How to Beat Procrastination - 30 November 2009Presentation Transcript
Trent Mankelow I was gonna do a talk on procrastination but I decided to put it off
What is procrastination? Source: http://www.toothpastefordinner.com/082609/start-being-more-productive.gif
Procrastination – The act of postponing or delaying an action needlessly Source: http://www.blurburger.com/shoebox/toons/albums/toons/toon_procrastinator.gif
What percentage of people procrastinate?
What percentage of people procrastinate?
What do you procrastinate over?
Me:
Chores e.g. Cleaning the shower
Thinking tasks e.g. Writing our newsletter
Big projects e.g account management
New projects e.g. hiring a board of directors
Why do we procrastinate?
We are afraid of failure
We are afraid of being imperfect
We are overwhelmed
Why should we care? What impact does procrastination have?
Makes it difficult for others to get their job done
The quality of your work may suffer (especially if it’s done at the last minute)
You can miss deadlines
It can add to your stress levels (and your guilt levels), and affect your life outside work
Is procrastination always bad?
Sometimes procrastination = percolation
Tips on Starting
Sometimes starting is the hardest thing
Ironically, “the act of starting reveals the real work you have to do” – The NOW Habit, p111
How to start: Sprints
How to start: Sprints
Choose a task to be accomplished
Set the Pomodoro to 25 minutes (the Pomodoro is the timer)
Work on the task until the Pomodoro rings, then put a check on your sheet of paper
Take a short break (5 minutes is OK)
Every 4 Pomodoros take a longer break
Check out
www.pomodorotechnique.com
www.focusboosterapp.com
Spend five minutes thinking about the outcome
Take a break first
How to start: Brainstorming Source: http://www.toothpastefordinner.com/042406/inside-the-riaa.gif
Get a friend to help Source: http://www.teachingauthors.com/2009_07_01_archive.html
As part of the brainstorm I make sure I have a concrete, next action to start with
Use a pen and paper
Start the day right
Decide on a Most Important Task before you leave work each day
Park on a downhill slope Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/DunedinBaldwinStreet_Parked_Car.jpg
Avoid e-mail for the first hour of every day. You heard me.
Tips on Writing
Do “shitty first drafts”
Write
in
bulletpoints
Consider only giving yourself a certain number of revisions
Other random tips
Say No Source: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3658/3361349018_5d1caa4a1c.jpg
Plan play Source: http://www.toothpastefordinner.com/120304/go-outside-and-play-with-your-utah.gif
“ We are more likely to work productively when we can anticipate pleasure and success” – The NOW Habit, page 75
Celebrate success
List your anxieties
What is the worst that could happen?
What would I do if the worst really happened?
How would I lessen the pain and get on with as much happiness as possible if the worst did occur?
What alternatives would I have?
What can I do now to lessen the probability of this dreaded event occurring?
Is there anything I can do now to increase my chances of achieving my goal?
From The Now Habit, p 99
What other ideas do you have? How do you break through procrastination?
1–5 of 5 previous next Post a comment