Do not put off till tomorrow what you can accomplish today. This is sound advice, but unfortunately, many of us succumb to procrastination nevertheless. But you can take proactive steps to prevent such delays.

By Angeline Teo

It was my fear of failure that first kept me from attempting the master work. Now, I’m beginning what I
could have started ten years ago. But I’m happy at least that I didn’t wait twenty years.” - Paulo Coelho

The quote is a reflection on how fast time flies and how it can leave us with feelings of regret and disappointment over the things we did not attempt to do or at least, to start on. It is a gentle reminder that we need to act on our current tasks immediately, in the here-and-now, and not push it indefinitely to a later date.

We live in fast-moving times where we cannot afford to procrastinate, and yet working professionals regularly
succumb to this common mistake. Here are some tips on how to overcome this major sin and push your life back on the right track.

Do it once
Avoid re-reading your email or the files on your desk. That would be a waste of time. Instead, make it a habit to devote your full attention to every document, and to act on it immediately. If you lack the time to do this, then drag the document to your calendar and set a time to come back to it.

Break it down
Are you procrastinating because you are overloaded by the size of the task? The best way to eliminate that feeling is to break the task into smaller, manageable steps. You will eventually complete the entire task by tackling the problem piecemeal. You will also be better able to distinguish between urgent, important and non-important tasks. Organise the tasks, and never allow the work to pile up. That would only make a difficult problem appear even worse.

Schedule it
Always keep a schedule or you would eventually lose track of what you need to do, and by what time. A plan or schedule gives you a sense of direction and helps you to manage your workload. Set a deadline for each action item on your schedule and keep track of tasks that have slipped past that deadline. Such tasks ought to take a higher priority than your current tasks, but it would better to avoid them in the first place. Stick to your priorities. It would be pointless to make an action plan if you do not adhere to it.

Clear the backlog
To get your workflow under control, you must address your backlogs, even if it means putting in more time and effort than usual. After all, you are making up for lost time. Prioritise the work, and set aside time every day to cut down the backlog. At the same time, identify how you ended up with pending work in the first place, and take preventive action to avoid being caught in this stressful situation again. You need to consider whether you are taking on too much work, or are attempting to perform tasks you are not suited for. If that is the case, you might want to delegate some of your responsibilities to your colleagues.

Focus!
Distractions lurk everywhere at the workplace. And let’s face it, our work can get very dry, so it is very normal to lose focus occasionally. It boils down to personal discipline to ensure that you do not lose focus. However, not every distraction is necessarily harmful. Ad-hoc ideas or flashes of inspiration may suddenly pop into your mind, compelling you to act immediately or risk losing them. You may want to take proactive steps towards handling such “distractions”. Find ways to record these ideas as quickly as you can, so that you can revisit the thought once you’ve finished your current task.