“Procrastination Is like a credit card: It’s fun until you get the bill”

Did you know that some of the most successful people in history were notorious procrastinators? That’s right, legends like Mozart, Leonardo Da Vinci, Frank Lloyd Wright, Thomas Jefferson, Bill Clinton, and Mark Twain all struggled with putting things off until the last minute. Not a bad group to be part of, huh?

But let’s be real, workplace procrastination is a common issue that affects employees in all kinds of jobs. Is it really a lack of motivation, or are employers not doing enough to inspire their teams?

First, let’s define procrastination. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, it means moving or acting slowly so as to fall behind, and it implies blameworthy delay. But it’s not just about pointing fingers and assigning blame. In fact, research shows that a whopping 88% of employees procrastinate for up to an hour on important tasks each day. While we all put things off from time to time, 15 to 20% of employees regularly delay important tasks, leading to poor performance and even job loss.

So why do people procrastinate? It’s not always about laziness. In fact, many people care so much about their work that they put unrealistic expectations on themselves, leading to anxiety and avoidance.

Procrastination is a complex issue that requires understanding and support from both employees and employers. In this article, we will cover the following topics: Signs of employee procrastination, causes of it and the strategies of addressing it.

What are the major signs of employee procrastination?

There are always some clear and telltale signs that someone is procrastinating. Let’s look at some of them:

1. Missed deadlines: If you notice that there is an employee that is missing deadlines consistently and delaying everything as further as possible, this is a telltale sign of bad time management that can lead to procrastination.
2. Hard time focusing: Procrastinators may find themselves easily distracted by non-work-related tasks or activities.
3. Being Indecisive: Employees would have a hard time making a quick decision or think on their feet. They have a tendency of prolonging the situation which can lead to delays in tasks that need to be completed.
4. Poor work quality: This is where employees end up doing things last minute where they would rush to finish up tasks, resulting in poor work quality.
5. A negative attitude/behavior: When a procrastinator has a bad attitude about anything, it’s their underlying fear or even perfectionism that causes them to dread performing particular tasks incorrectly or failing at them. It is a strong tendency towards perfection that prevents them from even beginning a task out of concern that it won’t be flawless or superior to the work of others on the team.

While it could appear that employee procrastination is entirely their fault, it’s crucial to understand that workplace conditions and management also play a big part. Employers can develop a more effective and efficient work environment for their staff by putting methods to eliminate distractions, establish clear goals, and prioritize activities.

What causes employee procrastination?

Procrastination is something that plagues most of us to some degree. From famous people throughout history such as Leonardo DaVinci taking 16 years to finish a painting to YouTube video makers who jokingly make videos about procrastination, almost all of us deal with it along with its heavy consequences. But what causes procrastination when you are an employee?

Employees may procrastinate for various reasons, some of which are the following:

1. Fear of failure: Because they are afraid of failing, employees may skip jobs that they may believe is too difficult or put off doing them until the very last minute.
2. Overwhelmed by tasks: On occasion, employees find themselves with numerous tasks to complete, which leaves them feeling overwhelmed.
3. Perfectionism: Some workers can put off doing duties because they want them to be flawless, which can result in procrastination.
4. Distractions: Some employees may put off doing their work because of daily distractions like social media, emails, or other tasks that have to do with their jobs.

These fundamental factors may be present at work for a number of reasons, including heavy workloads, unreasonable expectations, a lack of resources or support, poor communication, unclear goals or priorities, and a perfectionism- or failure-fearing culture. Additionally, procrastination and distractions at work may be enhanced by social media’s omnipresence and technical improvements. Employers must address these underlying issues in order to foster a productive workplace and ensure the well-being of their workers.

What strategies should you deploy to conquer Employee Procrastination?

1. Set clear goals and expectations: As an employer, you should always set SMART Goals with your employees: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound.
2. Prioritizing tasks: It is important to concentrate on critical tasks first by setting priorities for your work.
3. Breaking tasks into smaller chunks: Sometimes, it might be intimidating to start a big project and the thought of this can cause procrastination by itself. Working on each task in the project one at a time by breaking it down into smaller tasks can prevent the chances of procrastination. So, splitting the tasks into smaller ones can help your employee achieve them on time.
4. Eliminating Distractions: Productivity can be seriously hampered by distractions. Employees need to determine their biggest sources of distraction and as their employer, being able to help them work to reduce or eliminate them can ensure there would be a decrease in procrastination.
5.  Reward your staff members: After they complete a job or attain a goal, give them a modest gift. This might be as easy as taking a little pause, enjoying a snack, or engaging in an enjoyable activity.
6. Communication: Make sure that your employees feel at ease to come and have a conversation with you about what they are struggling with and that they can come to you for support and assistance.

Ever heard of the Two-Minute Rule?

In his book “Atomic Habits,” James Clear suggests using the Two-Minute Rule as a way to stop procrastinating and build good habits. The rule states that you should break down any task that takes more than two minutes into smaller, more manageable steps. By doing so, you can eliminate the excuse of not having enough time, and make it easier to take action. For example, if you want to start exercising regularly, start by doing just two minutes of exercise each day. Once the two minutes become a habit, you can gradually increase the duration. The secret is to concentrate on the act of creating a habit rather than the result. You may make great progress over time and accomplish your goal by continually taking little effort. What can we learn from this? Encouraging employees to break down the bigger tasks into smaller, more manageable tasks can eliminate the excuse of not having enough time and make it easier to complete them.

Procrastination is the sneaky saboteur that can cause havoc on our productivity and mental health. It’s like a cunning thief that steals our time, energy, and focus, leaving us feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and unproductive. It’s super important for managers to differentiate between employee procrastination and lack of inspiration. While procrastination may be an issue, it’s also important to remember that staff members may require some encouragement to complete challenging tasks. By setting clear goals and giving support, employers can help their team stay on track and motivated, leading to more success in the office.