Has organizing your computer files been on your to-do list since last summer? Is there a writing project you've been avoiding like the plague? What about those networking phone calls you've been meaning to get to since the job market got so shaky. What is it that causes you to procrastinate...........? 

Most people do a bang-up job beating themselves up for putting things off--"I'm so lazy.... I'm so undisciplined....I must have a fear of succes." Needless to say, beating yourself up isn't particularly productive...and one could argue, is just another form of procrastination. 

So, what to do?  The best way to combat procrastination is to get specific, and learn more about exactly what causes you to hesitate. Study yourself for a week or so by keeping a log. Do you procrastinate on everything or only some things? For some of us, it's the big, daunting projects that lead to running out for yet another iced coffee, for others, it's all about avoiding the little, boring or annoying tasks. 

Once you have a list of the things you are putting off...you can diagnose the practical reason for your paralysis.   In my work as a time management coach, I’ve found four common “causes of pauses”: 

·          Task is too big. The size and scale of the task is overwhelming...you don’t know where to start, or feel that if you do start, you’ll barely make a dent-- so why bother?  

·         Performance anxiety. The specific task is intimidating—you are worried about making a mistake, and lacking confidence in your ability to get the job done well. So you don’t start at all.

·         Fear of what comes next.   Sometimes we have no problem with the task we're facing...it’s the implication of what comes after it's done that we find daunting.  (Yikes! If I finally fire an underperforming employee, I’ll have to look for a replacement and then spend hours doing the training.)

·         Work better under pressure Some people thrive on the adrenaline rush that comes from rescuing themselves from a crisis. Perfectionists often leave things to the last minute because it takes them off the hook— subconsciously they feel that if the work isn’t perfect, they have a built in excuse—it’s not a reflection on their abilities, they just didn’t have enough time.

Once you get to the heart of your hesitation, you can take specific, practical action to get unstuck.  (I’ll provide suggestions in my next blog--stay tuned).

In the meantime, tell me what you procrastinate on:  Do you avoid the big projects or the tedious ones?  Things you’ve never done before or things you’ve grown tired of?  What strategies do you use to overcome your paralysis?

In the meantime, tell me what you procrastinate on:  Do you avoid the big projects or the tedious ones?  Things you’ve never done before or things you’ve grown tired of?  What strategies do you use to overcome your paralysis?

In the meantime, tell me what you procrastinate on:  Do you avoid the big projects or the tedious ones?  Things you’ve never done before or things you’ve grown tired of?  What strategies do you use to overcome your paralysis?

In the meantime, tell me what you procrastinate on:  Do you avoid the big projects or the tedious ones?  Things you’ve never done before or things you’ve grown tired of?  What strategies do you use to overcome your paralysis?