About procrastination...

Let's look closer at the 'procrastination' element of our work approach model...

Why DO we procrastinate? LifeHack takes us through some of the causes of procrastinating at work (which can be applied in daily life too no doubt!). Being Monday morning too, I'm feeling slightly 'mondayitis' and thus prone to procrastinating right now! :oP

According to Lifehack, we procrastinate because either

• we don't like the task in the first place,
• the results aren't immediate,
• the work involved is too complicated, or
• we feel concerned about failing the task.

I can see how each of these points can impact on developing an online approach. I also think that as human beings we put up barriers for ourselves too! I was reading a book last night called The Way of the Peaceful Warrior, by Dan Millman (1984) and the protaganist in the story is told by his mystical teacher that in order to cultivate new (good) habits he must channel his anger in the right direction, because anger forces action. We must 'act', as LifeHack concurs, in order to overcome procrastination!

Conquering procrastination takes activity. And the keyword in ?activity? is ?act,? which is consequently a distinct action that we physically do or cause to happen.

I guess that means identifying the elements that bring on procrastination, for example, if a task IS complicated how might we break it up into manageable chunks? This is what I'm getting at with the planning model for designing an online approach. I reckon people don't give the planning stage enough consideration and often this is their downfall. Thus, people tend to comment that it's too hard, it doesn't make sense, the technology is to blame, and so on! Sure, some of this might be true, and often all it takes is a little time to develop an understanding, and, I think, through understanding we build the confidence to act. To forge opportunities for understanding, I see my job as offering a structured process to support this. When we see some progress it makes us feel good and spurs us - hopefully - into further action.

Right! ...back into it then! =o)

procrastination, work habits, action