John is bored. His firm just hasn’t been busy this month and instead of the usual big transaction work all he has are small bits and pieces of corporate matters. Even though none of it is complicated he just can’t get down to doing any of it and is wasting time surfing the net instead.
Terry is deadline driven. Every day is about putting out fires and meeting last minute deadlines. He knows he should plan ahead and get to his projects done before the last minute but he has gotten use to the adrenaline rush and just can’t get motivated to do anything without the pressure of a short deadline.
What do John and Terry have in common? They are both procrastinators. This month in my slaw column I tackle procrastination, how to identify which of three kinds you have, and what to do about it. Please post a comment here about any additional procrastination-beating tips you can recommend.
For further reading on the subject try Dr. Piers Steel’s book “The Procrastination Equation.” Dr. Steel’s book offers an unflinching look at why people procrastinate, types of procrastinators and easily actionable tips for reducing procrastination in your professional and personal life.
