Procrastination is the curse of anyone tracking billable hours.
When we procrastinate, we exchange high value tasks for (easier) low value tasks and while this kind of job swap keeps us “busy”, it’s the thief of time and energy!
My favourite way to procrastinate is cleaning. I call it procrasti-cleaning. I tell myself that I simply cannot be productive in a messy space. Messy space, messy thoughts.
It’s not true though.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s a helluva lot nicer to work in a clean and tidy space but as I write this, I’m surrounded by piles of kids’ colouring books, craft paper, scissors, pens and pencils, water bottles and feathers (yes, feathers) all scattered across my table. And I’m getting on with it.
The first step in tackling procrastination is to recognise when you’re faffing about.
Do you:
- Sit down to start an important task and you immediately stop to make coffee?
- Wait until you’re ‘in tn the right mood’ before you tackle an important task?
- Fill your to-do list with easy but unimportant tasks (or busy work)?
- Lose hours reading blogs or updating social media?
- Clean the bathroom in the middle of the day?
Nodding? Yes? Fear not. There is no judgement from over here. I did!
Here are my no-fail tips for beating the procrastination mood – critical when you have deadlines but no mojo to meet them.
#1 Make a list.
Apart from the comforting sense of order a list gives me, it also gives me a sense of purpose. Once a task is written down, I find it difficult not to hold myself accountable.
The trick is to not fill your list with unimportant jobs that just make you feel busy.
You know, like: make a list. CHECK.
To avoid this task turning into more procrastination, set a timer for five minutes and get it done. Or even better, three minutes.
#2 Prioritise the list.
When we make a list there is usually a mix of easy to do, important to do, stuff we’d rather avoid.
Don’t fall into the trap of doing lots of quick, easy tasks (that aren’t urgent or important) just so you can tick them off your list. I know how satisfying that is but you’re just doing busy work (or productive procrastination).
Even better is to do something you’ve been putting off, first. A well-known book calls it Eating the Frog but you get the idea. When you get something hard or important done first, you can enjoy the rest of your day with a lighter load.
Spend a minute taking a look at your list to work out if each task is: Urgent, Important, Nice to do.
Try and do one important or urgent task for every 3 nice to-do tasks.
#3 Break it down.
Sometimes the task we’re surreptitiously avoiding is unpleasant or nerve-racking or it’s just so big that it’s daunting.
I have to make it more achievable by breaking it down into smaller but relevant tasks. A smaller, more achievable task gets me in the zone and keeps me on track.
Like: Do end of month tax
Blerrrgh.
Instead: Submit expenses for Dec.
Reconcile December transactions.
Put December transaction fees in tax report.
Document personal donations.
Create reports for the accountant.
Each of those things isn’t as big as them all put together, so they are easier to begin.
Or: Go through blog archive and update posts.
Errr… I’ll start that tomorrow. Too big. Too hard.
Instead: Review one blog post from the archive. (Repeat: every day).
This turns a huuuuuge project into a daily and do-able task that chips away at your big project. Before you know it, you’re done!
You’re not a machine
You also have to be realistic about what you can actually achieve in a specific timeframe.
When I load my to-do list up with everything that has to be done, I finish each day with a long list, and I feel like I’m on a never-ending treadmill of work. That’s when I go and make a cup of tea because it’s all too daunting!
By being realistic about how much I can get done in the time I have available, I am more likely to actually tick everything off my to-do list. And that’s a freaking nice feeling.
If I’m not going to get it done today, I plan when I will get it done and forget about it until then. If I don’t get everything done, I forgive myself. There’s always tomorrow.
4. A focus soundtrack.
Do you respond to music? If find Brain.fm or a Spotify focus playlist is really helpful to snap my mind into focus.
5. Do something easy
I know I said that you should do something hard first because it makes the rest of the day easier. I know. But sometimes, you just want a bit of a warm first. Am I right?
This is when I choose something easy to ease myself in.
Like when I start a copywriting project, I’ll get my copy deck in order. I’ll fill in the headers with the project and client name and write some notes about the project. Then I’ll review the copywriting brief and by then, I’m usually in a better head space to start writing.
When choosing an ease-in task, choose something related to the important/urgent work you have to do. Admin will just distract you!
If all else fails, take a break and enjoy it!
If you are trying all these tricks and you’re just not staying on plan, take a break. You probably need it!
Clean your desk or go for a walk but only for a specific amount of time and when you come back, tackle that job first.
Your turn.
Do you have tips to beat procrastination before it takes hold or do you just go with it?
Belinda (AKA The Copy Detective)
Image thanks to comedy_nose (Flickr)
17 Responses
Well said! I’ve been procrastinating for the past hour!
It happens to us all Shauna and for me, it’s usually when I’m busiest!
Sometimes it’s always worse for me when I’ve got a deadline approaching….
The way I handle it is to take frequent breaks – whether to make tea, check my social media pages or have a quick stroll round the garden – I find it helps just to take five minutes out every couple of hours without making me feel guilty about it!
