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This was an internal presentation by Trent Mankelow about how to beat procrastination.
Citation preview
Trent Mankelow
I was gonna do a talk on procrastination but I decided to put it off
What is procrastination?
Source: http://www.toothpastefordinner.com/082609/start-being-more-productive.gif
Procrastination – The act of postponing or
delaying an action needlessly
Source: http://www.blurburger.com/shoebox/toons/albums/toons/toon_procrastinator.gif
What percentage of people procrastinate?
What percentage of people procrastinate?
What do you procrastinate over?
• Me:– Chores e.g. Cleaning the shower– Thinking tasks e.g. Writing our
newsletter– Big projects e.g account management– New projects e.g. hiring a board of
directors
Why do we procrastinate?• We are
afraid of failure
• We are afraid of being imperfect
• We are overwhelmed
Why should we care? What impact does procrastination have?
• Makes it difficult for others to get their job done
• The quality of your work may suffer (especially if it’s done at the last minute)
• You can miss deadlines• It can add to your stress levels (and your
guilt levels), and affect your life outside work
Is procrastination always bad?
Sometimes procrastination = percolation
Tips on Starting
Sometimes starting is the hardest thing
Ironically, “the act of starting reveals the real work you have to do” – The NOW Habit, p111
How to start: Sprints
How to start: Sprints1. Choose a task to be accomplished2. Set the Pomodoro to 25 minutes (the Pomodoro is the
timer)3. Work on the task until the Pomodoro rings, then put a
check on your sheet of paper4. Take a short break (5 minutes is OK)5. Every 4 Pomodoros take a longer break
Check out• www.pomodorotechnique.com• www.focusboosterapp.com
Spend five minutes thinking about the outcome
Take a break first
How to start: Brainstorming
Source: http://www.toothpastefordinner.com/042406/inside-the-riaa.gif
Get a friend to help
Source: http://www.teachingauthors.com/2009_07_01_archive.html
As part of the brainstorm I make sure I have a concrete, next action to start with
Use a pen and paper
Start the day right
Decide on a Most Important Task before you leave work each day
Park on a downhill slope
Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/DunedinBaldwinStreet_Parked_Car.jpg
Avoid e-mail for the first hour of every day.
You heard me.
Tips on Writing
Do “shitty first drafts”
•Write •in •bulletpoints
Consider only giving yourself a certain number of revisions
Other random tips
Say No
Source: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3658/3361349018_5d1caa4a1c.jpg
Plan play
Source: http://www.toothpastefordinner.com/120304/go-outside-and-play-with-your-utah.gif
“We are more likely to work productively when we can anticipate pleasure and success” – The NOW Habit, page 75
Celebrate success
List your anxieties1. What is the worst that could happen?2. What would I do if the worst really happened?3. How would I lessen the pain and get on with as
much happiness as possible if the worst did occur?
4. What alternatives would I have?5. What can I do now to lessen the probability of
this dreaded event occurring?6. Is there anything I can do now to increase my
chances of achieving my goal?From The Now Habit, p 99
What other ideas do you have? How do you break through procrastination?