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Procrastinator - Who, me?

Volume 5, Number 4 June 2006 <= /span>

Greetings!

SO MANY PEOPLE PROCRASTINATE that I began to think about w= riting this newsletter on procrastination. I asked a dear friend, "Why do= you procrastinate?" She replied, "I'll have to think about that." Since she has had many more years to procrastinate and to observe procrastinators, I said, "OK." I knew it would be wor= th the wait. She started asking her friends that question. Meanwhile, I continued to explore the topic. A few days later she phoned me with her findings. In this newsletter I will share some of them. If you have thoughts about and experiences with procrastination, please send them t= o me at maryalice@successdiscoveries.com. I can also be reached at 972.690.0442.

EIG= HTY-THREE PER CENT OF THE PEOPLE interviewed said they procrastinate. One person,= out of the 17 per cent who indicated they do not procrastinate, said that h= er father would not let her procrastinate. Another person replied, "I just never have procrastinated. As a small child I wanted to finish thi= ngs so I could go on to something else." If you never procrastinate I = hope you will find it useful to read about some of the reasons the rest of u= s do procrastinate.

I don't want to do it!

MY FRIEND REALIZED THAT SHE PROCRASTIN= ATES when she really does not want to do something. Many of the people we interviewed said the same thing. That goes for me, also. Often, people = have additional reasons such as: the activity is boring or will take a long time.

= WHEN A REQUEST FOR AN ACTION is received and I know it is important, I discuss= in my mind the urgency of the request. I try to complete the action as qui= ckly as possible so it will not be "hanging over" me. At other tim= es I tell myself to put these "I don't want to do it" items near t= he top of my priority list. When I complete them I feel a sense of accomplishment plus a spurt of energy to work on something I really wan= t to do.

= ONE PERSON SETS A TIMER for 30 minutes. During that 30 minutes she works on the activity she does not want to do but knows it needs to be done. Then, she gives herself permission to do what she enj= oys. Of course, she may choose to set the timer for a longer period of time depending on the task.

= PERHAPS YOUR ORGANIZATION SENDS OUT A MEMO requesting information by a certain time. The request may seem ridiculous. However= , it is usually wise to provide the requested information unless the situati= on changes. I can remember two times when this occurred where I worked. At= the time, I had a lot of deadlines that had higher priority. Just when I had time to do the report, I received a mass email canceling the request. (= This did not help me learn not to procrastinate!) What I try to do is add the requests to my "To Do List." Just writing them down on my list keeps them in front of me until I complete the action.

= IF THE UNDESIRABLE ACTIVITY IS IN CONFLICT WITH YOUR VALUE SYSTEM, you need to consider it carefully. A coach or mentor can be invaluable at such time= s. If many situations like this come up it may be time to find employment = someplace else. If you stay in a situation where your values are not in alignment with those of the organization, there can be a physical toll on your bo= dy.

= PERHAPS WE CAN DELEGATE THE TASK to someone who is qualified to do the job and could use what they learn to enlarge their skills. We need to learn how people think and what they have an urge to do. They may have strengths = in areas where we are less effective. By utilizing their strengths, as wel= l as our own abilities, the whole organization will benefit.

Fear

FEAR MAY CAUSE US TO PROCRASTINATE. Wh= en we are afraid we will not be successful we may just try to put off the = task. In such situations we can consult with someone who knows us well to rem= ind us of our strengths. Sometimes we might want to consult with someone to help us plan how to do the activity. This is a time when it is helpful = to have a coach.

= WHEN WE FEAR THAT WE CANNOT DO SOMETHING we need to concentrate on finding options that will help us and not spend time thinking negative thoughts= . We can write down affirmations or reminders of what we have done and can d= o. It is wise to shift into thinking about our options and how we can best accomplish the task.

A dilemma

WE MAY PROCRASTINATE because we want a longer time to make a decision. This might occur if we have a dilemma. = Our decision may be between two equally negative (or positive) outcomes. If= we choose one we cannot do the other at the same time. We need to create a new way to think about the situation. =

= MY DILEMMA about writing this issue of "Pilot-Your- Life: I had been planning= to write about procrastination. However, in May I had an opportunity to he= ar David Rock speak about how recent discoveries about the brain that prov= ide us with more knowledge of how we think. He has combined this information with his experience as a coach and consultant. I purchased his fascinat= ing book "Quiet Leadership". This book summarizes information abo= ut the brain and then presents "Six steps to transforming performance= at work." Furthermore, he indicates how these steps can help people change their thinking so they are more effective leaders and performers= in whatever they do. For example, there is a section on how to communicate with your teenage children! Now I thought I had to choose either procrastination of the subject of Rock's book as the topic for this iss= ue. To make my decision I decided to use some of the techniques discussed in his book.

= AT THE TOP OF A PAGE I printed "Dilemma." Then I started two columns= - one labeled "Procrastination" and the ot= her labeled "Create new thinking." I asked myself, "How long have I been thinking about the subject of this issue of my newsletter?" Every day it has been in the back (or front) of my mi= nd while I have been doing other tasks. I started writing thoughts down un= der each heading. While considering my options I found I was writing an out= line of what I wanted to include about procrastination. Then, I realized I c= ould share my enthusiasm about David Rock's book while discussing procrastin= ation and then provide more information in July about how we can change our thinking and the thinking of others around us.

Tips for procrastinators

Consider why you are procrastinating.
Prioritize the acti= vity according to its importance.
Realize you have the ability to do the task.
Delegate the task i= f it would be appropriate to do so.
Consider your optio= ns, consult others who know you.

Recommendation for a "Super" book <= /span>

Rock, D. (2006). "Quiet Leadership". New York: HarperCollins Publishers. I plan to present more information about this book in upcoming issues. If you read this book, please share your thoug= hts about it with me through email at ryalice@successdiscoveries.com or by phone at 972.690.0442.

Dr. Mary Alice Hurd

IN A RECENT LETTER, a client wrote: &q= uot;Like most people, it is hard for me to be objective when evaluating my stren= gths and weaknesses. Having you as a coach has helped me gain perspective. By helping me understand and learn from past triumphs and challenges, you = are preparing me for a new and more productive future. Please accept my heartfelt appreciation for the guidance, wisdom and motivation you have given me."

= DR. MARY ALICE HURD IS AN EXECUTIVE COACH AND LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST. She integrates her experience as an organizational psychological consultant with 30 years as a psychology professor at Southern Methodist Unive= rsity. She received her coaching training in the MentorCoach program. Mary Ali= ce has been coaching individuals and groups over the phone since 2001. Als= o, she presents workshops and speeches to organizations and groups. (For further details click on b= iography.)

= MARY ALICE IS AFFILIATED with Success Discoveries. Success Discoveries is a consortium of highly-qualified independent coaches representing multiple coaching specialties. As a collaborative team we provide a broad wealth= of knowledge and expertise for the benefit of corporate and individual clients. Click on www.suc cessdiscoveries.com for more information.

= ;

email: maryalice@successdiscoveries.com =

phone: 972-690-0442

web: http://www.p= ilot-your-life.com
http://www.successdiscoveries.com

I= f you feel procrastination is holding you back, please phone me at 972.690.= 0442 to consider changes you can make in your life. Meanwhile, may you enj= oy and be grateful for the blessings that you have now and have had in t= he past. Mary Alice.