The four D's
In the last post we looked at the five “personality types” for procrastination. So I’m sure you found yourself among them, but now that we know why we do it, what can we do about it ?
Here are some things you can do:
1. Recognise when you are doing this and make a commitment to monitor this trait and NOT do this anymore.
2. Put a big sticky note in front of your face at your desk or shopcounter if you have to but stop it. It’s not doing you any good.
3. Look at the benefits you get from doing it, there’s always a pay off for our actions, even if its not immediately visible.
4. Stop excusing procrastination from those around you
5. Develop a personal commitment to action
6. Prioritize your life – have you taken too much on, are you excited by the opportunities or lost in a blizzard of “To do’s”
If you’re looking for a way to work out what you should be doing, the four D’s are a good guide. Do it, Diarise it, Delegate it or Dump it !
You can use this little mantra as you open post, work out who’s supposed to be doing what, or just for all those jobs on a list somewhere that you just know you’re never going to do – whether it be learn French, take a mechanics course or clear out the storage shed.
If you know at the back of your mind that you’re not going to do it, but you put it on the list because you think you should – Give yourself a break and take it off ! Admit its never going to happen, and put your energy into something that you do really want to do !
If you go through your list, there should be things that can be delegated – Ok, not all for sure, but some, and it’ll give your staff a chance to learn new things, and free up some time for you to learn some new skills for all those things that are on the list that you really don’t know how to do….
Or hire someone who does know how to do them, loves doing them and lets you concentrate on the things you’re good at, instead of slogging away at the stuff you hate…
That’s a winning strategy !
