Tag Procrastination

Understanding the Consequences of Procrastination

Steve Keating Leave a comment

Sooner or later, (pun intended) we all procrastinate. We put off that important task for tomorrow, convincing ourselves there’s still plenty of time. A little delay never hurt anyone, right? Unfortunately, procrastination is more than just a bad habit. Over time, it can quietly erode our productivity, damage our reputation, and rob us of peace of mind.

If you don’t think that’s true, then it’s likely you’re in denial about what your delays are costing you. Understanding the real consequences of procrastination is the first step toward breaking free from its grip.

Missed Opportunities

Procrastination often causes us to miss out on valuable opportunities. Whether it’s applying for a job, submitting a proposal, or starting a business idea, delays can close doors that might never open again. Time-sensitive opportunities don’t wait, and when we postpone action, we often lose out by default.

Increased Stress and Anxiety

Putting things off rarely makes them go away. In fact, the longer a task is delayed, the more it weighs on our minds. What starts as a small to-do item can quickly grow into a source of overwhelming stress. Deadlines loom larger, responsibilities pile up, and the mental burden becomes harder to bear. Chronic procrastination leads to a constant state of anxiety that affects both work and personal life.

Lower Quality of Work

When tasks are rushed at the last minute, quality suffers. We don’t give ourselves enough time to plan, think critically, or make necessary revisions. The result is often subpar work that doesn’t reflect our true potential. Over time, this can damage our credibility and limit growth opportunities. Now, some of you will say that you work better under pressure—there is no research to support that assertion. You might just be kidding yourself.

Damaged Relationships

Procrastination doesn’t just affect us—it affects the people around us. When we delay tasks that others are depending on, we let them down. Missed commitments and broken promises can strain relationships with colleagues, friends, and family. Trust is easy to lose and hard to rebuild.

Reduced Self-Confidence

Every time we procrastinate, we reinforce a cycle of avoidance and regret. This can lead to a negative self-image, where we begin to see ourselves as unreliable or incapable. Over time, this undermines our self-confidence and motivation, making it even harder to take action in the future.

Stunted Personal and Professional Growth

Progress requires consistent effort. When we procrastinate, we stall our development. Goals take longer to reach—if they’re reached at all. Skills go unrefined, and potential remains untapped. Procrastination is a silent thief of time and growth.

Breaking the Cycle

The good news is that procrastination isn’t a permanent trait—it’s a habit that can be changed. Start with small steps:

Break large tasks into manageable parts.

Set clear deadlines—even self-imposed ones.

Remove distractions from your environment.

Reward yourself for progress.

Practice self-compassion and don’t let past procrastination define you.

The sooner you act, the more control you regain over your time, energy, and future.

Procrastination might feel harmless in the moment, but over time, its consequences compound. Recognizing the cost is the first step toward reclaiming your momentum—and your life.

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How to Stop Procrastinating…NOW

Steve Keating Leave a comment

One of the least productive things we can do is to do something tomorrow that we should have done today. Some people call that procrastinating. I call it a waste. Not only did we likely waste time yesterday when we should have been doing what we finally did today, but we’re very possibly not doing what we should have been doing today because of it.

Procrastinating is one of life’s great stress creators. When we put off tasks that we should be doing it gnaws at us. It frequently steals our joy. It buries our confidence under stress and worry. The most successful people seldom procrastinate, no matter how challenging the task at hand. They just do it!

Overcoming procrastination is a common challenge. Eliminating procrastination from your life will often involve a combination of psychological and practical strategies. If you’re interested in greatly improving your productivity by pushing procrastination out of your life then here are a few ideas you may want to consider…immediately.

Understand the Reasons

• Identify why you are procrastinating. Is it due to fear of failure, lack of motivation, or feeling overwhelmed? Understanding the root cause can help you address the issue more effectively.

Set Clear Goals

• Break down your tasks into smaller, more manageable goals. Clear and specific objectives make it easier to focus and take action. The more specific the better because if you allow yourself any “wriggle room” you’re almost certain to use it.

Prioritize Tasks

• Determine the urgency and importance of each task. Focus on high-priority items first to ensure you’re making progress on essential activities. If you’re currently using a “to-do” list burn it now. Destroy it before it destroys any more of your productivity. Turn it into a Prioritized Daily Task List. When you develop the discipline to do the most important tasks first, then procrastination will no longer be a part of your life.

