Don't Put It Off --Just Do It!

Written by Judith S. Hayes

OK. Finally, I’m going to get this article written. I’ve been putting it off for weeks. But who knew, when I accepted this assignment, how many others would come up? I had no idea I’d be this busy. I mean, people always want me to do something for them. But, no problem, I haven’t missed my deadline yet; and, well, I really do work better under pressure!

Enough of the fun; procrastination is serious. It may have a negative impact on your work, your relationships, and your personal life. Because of procrastination, you may feel always behind, unable to catch up, and continually stressed—ultimately unable to enjoy life!

Now you may ask, am I a procrastinator or just a busy person? To help determine if procrastination is a problem for you, use this checklist to evaluate yourself.

1. I often underestimate the amount of time a job will take.
2. I expect my supervisor to help me prioritize my work.
3. I seem to be late everywhere I go.
4. I frequently miss deadlines.
5. I rarely take time for myself because of pressing deadlines.
6. I enjoy the pressure of getting work done just in time.
7. I am most creative when facing a pressing deadline.
8. I am sometimes a bottleneck at work. Everyone seems to be waiting on me before they can finish their part of a job.
9. I’d like to proof the work I do or to go over it again, but I just do not have enough time to do that.
10. I’ve done this job so long; I could do it in my sleep. Putting it off until the last minute is no big deal. I’ll get it done.

Routine Work
All of us procrastinate from time to time, so how frequently it is a problem for you really is significant. Take a few moments to think about your work. Take these steps to begin to determine the specific cause of your procrastination.

Step 1.—List your regular responsibilities.

Step 2.—Check the ones you know you put off. If you are unsure, consider the above checklist. Do you mss deadlines in any certain area? Do you create a bottleneck for coworkers? Do you particularly dislike certain jobs and, therefore, put them off as long as possible?

Step 3.—Analyze the jobs you have checked. Try to determine if you have anything in common.

If you take these steps seriously, you may discover something about yourself. Knowing the kinds of jobs you dislike probably won’t keep you from having to do them, but the awareness may help you overcome your procrastination and get the jobs you don’t enjoy behind you so that you can focus on those you enjoy the most.

Special Assignments
If the big jobs that come around infrequently are the ones you seem to put off, you probably have a pretty good daily routine and manage to do both the jobs you like and those you don’t like. You may think (and you may be correct!) that you have too much to do for extra assignments, but most of us get extra assignments regardless of how heavy our workload. Again, use this checklist to evaluate yourself:

1. I never seem to know how to get started on a big assignment.
2. Extra assignments always seem to take longer than I anticipated.
3. I’m unsure how to schedule my time when extra assignments upset my routine.
4. I would like this job a lot better if I could work with someone or on a team.
5. I resent the extra work. Why should I have to take one more assignment?
6. I’m afraid I won’t do this right. I know it’s important. Why did they give it to me?

If the extras are your problem and you determine that your attitude alone is not the issue, try these steps.

• Begin with the project due date. Backing up from that, list every step in the process and a realistic amount of time to complete each step.
• If volunteers can help with certain steps, plan in your schedule when they are needed and enlist them ahead of time.
• If you are more creative with a team, enlist one. Make sure they understand that you value their creativity. Thank them often.
• For big parts of the project, try to do a little each day. This may be easier then finding big blocks of time for the project.
• Try to look at the extra assignment as an opportunity to do something different, to demonstrate your abilities, to stretch yourself, to learn something new.

You alone are responsible for procrastination. Everyone has outside forces that affect their time. Allow for them. Start a job as soon as you receive the assignment. Waiting may crowd out other exciting possibilities. Approach your work with excitement and enthusiasm. And realistically, face the jobs you can’t enjoy professionally. All jobs have less desirable elements. Rather than put them off, get them behind you so you can enjoy the best part of your job.

Adapted from the fall 1998 issue of FYI: Secretary. Used by permission.

Related Resource:
The Cornerstones for Life at Work: A Case for Character, Skill, Serving and Calling. Dr. Thomas Addington and Dr. Stephen Graves examine the core issues of a godly work ethic and how they become the cornerstones for christians in the workplace.