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PROCRASTINATION—THE ROOT OF
INEFFECTIVENESS
Procrastination takes the form of ‘time wasters’; or actions that lead to decreased
productivity. Time wasters come in all shapes and sizes. They can be physical or mental,
created by you, or imposed on you by other people. The causes of procrastination are
endless—but once the cause is identified, it can be resolved.
Perfectionism
When tasks are fussed over long after they have been achieved to a sufficient level, the task
begins to delay other issues requiring attention. Often times, perfection is not necessary to
complete the task at hand and is not cost-effective to achieve.
Boredom
Mundane jobs are typically put off until the last minute.
Hostility
When an individual feels hostility towards the task, or towards the
person who appointed the task, there is a strong temptation to
delay doing it.
When faced with actions that are unpleasant, boring,
complex or time-consuming, procrastination creeps in.
Many times we put off completing tasks because we
are unable to see the overall value. When combating
procrastination, it often helps to determine whether
or not the action is really important to us. Individuals
are less likely to procrastinate on things that hold
value. Senior management holds the responsibility of
communicating the value of tasks to employees,
in an effort to fight off procrastination.
MULTITASKING
A number of scientific studies on multitasking have
produced the same results—multitasking does not
increase productivity. Multitasking can actually result in
wasting approximately 20-40 percent of an individual’s time,
depending on the task at hand. Individuals who multitask
will produce average results on several projects, rather than
exceptional results on each one individually.
Rather than multitasking, focus on planning each day with specific
times for tasks. For instance, map how much time you will spend returning
calls, answering emails and doing research, rather than working on all three
simultaneously. Taking short breaks in between tasks can refocus the mind and
reduce stress levels. If something urgent comes up, pause to make a note of where you
left off, before giving attention to another task.