Time to get honest here for a second. Do you always put things off until the last moment? Have a long list of “to-do’s” gathering dust? Or perhaps there’s that one thing you know you REALLY should do, but it’s easier to pretend it doesn’t exist?
Then, you can be sure you’re professional procrastinator!
There are always things we have to do and everyone is given the exact same amount of hours in a day to do them in. However, have you ever wondered why some people have a tendency to procrastinate more than others? Why some people can just get on with the task at hand without a second thought?
Well, according to a new study by Daniel Gustavson from the University of Colorado, you can blame your parents for that pesky procrastination problem. His research shows our tendency to procrastinate can be attributed to our DNA.
What’s more, the study found that procrastination is closely linked to impulsive behaviour and might just be a different way for people to process goals.
Back in prehistoric times when we were hunter-gatherers, making a decision was much simpler. If you spotted a saber-tooth tiger, you’d run. The person who responded fastest (ie; with the quickest impulse) was more likely to survive. Could it be, that people who procrastinate make decisions more like their cave-dwelling ancestors and therefore struggle accomplishing long-term goals in today’s environment?
Probably not great news if you’re a serial procrastinator. However, there is a way to turn it around. Your intelligence, capabilities and access to resources, are far more sophisticated than those of pre-historic man.
Create a Plan
There is no point waiting for motivation, inspiration, or your magical fairy godmother to waltz in and complete things for you. Getting those jobs done, really is as simple as making a plan to complete them and taking action regardless..
When you create a non-negotiable to-do plan, then it’s not something you can put off until you feel like it. It’s something that you must complete “first” before you can move onto anything else. Surrender to taking action early even it’s uncomfortable.
Remove Distractions
Procrastination thrives on distraction. Steering clear of social media and video games, will certainly make taking action a lot easier. But don’t stop there. Consider what else around you is keeping you distracted from the task at hand? Take note of where you lose time at work, at home, or in your everyday routine. What time-wasters are stopping you getting stuff done?
Don’t Break The Chain
Avoiding procrastination is also about keeping up momentum. Just like it’s really hard to drag yourself back to the gym after a week off, it’s the same when you keep putting tasks off.
This is where Jerry Seinfeld's productivity tip "Don't Break the Chain" is a great method to try out.
Seinfeld’s method to help him stick to writing his stand-up comedy material on a daily basis, was simple yet effective. Each January, he would hang a large year-at-a-glance calendar on his wall and, every day he would write new material, he would draw a big red "X" over that day.
Seinfield explains that “drawing those Xs got to be pretty fun and rewarding” - so he kept doing it. Eventually, he began to create a chain of red Xs and that material kept flowing.
The idea is to never break that chain.
Not only can you use this approach to create, get fit and nail that ‘to-do’ list - but it also motivates you to keep up the momentum of those big red red Xs. If you do what you’re supposed to that day, you don't get to draw the X.
Set Up A Reward System
Regardless of what tools or techniques you choose to help you take action, nothing will change if you don't decide to change.
Create incentives for yourself, so each time you complete a series of tasks or a large project you get rewarded. This will help keep the momentum going.
Overtime, getting things out the way sooner rather than later, will become your new “normal” and before you know it, procrastination will be something you observe in others, much more than you do yourself.