The National Association of Organizing & Productivity Professionals (NAPO) industry legend, Barbara Hemphill (Taming the Paper Tiger at Work), authored the statement: “Clutter is postponed decisions“. Simple, yet profound, this phrase is one I almost always include in my time management training classes.
When you thoughtfully examine the items cluttering your desk and office, I suspect you’ll arrive in agreement with the sentiment – many items represent a postponed decision or action.
So why not make today the day you start changing your procrastination habit? Following are two questions to ask to make that happen:
- What can I do in the next 15 to 20 minutes to move this forward? From The Now Habit author, Dr. Neil Fiore, this question propels many into action. No need to wait until you have enough time to complete the project. Do something now to prime the pump and maintain a forward motion.
- By the end of the day, what do I want to accomplish in order to feel good about it? If you can make a habit of asking yourself this question, you’ll make a habit of getting the critical stuff done.
What questions do you use to prevent procrastination?
If all else fails, put some skin in the game. You can hold yourself accountable by creating a reward for completing, or a consequence for not completing a task. This choice of reward vs. consequence depends on your personality. Ask yourself, in general, what motivates me more – positive or negative reinforcement? If you complete the task as desired, maybe dinner at your favorite restaurant can be rewarding. Or, perhaps making a monetary donation to your rival sports team charity would be enough of a threat to keep you on task.
Discover what works for you and put it into action. You’ll be glad you did!
