Overcoming procrastination.
Here are five ways to manage and overcome "The thief of time."
Welcome to this week’s Performance Minded—ha, I’ve finally got around to writing about procrastination! And no surprise, really—it isn’t just about delaying/avoiding actions or decisions that we rationally understand must be attended to. No, there’s an emotional component, as well. It’s why so many of us struggle with this phenomenon—sometimes habitually.
The fear of failure, perfectionism, or feeling overwhelmed often fuels this debilitating Achilles heel. Worrying about whether or not we’ll do a good job is far too often the anchor of what undoes our best intentions. This is an old story for me. In fact, as far back as high school.
Tuesday AM: Remember, Jase, you’ve got a history paper due next Monday.
Thursday PM: Com’on, Jase, your paper is due in three days—just get it started!
Sunday AM: Okay, let’s get goin’ here, buddy, that paper’s due tomorrow.
Sunday early PM: F*ck, I can’t believe I’ve done this again—what is my problem?
Monday early AM just after midnight: That wasn’t so bad—I’m not sure what the hell I was afraid of. Next time, I’m starting the day it gets assigned!
Rinse and repeat.