We all procrastinate at some time or another. It’s just human nature. What really matters is knowing how to stop procrastination in its tracks.
The Simple Trick to Stop Procrastination
Who hasn’t procrastinated? Think of a person you admire for their efficiency or intelligence and chances are good that that person has procrastinated more than you can imagine.
In fact, some people believe that a reasonable level of procrastination may be good for us.
For example, in a now-famous experiment, participants were asked to come up with business ideas. Some participants were asked to craft their ideas right away, while others were allowed to play Minesweeper for five minutes before turning in their assignment. In the end, the ideas from the group of “procrastinators” were considered 28% more original than those of their counterparts.
And while procrastination seems to help creativity, there are situations where you simply want to stop procrastinating.
Understanding Procrastination
When you need to stop procrastinating, remember that procrastination is not about being lazy but about avoiding the emotions associated with a task.
In most cases, the emotions that procrastination helps us avoid are stress, boredom, or a sense of inadequacy.
Being conscious of the emotion you are trying to avoid goes a long way toward beating procrastination. For example, if you are putting off cleaning your desk because you feel it’s boring, it may be useful to find ways to make the task more entertaining like, for example, playing music or putting a movie you like on Netflix.
Finally, remember that taking small steps is a simple way to beat procrastination. Taking on the easier parts of a task first help you gain confidence and find your groove more easily.
More Tips to Propel Your Career Forward
Read these previous posts for more tips that cover every aspect of the management of your organization, from communication to online security.
- How to improve your work-life balance
- 3 Tips to manage the introverted members of your team
- Planning to take a few day off? Use this checklist
- 3 Project management techniques for small business owners
About the Greater Riverside Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
At the Greater Riverside Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (GRHCC), our core mission is supporting small businesses and economic development with advocacy, business referrals, marketing opportunities, training programs, student internships, and scholarships.