That’s a great approach Bridie and something I do as well (as a fan of The Pomodoro Technique). If I know I am avoiding a particular task, I try and enjoy a luscious break with the proviso that I come back and get it out of the way. I’ve got to bribe and trick myself!
I relate 100%! I even procrastinated reading this blog post! And right now, I’m procrastinating over making lunch even though I’m hungry. Sometimes there’s just too much happening at once but isn’t it interesting how we rarely procrastinate about answering the phone? We are slaves to our phones!
It’s hard to avoid procrastination when it’s kind of work related as well but they are the biggest traps (for me anyway). Although *ahem* thanks for spending a moment on this blog!
Nice post Belinda.. and I do love a good “to do” list. I also like to get my big jobs completed first to make the rest of the day seem like it’s flying as you cross all the smaller jobs off (feeling extra satisfied that the big one at the top has a line through it!).
Oh.. and the next time you’re finding the vacuuming an appealing alternative, give me a call 😉
Getting the ugly stuff out of the way first really does set you free for the rest of the day but I don’t do it often enough! Do you use pen & paper for your To Do Lists or something fancier? I use Teux Deux and find it such a pleasure. Although I become unstuck if I lose connectivity!
I’m an old-fashioned kinda gal and use pen & paper.. and try to keep it in my diary (also good ol’ paper).
I did have a desktop ‘To Do’ application, but would have to flick between windows to see it. My diary, on the other hand, sits there staring accusingly at me, relentlessly reminding me of what I need to get done. It works a treat!
Fab post. I do exactly what you suggest even though it’s a huge struggle to do the ‘boring stuff first’. I’m an admin lover so will spend the better part of the day doing invoicing, follow up emails, tidying my desk, rearranging my pens, sorting my paper clips (by size, colour, weight and mood). Then I do my to do list. Then I do it again with a nicer pen. Then I get a cup of tea (and a biscuit), have a wee, put some washing on, walk the dog, do the recycling.
THEN I start writing.
And don’t me started on Facebook and Twitter – Total ‘life eaters’. The only place I can get anything really serious done, is the local cafe that thankfully has no internet.
Procrastinators unite! I’m guilty too. Usually I find if I’m procrastinating about something it’s because I don’t have all the info I need to get started. I’ll contact someone for more info, or do a bit of preliminary research. When I’m a bit more familiar with the task I can usually jump straight into it. Usually 🙂
I also attack the treadmill or rowing machine too. That helps to give me a bit of focus.
Great post Belinda!
Getting blood going with some exercise is a great tip Krissy – thanks for sharing it! It’s one of those things that I procrastinate against doing (haha) but when I actually do something active I find my mind cleared and my enthusiasm renewed. And it’s much easier to tackle unwanted jobs with your energy up. Thanks again for commenting!
Well my procrastination was awful recently because of such a huge workload and never enough time to get everything done. My solutions:
1) put the work phone on do not disturb and only take calls on mobile between 10 – 11am and 2 – 3 pm. Amazing how much more I get done without interruptions
2) To do list for everyone who works for me with a 10 minute discussion about what needs to be done so they all have work to do for up to 4 hours at a time and are not constantly checking what needs to be done next
3) Stop smoking – I stopped ages ago and found this freed up plenty of time as I wasn’t watching the clock for when the next smoke was going to be
4) With no interruptions, I then bought a pair of wireless headphones and plugged them into laptop. Have a microphone on them so I can make skype calls (which I do alot of) and can listen to music. With music it seems to get my blood flowing and plenty gets done!
Great post belinda 🙂
Isn’t it funny that the more we have to get done the more we feel the urge to do something unimportant! Thanks for leaving your tips Gavin. Keeping the workflow moving is important as interruptions can pull you right out of the zone and it’s so easy to get distracted from there….
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An old fashioned timer works well for me. I chose a time for a certain task, set the timer and work until it buzzes at me.
It’s amazing how much more productive I am with that tight deadline and I start quickly because I know time is limited for the task. I find it useful for hard and boring tasks (especially if I make the time short enough to feel manageable) plus it stops me spending too much time on some tasks (such as research and reading social media).
If I am working on a bigger project, I also use the timer for breaks – e.g. the timer goes once an hour so I walk away from my desk for a minute or two to stretch my legs. Otherwise it is too easy to sit for 4 hours and feel like a blob who hasn’t noticed the sunshine/rain!
Of course, for billable work it also help she keep track of my hours so that’s a bonus!
Hi Tash. I agree with your tight deadline theory. There is nothing quite like an approaching deadline to focus the brain!
I use another technique that is much the one you mentioned – with the time. It’s called The Pomodoro technique and it breaks your day up into 25 minute chunks (called pomodoros). You work solidly on a single task, without distraction, for 25minutes then you have a 5 minute break. After you work for four “pomodoros” (2 hours) you take a longer break, say 30minutes long.
The benefits are two-fold. As you mentioned, you take breaks to avoid becoming the blog. It also helps you focus your mind on one task without distraction.
I need to use it for non-billable work more often as I often focus on my attention on billable then let myself faff about when it’s my time. Thanks for your comment!