Break Large Tasks into Smaller Steps

• Large projects can be overwhelming. Break them into smaller, more manageable steps, and focus on completing one step at a time.

Create a Schedule

• Develop a daily or weekly schedule to allocate specific time slots for your tasks. Set realistic deadlines and stick to them as closely as possible. Make a decision that YOU will be the person who controls your calendar, not other people, not circumstances or uncontrollable events. YOU and you alone.

Use Time Management Techniques

• Techniques like the Pomodoro Technique (working in short, focused bursts with breaks in between) can help maintain your focus and increase productivity.

Remove Distractions

• Identify and eliminate distractions from your workspace. Turn off notifications, close unnecessary tabs, and create an environment conducive to concentration. It is possible you may need to do the unthinkable and leave your phone in a different room. Or use the nuclear option and actually turn it off.

Visualize Success

• Imagine the positive outcomes and the sense of accomplishment you’ll experience upon completing a task. Visualization can motivate you to get started. Remember, it’s impossible to finish what you’ve haven’t started but once you start, nothing is impossible.

Reward Yourself

• Establish a system of rewards for completing tasks. This can create positive reinforcement and make the process more enjoyable.

Accountability Partners

• Share your goals with someone who can help hold you accountable. Whether it’s a friend, family member, or colleague, having someone check in on your progress can be motivating.

Address Perfectionism

• Understand that perfection is not always attainable, and waiting for the perfect conditions can lead to procrastination. Embrace a mindset of progress over perfection.

Develop a Routine

• Establishing a routine can help train your brain to expect certain activities at specific times, making it easier to overcome procrastination. You’ll need to use your routine for 30 days to make it a habit but once you do you’ll discover just how useful some habits can be.

Overcoming procrastination is an ongoing process. It’s normal to face setbacks. Be patient with yourself and celebrate small victories along the way. Sometimes progress will be big, sometimes it will be small, but the most successful people will tell you that all progress is progress. And if you’re making progress everyday then you’re way ahead of most people.

How to Stop Procrastinating

Steve Keating Leave a comment

I was going to write this post a while back but… okay, so that’s just too easy a joke for such a serious topic. Procrastination kills a whole lotta people’s chance at success. It’s almost like an addiction. Stopping procrastination can be incredibly challenging, but with the right strategies and mindset, you can overcome it. Here are some ideas to help you stop procrastinating right now.

• Start by identifying the reasons behind your procrastination. Is it due to a lack of motivation, fear of failure, task aversion, or something else? Understanding the root cause can help you address it effectively.

• Clearly define your goals and break them down into smaller, manageable tasks. When you have a clear vision of what you want to achieve, it becomes easier to stay focused.

• Use techniques like the Eisenhower Matrix to prioritize tasks based on their importance and urgency. Focus on high-priority tasks first, and tackle less important ones later.

• Write down your daily tasks in a to-do list. This helps you visualize your workload and stay organized. Cross off tasks as you complete them to gain a sense of accomplishment.

• Establish deadlines for your tasks, even if they are self-imposed. Having a sense of urgency can motivate you to start working on your tasks sooner.

• Techniques like the Pomodoro Technique, which involves working hard for a set amount of time (e.g., 25 minutes) followed by a short break, can help you maintain focus and prevent burnout.

• Identify and remove distractions from your workspace. This may include turning off notifications, silencing your phone, or using website blockers to prevent access to distracting websites.

• If a task feels overwhelming, break it down into smaller, more manageable sub-tasks. This makes it easier to get started and maintain momentum.

• Pay attention to when you are most alert and focused during the day, and schedule your most important tasks during these periods.

• Share your goals with a friend or colleague who can help hold you accountable. Alternatively, you can use productivity apps and tools that track your progress.

• Create a system of rewards for completing tasks. This can serve as positive reinforcement and make tasks more enjoyable.

• Developing self-discipline is crucial for overcoming procrastination. This involves training yourself to stick to your commitments and push through resistance.

• Be kind to yourself. Everyone procrastinates from time to time. Instead of berating yourself for procrastinating, focus on learning from your experiences and making positive changes.

