The costs of procrastinating can be higher than we may think. According to Piers Steel, a human resources professor at University of Calgary Haskayne School of Business, 95 per cent of us procrastinate at times, while 25 percent of us are chronic delinquents, who procrastinate in every area of life.
Each year, thousands of businesses fail, badly affecting people's finances and family welfare. In many cases, this could be prevented if business owners became more prepared and proactive in their businesses, and procrastination may play a part.
There are two kinds of procrastination. The first type is deliberate procrastination: “I’m going to wait until tomorrow; I don’t need it until Wednesday.”
This I-work-better-under-pressure attitude backfires and rarely works. By postponing decisions, we reduce our choices and set ourselves up for failure.
The second type of procrastination is productive procrastination. This kind is more deceptive. We are busy doing mundane chores instead of doing what will bring us more clients and revenue.
All of sudden you have the urge to connect with your long-lost friend, your floors are sticky, furniture needs dusting and your drama-queen friend calls with the latest gossip in town.
At the end of the day, you happily cross off your to-do list. But it's a false sense of accomplishment, for you are no closer to your goal of making your business more successful.
Many of us fear failure, which is related to perfectionism. It is hard to inspire yourself if you are not able to do something well. It is difficult to approach a potential client if you don’t have confidence, or you feel exhausted, tired and defeated before you even start.
There are many reasons we procrastinate, but to succeed we need to move into action. My favourite quote from Og Mandino is: “Action will destroy your procrastination.”
What do you need to do to move into action? There are steps to follow that will move you closer to active participation. The first is identifying what you really want. Learn everything you can, then line up what you need to do a good job: your resources, your time frame and reward system.
Take time to create a simple plan of action. Whatever project you decide to do, big or small, break it down into manageable, small steps and work at it every day for at least 30 minutes. Put a deadline on your project, so procrastination doesn’t get a chance to take hold.
Take time to create a beautiful and functional environment in your home or office, a place you love and one that is welcoming to your family, friends and clients. Making our space more attractive and functional will put us on the road to being more motivated and productive.
Ranka Burzan owns a professional organizing company in Powell River.
