidst potential derailment from everything else going on, I needed to be focused. That meant I had to hone in on the productivity strategies I teach. The book I am writing means too much to me, I could not let it linger on forever. I knew it was time to practice what I preach.

To Do Lists Don't Work
I wish I had known more about this kind of productivity when I was in management. Back then trying to get through proposal writing, preparing for accredited reviews, completing a performance appraisal, or trying in vain to get through an overhaul of our orientation manual meant putting it on my to-do list. The problem was, just because it was on the top of my list didn't mean it was first to get done. My list didn’t help me stay focused. When someone else thought his or her demand of my time was more important, I tended to react to their petition. (read more about ditching ginormous to-do lists)

3 Tips to help complete BIG projects
If you have experienced similar challenges, here are some productivity hacks that will help you out immensely.

1) Set aside large chunks of time
Minimally you need to set aside one-hour blocks of time to work on projects. Preferably it should be 2 - 3 hours at a time. It is even better if you can set aside the whole day or two. Block off the blocks of time in your agenda

Schedule in the blocks as if they were an appointment. Commit to it just like you would commit to a meeting with a person.

Your brain needs time connect to the work and to sink into it. That takes longer periods of time than we usually give our minds. Deep work requires you to let go of everything else that you’ve been working on and shift your focus solely onto this task.

When you want to do deep work, you are looking to get into the flow state. Some people call “in the zone.” When you are in that place, you don’t notice time passing. When you shift to this state, you can be more creative. You have time to let thoughts flow, wander and generate.

2) Eliminate distractions
Communicate clearly to everyone what you are doing. "I am shutting my door and going to work for 2 hours on this project." Emphasize, “Do not interrupt me!” Repeat your message again and again. Set the boundaries. When someone knocks on your door and asks if they can just ask you a quick question, stick to your guns. “I’ll be done at 11:30 and will be able to answer your question then. If you need assistance before then, please check with Jen.” Be firm.

The truth is, it is easier to be firm with other people. It’s you that is your biggest enemy. You’re the one who’s the people pleaser. You’re the one who feels guilty if you don’t respond to someone’s request. You will have to work hard to strengthen your willpower and stay focused.

Your biggest distraction will be your cell phone. Shut it off. Leave it on the other side of the room, or put it outside of your office. Do not having your phone sitting beside you. When your phone is within hands reach, you will automatically check it and get derailed. Commit instead, to checking it at regular intervals such as at the top of every hour or only mid-day and towards the end of the day.

3) Master the fundamentals
There are three basics needs you must take into account when you’re trying to be extremely productive: Eat healthy, move often, sleep well.

Eat healthy
I don’t need to tell you what eating healthy mean. I will inform you, however, that you should increase your intake of protein. Few people are eating enough protein daily. Protein is brainpower. It fuels your brain and strengthens your willpower. You will need it to get through the big projects.

Move often
Do not sit at your desk for 8 hours straight. Get up and move your body every 20 minutes. Stretch often. Go for short walks. Regular movement keeps your body from tightening up. The action also helps to keep the creative juices flowing.

Sleep well
It is critical that you get 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night at of the best of times. Sleep is even more important when you’re trying to be productive. During the last hour of your day wind down without screens. That means no computer, phone or TV. Go to bed early. Waking after a solid sleep gives you a fresh start to being productive.

Blocking off large chunks of time and communicating to your team what you are doing is the first component to completing big projects. Don't stop there, though. Stay focused on the project by eliminating the distractions. Remember, you are your worst enemy. Keep the phone and the guilt as far away from you as possible. Eat healthy, move your body and get a good nights sleep. Mastering the basics gives you the edge you need to dig deep and get er' done.