4 tips for leaders to break the cycle of procrastination.

Many of us experience the dreaded cycle of procrastination, avoidance and anxiety that accompanies last-minute projects in the workplace. We only put our foot down when we have no other choice. How do we break the cycle of procrastination?

When we sit down to focus, we often opt for the "eat dessert first" strategy of starting with the easiest and most fun tasks. We often put off the larger, daunting and looming tasks.

In fact, the prefrontal cortex, which governs decisions and information, is the weakest part of the brain. It is this area of the brain that needs to be stimulated to undertake more difficult actions. When we have to choose between working on a difficult task or putting it off, our limbic system overrides our prefrontal cortex and we choose the option that presents less difficulty.

So how do we tackle the most important tasks when our brain is working against us, so we can cross them off our to-do list and stop stressing about what we need to do?

1. Prioritize the most difficult task.

Our willpower is limited, as anyone who has tried to quit smoking or lose weight knows, so if we don't start with the hardest task, we are unlikely to finish it later in the day when we are exhausted.

2. Establish open accountability.

When other people depend on us or when we promise to do something for someone else, we usually perform. We want to avoid disappointing others.

Joining a fitness class and finding a workout partner are both good choices. We can always find a reason not to go to the gym, but when someone else depends on us, we go. It's a fact!

3. Remove all barriers to focus.

Find a way to temporarily eliminate distractions so that your only option is to finish the work at hand. This strategy involves changing the workplace.

I find it difficult to focus when there are other people around me or dishes to finish in a hurry while I need to revise a book chapter or develop a new leadership article. I need a place where I can't engage in other activities.

I just bring the work I need to do when I go to an empty coffee shop or conference room. If I have no other choice, I always stay productive.

4. Recognize that there is no perfect time.

A project will never get off the ground if we wait until all the elements are ideal. There will always be a reason for us to put something off.

When I was in a good mood, I used to promise myself to write a book chapter. No result, it was simply ineffective. When given an option, my emotional limbic system always overrides my prefrontal cortex. Now I set a time and write only during that time.

For the past few years, I've been following a rule of life: find a neutral place, sit down to think consequently, and produce content.

Have you developed a habit that increases your productivity?

Wishing you the best!

Ref.

Timothy A. Pychyl, PhD, author of The Procrastinator's Digest : A Concise Guide to Solving the Procrastination Puzzle