• Overcoming procrastination is an ongoing process. It may take time to develop new habits and strategies, so don’t be discouraged by setbacks. Stay persistent and keep working towards your goals.

Stopping procrastination is a journey, and it requires consistent effort and self-awareness. Start by implementing one or two of these strategies and gradually build upon them to create a more productive and focused daily routine.

You can do it, just remember, the sooner you eliminate the scourge of procrastination from your life the better your life will be.

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Waiting…Forever

Steve Keating 2 Comments

One common shortcoming of ineffective leaders is that they have an over abundance of patience. They are such good planners that the planning never stops. It’s not procrastination either. They truly plan and plan and plan. 

They want the perfect plan. Literally EVERYTHING must be perfect. There can be absolutely no unknowns. They are paralyzed until they are 100% confident in their plan. 

Waiting forever is one of the five great weaknesses of ineffective leaders.

For these kind of leaders the reality is that their plan will never be perfect. There will always be at least some unknowns. Still, these ineffective leaders hesitate to act.

Authentic Leaders know there may never be a perfect time. They move forward anyway knowing full well things may go wrong. They stand ready to solve whatever problems they and their organization may face along the way. Their plans frequently include “fallback” positions that buy them time to make adjustments to the plan. Their plan always includes a date when the plan will be implemented. It’s often, ready or not here we go, but they absolutely go. They know that they are as ready as they can be and if they wait until they are 100% ready they may be waiting forever. Literally forever. 

Authentic Leaders know that every attempt at progress has some level of risk associated with it. They also know that the biggest risk they can take is to do nothing. They measure the pluses and minuses of each risk they take. They consider the consequences of the consequences of their possible courses of actions. And then they act! Even if the action they take is to do nothing it’s a conscious decision. They never actually wait, they merely pause. And yes, there is a big difference between the two. 

Authentic Leaders are aware of how fast a window of opportunity can close. Unlike ineffective leaders they won’t wait, or pause, past the time that window closes. They are comfortable dealing with and meeting deadlines. Any leader can see an opportunity, Authentic Leaders seize them. 

Authentic Leaders know that progress, growth and success require action. They, and their teams pass ineffective, over waiting, leaders and their teams every day. Don’t wait one second longer than you must. If you do it’s likely the only way your competition will even know you exist is by looking in their rear view mirror.

What’s Your Favorite Day of the Week?

Steve Keating 1 Comment

I’m not really sure how I’d answer that question. I tend to like all seven of them equally. I do hear some people say they hate Monday’s. I think that might have to do with their attitudes about their jobs more than their calendar preferences. 

I also hear some people say they love Fridays. That might say more about their job too, plus the fact that Friday gets them closer to their real favorite day of the week…Saturday. 

But whatever people say, when you watch them you see what their actual favorite day of the week is. For a whole lot of people their favorite day of the week is tomorrow. 

Tomorrow appears to be an absolutely fantastic day. It’s the best day to do almost anything. I hear people saying all the time, “I’ll do that tomorrow.” Sometimes they say, “I’ll finish that tomorrow.” The most popular of all is, “I’ll start that tomorrow.” 

Isn’t it interesting that tomorrow is both the best day to start something AND the best day to finish it. 

Tomorrow is truly a wonderful day!

Except for this one little bitty problem…tomorrow is not a day of the week. Tomorrow is not on your calendar. Tomorrow never actually happens because when you get to the next day of the week that day turns out to be today. 

The most successful people never allow tomorrow to be their favorite day of the week. Nothing kills the opportunity for success like waiting for tomorrow to implement a good idea. Once you’ve started something the best time to finish it is the earliest opportunity you have. 

Never finish tomorrow something you could finish today. 

Eliminate “tomorrow” from your vocabulary today. Just stop saying the word. The day after today has a date on the calendar…use the date. I’m going to do it on May 7th! Make the day after today real by being able to see it on your planning calendar. 

When somebody tells you “they will do it tomorrow” do them a favor by asking what’s the date for “tomorrow is on their calendar.” Help them hold themselves accountable by giving you a date, maybe even a time. 

You can hold yourself accountable in the same way. Use dates not days, especially don’t use days that you can’t find on a calendar. 

Tomorrow I’ll be giving away free money on Twitter to better illustrate what happens when you wait for tomorrow. I’ll see you then…or maybe the next day. 

