Overcome procrastination and cut down stress levels
By Anita Bruzzese
Maybe you've never been one to put things off. You get your work done, completing tasks on time. But lately, well ... lately you've been noticing that you've missed some deadlines. Co-workers have had to repeatedly ask you for things they need, and your calendar is starting to get bogged down by unfinished tasks.
You've never considered yourself a procrastinator, and yet you know there's a problem. Dr. Neil Fiore, a psychologist and executive coach, says that more people these days seem to be struggling with lower productivity, and he says the bad economy and tough job market may be partly responsible.
"I've seen a loss of motivation, a kind of anxiety from people who are afraid of making a mistake at work these days. They're concerned about their jobs, and that can stall them," he says.
Further, negative self-talk is also hampering people's ability to be productive at a time when employers are trying to be as competitive as possible. Instead of workers saying, for example, "I'm going to finish the report," they're saying, "I have to finish the report."
"By saying, 'I have to' instead of 'I choose to' or 'I'm going to,' you really increase your stress levels," he says.
Fiore says that while we've all heard of the "flight or fight" response to stress, a third component is "freeze." That means that people who are confronted with a possible layoff, or have already lost their jobs, may find that they're shifting into a "wait and see" mode, procrastinating on doing anything about their careers.
"It's part of our survival mechanism. When you have a broken leg, your body will tell you to lie still. That's what is happening to a lot of people right now. They're just staying still, trying to figure out what is going on," he says.
Fiore says that while procrastinators often are given tips such as breaking projects down into small slices, he believes more people need to understand why they procrastinate. He says positive self-talk will help keep them moving forward so that they can enjoy life and not feel bogged down by guilt because they don't think they're productive enough.
In his new book, "The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play," (Tarcher, $14.95) he suggests:
