Regardless of our rank or title, we are all prone to procrastination. While resisting the tendency to procrastinate is sometimes unavoidable, there are strategies to deter the behavior from rearing its ugly head. I am going to tell you three things you can start going right now to stop procrastinating and start being more productive.
1. Try the 5-minute rule
The 5-minute rule is often a potent antidote for procrastination. The 5-minute rule involves two simple steps. First, identify the harsh reality that you indeed are procrastinating. Next, commit to the activity you’re putting off for a mere five minutes. Set a timer for five minutes and do whatever you want until that timer goes off.
2. Forgive yourself
Our all-too-common reaction to occurrences of procrastination is the debilitating sense of guilt. In a counterproductive way, this guilt fuels our tendency to procrastinate.
If you’ve found that you’ve procrastinated the day away, the best remedy is to forgive yourself and wipe the slate clean.
3. Clean your workspace
Speaking of clean, workers report feeling more productive in a clean workspace as compared to an untidy one. What’s more, most report feeling that they produced a higher quality of output when operating in a clean workspace.
Don’t kid yourself. A cluttered desk is not a badge of honor. It does not infer that you are working harder than your coworkers. At the start or end of each workday, devote 10 minutes to cleaning your workspace. You’ll find yourself less susceptible to procrastination.
Procrastination is but one of the many silent deterrents to workplace productivity. An executive coach can help you prevent a multitude of different productivity inhibitors, including procrastination. These changes will ultimately help you become a more effective leader. You might feel as though you’ve been gifted with added hours in your work week.
Nadine Greiner, Ph.D. provides Executive Coaching and Human Resources solutions. Her mission is to make the executive experience exceptionally enjoyable and effective. She believes that the world needs great leaders, and has dedicated her career to helping them.
As an organization psychologist and former corporate CEO, Dr. Nadine understands the pressures and demands executives face. She offers her clients the high expertise that only comes with three decades of consulting success, and a dual Ph.D. in Organization Development and Clinical Psychology. Dr. Nadine is an in-demand speaker, teaches in doctoral programs, and coaches other consultants. She is the author of two books: ‘The Art of Executive Coaching: Secrets to Unlock Leadership Performance’, and of ‘Stress-less Leadership: How to Lead in Business and in Life’. amazon.com/author/nadinegreiner
Contact Information: Feel free to email Dr. Nadine San Francisco Executive Coaching at
drnadine@gmail.com or by phone at (415) 861-8383. www.DrNadine.com