Employee Success Toolkit
Tool #3:
Stop Procrastinating - Now!
Copyright Harriet Meyerson 2008 • www.ConfidenceCenter.com
Stop Procrastinating - Now!
Why Do You Put Things
Off to the Last Minute?
Procrastination is an automatic habit
pattern used to avoid tension.
© Harriet Meyerson, 2008 • www.ConfidenceCenter.com
Stop Procrastinating - Now!
Habit Patterns
 Habit patterns are the barriers to overcoming
procrastination.
 Understanding your habit patterns is the key to
overcoming procrastination.
 The habit is kicked off by discomfort such as
feeling uncertain or insecure about the task.
© Harriet Meyerson, 2008 • www.ConfidenceCenter.com
Stop Procrastinating - Now!
What Situations Do You Avoid?
 Have you taken on too many
projects?
 Are you afraid of a project?
 Is it too large or outside your
field of expertise?
 Are you too detail oriented?
 Do you spend too much time on
unnecessary details?
 Are you avoiding a boring
task?
 Do you need a last minute
deadline to motivate you?
© Harriet Meyerson, 2008 • www.ConfidenceCenter.com
Stop Procrastinating - Now!
Three Barriers to
Overcoming Procrastination
 Mental diversions
 Action diversions
 Emotional diversions
© Harriet Meyerson, 2008 • www.ConfidenceCenter.com
Stop Procrastinating - Now!
Mental Diversions
 Manana Diversion Thinking, “Later will be
better because I’ll be better
prepared.”
 Thinking, “I’m too tired.”
 Thinking, “I’m not alert
enough.”
© Harriet Meyerson, 2008 • www.ConfidenceCenter.com
Stop Procrastinating - Now!
Action Diversions
Anything Seems Better than Facing the Task
 Doodling
 Working on your
computer
 Cleaning out your desk
 Calling someone on the
phone
© Harriet Meyerson, 2008 • www.ConfidenceCenter.com
Stop Procrastinating - Now!
Emotional Diversions
Some tasks are drudgery.
 Are you overwhelmed?
 Do you have a negative
attitude about the task?
 Are you waiting to be
inspired?
© Harriet Meyerson, 2008 • www.ConfidenceCenter.com
Stop Procrastinating - Now!
Corrective Measures
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Don’t worry about being perfect.
Make “Just do it!” your motto.
Delegate some tasks to others.
Prioritize tasks in order of importance.
© Harriet Meyerson, 2008 • www.ConfidenceCenter.com
Stop Procrastinating - Now!
The “Crystal Ball” Approach
Visualize Two Paths
1. Diversion - which is certain
to lead to procrastination
2. Tackling your unpleasant
task even though the
outcome is unclear
© Harriet Meyerson, 2008 • www.ConfidenceCenter.com
Stop Procrastinating - Now!
The Five Minute System
 Commit to your
unpleasant task for only
five minutes.
 Then, decide whether you
will commit for another
five minutes, etc.
 These decisions will keep
you moving forward.
© Harriet Meyerson, 2008 • www.ConfidenceCenter.com
Stop Procrastinating - Now!
Plan In Reverse
Visualize your outcome first, then work back from it.
 Visualize your goal as your
target.
 Imagine the arrow in the
center of the target.
 Imagine the arrow headed
toward the target.
 Imagine holding the bow and
releasing the arrow.
© Harriet Meyerson, 2008 • www.ConfidenceCenter.com
Stop Procrastinating - Now!
Break Your Goal into Small Parts
 Where do you want to end up?
 What do you do just before that?
 And, what do you do just before that, etc.?
© Harriet Meyerson, 2008 • www.ConfidenceCenter.com
Stop Procrastinating - Now!
Build Frustration Tolerance
 Tackle challenging tasks with
persistence until they are
done.
 Congratulate yourself for
living through any
frustrations.
 Realize you have control over
yourself, and can succeed, in
spite of your discomfort.
© Harriet Meyerson, 2008 • www.ConfidenceCenter.com
Stop Procrastinating - Now!
“Doing reasonable things,
in a reasonable way,
within a reasonable time,
gets things done, and that
way you’ll end up doing
rather than stewing.”
William Knaus, Ed.D., Author of The Procrastination Workbook
© Harriet Meyerson, 2008 • www.ConfidenceCenter.com
Stop Procrastinating - Now!
Stop Procrastinating - Now!
Quiz & Discussion Questions
© Harriet Meyerson, 2008 • www.ConfidenceCenter.com
Stop Procrastinating - Now!
Question 1
What are some of the reasons
people procrastinate?
© Harriet Meyerson, 2008 • www.ConfidenceCenter.com
Stop Procrastinating - Now!
Question 2
What can an overachiever do to
overcome procrastination?
© Harriet Meyerson, 2008 • www.ConfidenceCenter.com
Stop Procrastinating - Now!
Question 3
How should you deal with a
boring task?
© Harriet Meyerson, 2008 • www.ConfidenceCenter.com
Stop Procrastinating - Now!
Question 4
What should you do if a
problem is complex?
© Harriet Meyerson, 2008 • www.ConfidenceCenter.com
Stop Procrastinating - Now!
Question 5
Name three types of diversions
people use to prevent them
from overcoming
procrastination.
© Harriet Meyerson, 2008 • www.ConfidenceCenter.com
Stop Procrastinating - Now!
Set Your Goals
What are your
three main
goals to stop procrastinating?
© Harriet Meyerson, 2008 • www.ConfidenceCenter.com