Workplace Wisdom

As a member of theChamber, you are a visionary, a leader, a business owner. You also are a personwho interacts with employees or partners to be sure the work gets done. Butwhat happens when you find yourself surrounded by procrastinators?

Research suggests that up to 26% of the population admits to procrastination, and you have to wonder how many aren’t admitting it. That’s a whopping number and it correlates directly with the people working in your company.

26% of your employees are procrastinators, and the effect on productivity translates into missed opportunities, missed deadlines, decreased profits.

Taking a tongue-in-cheekpage from Jeff Foxworthy, let’s see how your brain is wired now:

• You might be a procrastinator if you fill your day with unimportant tasks on your checklist.
• You might be a procrastinator if you transfer the same important task to your to-do list six days in a row.
• You might be a procrastinator if read your emails over several times...without acting on any of them.
• You might be a procrastinator if you start a task and then end up making coffee. Caffeine is good, right?
• You might be a procrastinator if you fill your day with tasks you’re doing for others, rather than getting your own work done.
• You might be a procrastinator if you’re waiting to be in the mood to get the job done. 
• You might be a procrastinator if you can’t start until the time is juuuusssst right.

• Self-Diagnose: Take this quiz and find out: Are you a procrastinator? https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_99.htm 

All joking aside, it may be time toaddress the issue. Think about the people in your circle of influence. Recognizingone of these culprits as the genesis of procrastination just might be the keyto increasing productivity.

• Fear of failure?
• Fear of asking for help?
• Perfectionism? Self-Doubt? (overthinking)
• Exaggerated optimism? (I can do this in no time!)
• Worry?
• Boredom?

These not-so-tiny giants invade the mind and lead to analysis paralysis. On the bright side, we aren’t talking rocket science here. We’re talking about common sense applications, Band-Aids for the workplace. No, you aren’t going to change a lifetime of bad habits, but you can provide structure, emphasis, and accountability so that in one sphere of life, the one affecting you and your company, procrastination is minimized and productivity is maximized.

We hope you found this little WorkplaceWisdom helpful. Look for one every month, as we labor to make your company moresuccessful.