How to Help Procrastinators

July 21st, 2008          Email This Post        Print This Post

Have you asked your spouse or friend for something, but they never seem to get around to it? You keep asking again and again, afraid to bug them and afraid they will feel offended as they once again tell you that they didn’t do it yet.
What can you do?
Procrastination is not about laziness. Procrastination is a method to remove anxiety, explains Neil Fiore in The Now Habit. The book explains many methods - sometimes you need them all! - to remove the anxiety from work. If you are trying to get someone else to help you, then remove the anxiety causing aspects before from the work yourself. You will have much happier people helping you sooner!

• Overwhelming. Tell them where to start. Use a reverse calendar - break the work into smaller steps with their own due date. Large projects seem overwhelming, but small pieces don’t.
  
• Perfectionism. Many people view any fault in their work as a reflection off their faults. Tell them that it doesn’t need to be perfect - perhaps you just need a rough start.
  
• Criticism. Everyone hates being criticized. If people are concerned about criticism, they will be anxious about the work and won’t be as creative or resourceful. Everyone loves sincere praise, so heap it on. Don’t criticize - if you must offer suggestions, praise them first and tell them how to make it even better.

Don’t just do this for others - notice what makes you anxious and apply these ideas!

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