Have you ever put off things you know are important?
Have you ever spent too much time ‘doom-scrolling’ on social media or binge-watching episodes of a TV programme instead of getting on with stuff you really should?
If so, today’s #LeadershipLesson is for you: #JustDoIt
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My name is Mark and I’m a chronic procrastinator.
Procrastination affects many of us at some point. We are prone to put off the things we don’t want to do or things we should do. Prem et al. (2018) define procrastination as a “form of self-regulation failure characterized by the irrational delay of tasks despite potentially negative consequences” (https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01087). As a doctoral student with an assignment deadline looming, I am completely (and irrationally) failing to self-regulate, despite the (very certain) negative consequences! Are you procrastinating too? Please tell me I’m not alone!
Often, the reason we procrastinate is because we erroneously believe we have more time than we do. We can woefully underestimate the time it takes to get something done and we also tend to think that things need to be ‘just right’ before we begin. How many times have you said something like, 'I’ll get it done when I have a completely free evening or weekend’, or ‘I’ll start it when I have more time to think / feel better’ or ‘I’ll start next week when things have settled down’?
The reality is that tomorrow never comes, there is no such thing as ‘the perfect time’, and, even if there was, you have most likely overestimated your future levels of motivation - especially for tasks that you don’t enjoy. We prioritise our present tense comfort over potential rewards in the future (Think: I’ll just have a nice cup of tea first (present tense comfort) and do it after (potential future rewards)).
Inevitably, chronic procrastination can lead to stress and ill health as we put off the things that are good for us (e.g., exercise, eating healthily). Alongside the privileging of our comfort in the present, we can ruminate and worry about the things we should or could be doing, which can lead to anxiety. So, what can we do?!
#JustDoIt
Here are 5 things we can do to beat procrastination:
BBY-BBY (my funny acronym for:) Begin Before Your Brain Blocks You! Use the mantra #JustDoIt to get started on something immediately and before you have a chance to think or say “I’ll just do it after…eating/drinking/sleeping/anything else!”
Remove barriers to beginning. The quicker and easier we can get on with doing what we need to the better. For example, when I was trying to motivate myself to run before work, I’d leave my running kit and trainers at the end of my bed. The alarm would blare, I’d pull on my sports gear and throw myself out into the street within seconds, before I had a chance to talk myself out of it! Get the stuff you need ready and throw yourself straight into it.
Think small. This isn’t a typical #LeadershipLesson of mine, but when it comes to procrastination, tiny steps are best. For example, behavioural psychologist BJ Fogg recommends in his book Tiny Habits that, instead of saying ‘I’ll floss every night for the rest of my life’, say ‘I’ll floss just one tooth’. Crazy as it sounds, committing to flossing just one tooth is much more achievable because it is such a tiny step. And by starting on one, you’re much more likely to get on and floss the rest. However, the goal should continue to be the tiniest step (‘I’ll just floss one tooth’) to maintain motivation and associated achievement
Tell everyone. We are relational beings. We need connection. By telling our colleagues and nearest and dearest about our goals, we are much more likely to get on with them. By telling others what you are up to, working on and going to achieve, you apply some social pressure. Where you might’ve let yourself down, you’re less likely to want to let others down. Use this instinct to your advantage!
Create a procrastination plan. We need to acknowledge that we can’t do everything all at once. Break down your goals into tiny steps and schedule them. Put them in your calendar. This is then not only the allocated time for you to do the things you need, but it’s also the allocated timeslot to worry about it. If you have an anxious thought popping into your head about a task you haven’t yet done, you remind yourself that you’ll be worrying about that (and getting on with it) at precisely 4pm tomorrow. As per the schedule. Let your planned telephone reminder or calendar alert go off at 4pm and then #JustDoIt
If you are struggling to motivate yourself or find yourself procrastinating at the very moment you shouldn’t, use today’s #LeadershipLesson: Just Do It!
Leading in Complexity
A leadership development opportunity for all!
Come one, come all on Tuesday 8th November at 7pm for a one-off, online workshop Leading in Complexity, where I will share my leadership thinking and learning. This session is designed for leaders at all levels and will offer a leadership development tool to support you (and those you lead) to strategically reflect, learn and grow. Sign up at the link below - and please share this with your friends and colleagues who you know would benefit from growing in leadership confidence.
I look forward to seeing you there! Sign up now.
Group Coaching in Autumn 2022
Limited spaces are now AVAILABLE for my Autumn Group Coaching sessions.
Sessions will be for 90 minutes on Thursday evenings (7pm - 8:30pm) from Thursday 10th November for 4 weeks.
Group coaching is ideal for leaders who:
want to grow and learn
may be new to a leadership role or context
will benefit from the space to reflect, meeting a diverse group of leaders and sharing their leadership learning
Sign up by Monday 7th November at the latest to secure your place:
Testimonials - in their own words
One Headteacher tweeted this about group coaching with me:
“An incredible opportunity to receive coaching from an incredible human and a talented, authentic leader. I’ve signed up!”
A Deputy Headteacher tweeted:
“Please do not pass up this very generous offer. Mark is an excellent person and a fantastic coach. You will grow in more ways than you know. Sign up now; you will not regret this.”
Do you have a goal that you want - or need - to achieve?
I offer a small number of one-to-one workshops available to leaders who are determined to reach their goals but who have found change hard.
I work with individuals in their own dedicated workshop to uncover their personal and deep-seated reasons for resisting change, and begin to find creative ways to overcome this ‘immunity’. The approach is powerful and is based on the research of Harvard professors Dr Robert Kegan and Dr Lisa Lahey.
Here’s what an experienced Headteacher said about this workshop:
“Mark has the unique skill of putting you in a place where you feel completely at ease to explore your thoughts and go deeper than you expected. I was lucky enough to attend his workshop and can honestly say it was one of the most enlightening and thought provoking sessions I’ve experienced in a while. Mark is excellent at connecting authentically which is a rare thing.”
To find our more and to book a workshop, click here:
Currently on my bedside table…
If you're like me, you'll have a number of books on the go at any one time. I share my current reading so that it might inspire yours:
Chatter by Ethan Kross
How to Begin by Michael Bungay Stanier
Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman
#LeadershipLessons from others:
“You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody.”
Maya Angelou
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