Procrastination and It’s Cousin Fear

Steve Keating 5 Comments

Procrastination hardly ever enters a person’s life by force. It’s most often invited in by it’s close cousin fear. That being the case perhaps the most effective way to end procrastination in your life is to stop being afraid. 

I’ve had lots of good excuses for procrastinating in my life. Didn’t know where to start. Didn’t have time to get started. Wasn’t going to have time to finish so why start at all. Had more important things to do. “Somebody” would be unhappy if I did it. Didn’t have money to do it. Didn’t know how to do it.

Most procrastinators have great excuses for not taking action. But they will seldom tell you the real reason. They won’t even tell themselves. 

The real reason is fear. The biggest reason I suppose is fear of failure. I can tell you that pretty much every time I’ve failed to take action that would have led to success it was because fear held me back. 

Every time I missed a sales goal it was because fear held me back. Fear of prospecting, fear of asking for the order, even fear of asking a customer basic questions. It probably never looked like fear to someone else, it most likely looked like your run of the mill procrastination. 

But fear was driving the procrastination. 

It was the same for trying new things, attempting something new. “Tomorrow” became a shield against the fear of not knowing how to start, not knowing how to avoid looking like a fool if something went wrong. 

I never really overcame procrastination, I kinda outlasted it. I’ve had enough success now that I don’t have to worry about failing. If I fail I can just shrug and move on. But here’s what I have learned through my success and failures…I could have always shrugged off the failures. I didn’t need a base of success to do that. 

And neither do you. Failure is a part of success and the sooner you get some failures under your belt the sooner you can stop worrying about it. Procrastination quickly loses it’s interest in people who don’t fear failure. 

Now yes, as some of you will point out, sometimes plain laziness leads to procrastination too. That is true but when compared to fear laziness is a distant relative. Fear and procrastination grew up together, they are inseparable, they can finish each other’s sentences. 

Eliminate fear and procrastination has no place to live in your life. You can do it, you only need to begin the focus on the potential for success rather than the unlikely failure. 

The sooner you try the sooner you’ll wonder why you ever procrastinated in the first place.

Try today! 

Tomorrow I’m going to…

Steve Keating 8 Comments

Tomorrow I’m going to write a post about the dangers of procrastination. It will say something about how harmful procrastination is to your chances for success. I’ll probably write something about how procrastinating makes easy things hard and hard things almost impossible.

I could put some stuff in there about how to avoid procrastinating by doing immediately everything that takes less than 30 seconds to complete. People will be surprised when they learn that something like 90% of the things they procrastinate on take less than that 30 seconds to do. (It’s somewhere around 90% I’ll look up the exact percentage later)

I’ll think I’ll call it “the 30 second rule” and encourage people to try it for a solid week and see the difference it makes in their productivity. I don’t know, maybe I’ll save that for a post I do at some point in the future.

I’ll almost for sure put something in the procrastination post about a “Prioritized Daily Task List.” That’s like a do-to list except everything on it is prioritized in order of importance. Successful people use those all the time, like on a daily basis. (guess that’s how it got it’s name) They also don’t allow themselves to work on the second highest priority until the highest priority task is complete. 

That takes some pretty strong discipline which is another topic I should post about someday. 

I would write the procrastination post today except I’m really busy. There are a whole bunch of decisions I need to put off. I also need to come up with excuses for why I didn’t get yesterday’s work done and my fantasy football team needs work too. 

Plus, I’ve got to get to the gym. I’ve been putting that off too long and the last time I was there I left my brand new iPod Nano behind. I hope it’s in lost and found…they wouldn’t throw it away after only 14 years would they? 

I’m thinking I’ll close the post by reminding people that they won’t find “someday” on a calendar. They won’t actually find tomorrow either. 

I learned that whole tomorrow lesson thing by attending baseball games in my hometown in Minnesota. All the beer vendors wore t-shirts that said “free beer tomorrow.” I went to something like 18 games in a row until I finally figured out that if you always wait until tomorrow you’ll be waiting one heck of a long time. Alas, there would be no free beer for me. 

I can only hope people will read the post on procrastination as soon as they first see it but something tells me many of them will put it off until later. What they won’t be able to answer however is exactly when “later” is. 

 

I also hope you’re not one of those!