How to Tackle Procrastination in the Workplace

It’s about time we got around to writing this blog…

By Nuhman Sharif

Procrastination, need I define it? It affects each and every one of us from time to time!

So, the million-dollar question is, how do we combat this menace, this unwelcome visitor, this hindrance to our progress? Well help is at hand because I’ve finally got around (no really) to putting together some top tips to combat procrastination. Here goes:

Try to focus on why you need to do the task and the benefits of doing it!

Think about it, if you can remind yourself of why let’s say you need to complete a project proposal for a client (they are a new client and there maybe future work) and the benefits of this task (there’s a chance to bring in some well needed revenue for the business and if all goes well, you could be promoted), then you’re more likely you to put your head down and crack on.

Break it down

This is particularly important if you have a big task spanning weeks or even months. At the outset it might look as though you need to climb Mount Everest but remember, human beings have achieved this and so we need to look at how they did so. Did they complete the climb in one go? No, they undertook the challenge in stages so why not apply the same principle? Break that big project down into smaller, manageable chunks and set yourself realistic deadlines for completion and before you know it, you’ll be on top of the world!

Focus on the task you’re doing

Now this isn’t me saying that you can’t multi-task and be juggling several projects at the same time, but it’s important to focus fully on the task at hand and not think about all the other things you need to be doing. The equivalent would be a firefighter not focussing on the fire he or she needed to put out in front of them and thinking about the next fires that need to be extinguished! Once you focus on the task at hand (even just working solidly at it for 1 hour), you will make progress with it and can then use the next part of your day to move onto other important tasks you need to be doing.

Think about your work environment

Is your work station fit for purpose? Are you surrounded by numerous distractions like noisy co-workers, a constantly ringing telephone or your mobile phone regularly pinging with social media updates? Well, if that’s the case, these can really feed into the procrastination and mean you don’t crack on with what you need to do. The solution: put on your headphones and let your co-workers know you’ll be busy for the next hour or two. Or why not work elsewhere so that you can make real headway with the task? You could book a meeting room or work from home, although I appreciate for some working from home can be a case of out of the frying pan into the fire!

For more great advice on overcoming procrastination, you know where to find us. Until next time…