Saying that procrastination can ruin a company is like saying that swimming in the shark-infested water is dangerous—nothing can be more obvious than that. But even if we all know that procrastination is one of the workplace’s greatest threats, why does it still exist? Could there be a way to get rid of it permanently?
For Your Employees
If you have an employee who tends to postpone completing their tasks, like getting ServiceNow implementation services, here are a few tips that you can use to wean him off that nasty habit:
Talk to them
You’ll be surprised to know that sometimes even a small chat with your employee about his behavior can already lead to good results. Rather than assuming that your employee is lazy, ask them why they tend to put off their tasks at the last minute. From your conversation, you’ll know more why they’re procrastinating.
Perhaps your employee has a sleeping problem such as sleep apnea and is often sleepy in the morning. Maybe they regain their focus only in the afternoon. It could also be that your employee isn’t too sure about how to go about doing the tasks that have been handed over to them. As a result, they’re waiting for the last minute to get the nerve to ask someone to help them with it.
If you talk to your employee and get to the root of the problem, you might find a better way to solve it. Also, by opening a communication line between you and your employee, you’re letting them know that they can approach you for any concerns. That way, both of you will be more able to fix problems in a constructive way.
Get involved
Another way to help your employees get rid of their tendency to procrastinate is to become involved in their projects. Aside from simply giving them instructions, you can work with them in completing their tasks. It may look like you’re micromanaging your employees. It is in a way, but the upside to this is that your employees won’t be able to procrastinate because you’re right there.
Another way to help them not procrastinate without having to look over their shoulders is to simply sit near them. Sit near your employee who tends to procrastinate, and they will definitely not have any chance to delay their tasks for fear of getting discovered.
For Yourself
If the person who often procrastinates is you and your superior is not doing anything to remedy your behavior, it’s up to you to fix it. Here are the ways you can help yourself beat procrastination:
Remove distractions
Oftentimes, we procrastinate not because we want to but because something has distracted us and we have failed to notice that our focus has shifted to that distraction and stayed there for an hour. You should remove all the distractions as soon as you sit on your office chair.
Get rid of all the tabs that you often visit but not work-related. Get rid of your Facebook tab, Twitter tab, Instagram tab, or even every news tab that you have. What you should see first as soon as you open up your computer is the things that you need to do for the day.
Get right into working
Don’t listen to that voice in your head that encourages you to procrastinate. Get right on to working on your daily tasks, and you’ll soon realize that you’ve been working straight for more than an hour. When we don’t let our minds wander, we effectively remove the urge to procrastinate.
Set deadlines
Another way to avoid procrastination is to set deadlines, but with a twist: They should be in an hour or 30 minutes. By setting deadlines that are just around the corner, you’re more pressured to finish your tasks right away.
Procrastination is prevalent in any company, and it will always exist in any workplace. But as long as you implement the strategies mentioned above, you’ll be able to focus more on your tasks.
