PROCRASTINATION: A Nineties Epidemic

BY MICHELE TULLIER, Ph.D.

Is there something on your to-do list today that you should have done yesterday? Have you been meaning to get around to changing careers or starting a consulting business?

Procrastination is no longer a minor nuisance to millions of Americans; it is a growing epidemic of the nineties. With all the talk about the drastic changes in today's workworld, one consequence of this revolution is being overlooked--that of the enormous time management challenges these changes bring. As the going gets tougher, even the tough are procrastinating.

Formerly paternalistic corporations are sending employees out into the harsh world of pavement-pounding for new jobs. The lucky ones who have jobs survive by contributing intrapreneurial (same as entrepreneurial, but within a corporation) inspiration, often while doing the work of several people and with fewer resources. Then there are the 60 million people--nearly half of all working Americans--who trend analysts predict will be part of the contingency workforce by the year 2000. Working as a freelancer, consultant, temp or entrepreneur means adjusting to a new, nebulous work structure.

How do these circumstances fuel procrastinating behavior? While the new ways to work in the nineties offer exciting opportunities for growth, they present psychological challenges that can be overwhelming. The need for new career identities, stronger self-concepts, the ability to learn new skills, continual self-promotion, the ability to be one's own boss and to uncover creative ways of earning a living can lead to a state of career paralysis.

Why We Put Things Off
Of the many reasons people procrastinate, three in particular are exacerbated by the new world of work.

1. A Fragile Sense of Self-Worth. Self-reliance is the new name of the game for achieving career goals both inside and outside the corporate structure. When we work independently toward a goal, we are vulnerable to negative criticism if we fail and increased expectations from others if we succeed. Take Allison, for example, a business manager for a graphic design firm. Allison wanted to change careers and sought career counseling. As the counseling progressed, it became clear that she really wanted to start her own business but was hesitant to do so. She confessed to a fear of failure: Could she finish what she started when she doesn't have a structure in place? It was only after breaking down the goal into manageable steps and reviewing her past accomplishments that she would consider carrying out her dream.

2. Lack of Control. Being at the mercy of the economy or the whims of employers builds resentment. People are staying in jobs because they are afraid they cannot get another one. Some are forced to take on extra work because of staff cutbacks. A systems analyst for a midsize bank found himself doing less of the "big picture" work he was hired to do and handling more details because of layoffs. Without realizing it, he began to put off tasks that he didn't enjoy as a way of maintaining control over the situation. As a result, he put his job on the line with nearly missed deadlines and lower productivity.

3. Inadequate Personal Management Skills. Having more to do in less time is a common complaint these days. A sales manager who bailed out of a position with a failing airline to start a consulting practice found that she became a procrastinator for the first time in her life. She was so involved in fulfilling her first contract, which she had secured easily, that she was not making the time to develop promotional materials that were needed to bring in more clients. Being your own boss means not just doing work but also creating work. This added dimension requires learning new ways to establish priorities and set deadlines.

She had a fear of failure.
Only after breaking her goal into steps
could she carry out her dream.

Conquering Procrastination
The keys to overcoming procrastination lie in combining time management techniques with principles from the behavioral sciences. Cognitive-behavioral psychology in particular enables us to break bad habits by altering the thoughts and feelings that feed them. By applying simple strategies from these two methodologies, I have seen clients go from career stalemates to career successes. To try these methods on your own, choose a specific problem area you would like to work on (do not try to tackle everything at once!), then follow these 10 steps to making things happen.

1. Analyze Your Procrastination. Identify when, where, and how you procrastinate. When we want to lose weight or save money, we sometimes start by keeping a log of our eating and spending habits. Try doing this with procrastination. Keep a small notebook on hand to make a note every time you find yourself procrastinating. Write down the time of day, where you are, the nature of the task, and your thoughts and feelings. Record these notes for just a few days, or this step itself is likely to become another onerous task to be put off. Carefully examine your behavior to discover when and how the problems begin.

Clients usually pay--but later than promised and without regard to when your bills are due.

2. Stop Calling Yourself a Procrastinator. Any behavioral change must start with an attitude change. If we label ourselves chronic procrastinators, we perpetuate our identity as just that. Keep your behavior separate from you the person. You are responsible for your behavior, but you are more than your bad habits. Focusing on the positive side of your self-image helps to ensure successful change.

3. Listen to Your Thoughts and Feelings. Tape recorded messages playing in our heads influence every move we make. Watch out for the negative thoughts and feelings that reinforce delaying behaviors, e.g., "I don't have time to do this perfectly, so I shouldn't do it at all." Try to record new messages like, "I don't have to do it perfectly, I just have to do it." If you are a perfectionist, it will probably turn out well anyway.

4. Understand the Change Process. Before you can test new behaviors, you must understand the meaning of change. It is often our expectations, not our methods, that keep self-improvement plans from working. Change is a gradual process. If you revert to old patterns, do not give up. Expect some setbacks and start again. Also, realize that simply vowing to change is not enough. The mental commitment must be supported by real action for change to occur.

5. Simplify and Streamline Your Life. Some procrastination results from simply having too much to do. Rethink the commitments you have made and establish clear priorities. Look at your physical environment to see if clutter is keeping you from getting things done. Rid your life of unnecessary obstacles and establish systems for keeping track of paper and projects. You are more likely to get to work if you don't have the added annoyance of sorting through piles of papers to find the work.

You're not just a consultant--
you are an office manager, repairperson, bookkeeper.

6. Think Small. All-or-nothing thinking keeps many projects from getting done. Even if you are the type of person who likes to dive into a project without much planning, make yourself write down each step involved and establish mini-deadlines. Reduce anxiety by focusing on one step at a time. A little action can lead to a lot of motivation, so one small step at a time is often the fastest route to completion.

7. Get a Fresh Start. You know the feeling you get when you buy a new pair of running shoes and look forward to running for the first time in years? Challenging or mundane tasks become more appealing if we give them a fresh face. Buying nice paper might even get you to make those long-overdue updates to your résumé!

8. Don't Go it Alone. Many people put things off because they don't know how to begin or get stuck halfway through. For any project you undertake, there is a resource to help. Guidebooks, consultants, adult education courses, networking groups, online computer services and colleagues can provide motivation, expertise, or hands-on assistance.

9. Trick or Treat. Trick yourself into working by minimizing distractions. One freelance writer who works from home turns on her computer the minute she gets out of bed. This way her workday officially begins before she has a chance to get distracted by anything other than writing.

You can also try playing "beat the clock." We have all had the experience of getting our homes cleaned up in record time when unexpected guests are on their way over. Try doing the same at work. Give yourself a short amount of time to get something completed. Even if the time frame is unrealistic, you will find that the adrenal rush may move you closer to the finish line in less time than you thought the task would take.

And don't forget about treats! Promise yourself rewards such as a fun day off for five days of productive job or assignment searching.

Consultants get paid only if they produce.
There is no such thing as a paid sick day.

10. Reflect and Rejuvenate. The problem with most attempts at personal change is that they are assumed to be linear, to have clear start and end points. Change is an ongoing, cyclical process. You will need to revisit steps one through nine from time to time until new behavior gradually replaces old habits. Remember that all-or-nothing thinking, perfectionism and perceived helplessness fuel procrastination. To increase your chances for success, set realistic goals, allow for slipups, and continually seek new solutions. For every valley there will be another peak until, for you, procrastination becomes a thing of the past.

I reserve one full day a week
for new business development.

Ms. Tullier is a career counselor and time management consultant on the faculty at NYU. Her latest book, Job Smart, is for recent college grads.