The Type A+ Podcast Episode 14: Procrastination and Perfectionism - Links & Show Notes
Episode Description:
Perfectionism and procrastination may seem like distant cousins, at best, but did you know that procrastination can be a symptom of perfectionism? In this deadline-driven world of Event Planning, Beth has had to learn ways to break through the tendency to push everything to the last minute. On this Monday, Beth shares her top 5 strategies for breaking through procrastination, and some of the ways it manifests in her life.
For more information on Beth, visit www.bethlawrence.co.
Links mentioned in the episode:
Podcast:
The Type A Plus Podcast Instagram
Host:
Beth Lawrence & Company Instagram
Beth will be back each week, delivering bite-sized tips (15 minute episodes or less) on how to optimize your life and work.
Episode Transcript can be found below:
Hello everyone. Welcome back to the Type A+ Podcast. And for those of you that are listening on the release date, happy Halloween. I hope everyone has a wonderful day, and the Phillies are playing tonight. What a great Monday! The sun is shining. I've always thought that this would be a great topic to bring up on a Monday, breaking through procrastination.
So procrastination and type ness actually do really go hand in hand, which is funny because one of the things that many people who are type A struggle with is perfectionism, and from outside looking in, it seems like procrastination and perfectionism are two opposite ways of approaching work, but procrastination is actually often a symptom of perfectionism.
And this is because perfectionists fears being unable to complete a task perfectly. So they put it off as long as possible, and it stems from the fear that not meeting the goal means that there's something bad, wrong, or even unworthy inside of them. And as someone who came from a Catholic school background and who struggles with procrastination all the time in a deadline-based industry, I have a couple of different ways that it manifests for me and others in my life, in real life.
So in real life, procrastination can look like one of four or any of these four ways. Avoiding a somewhat simple task or putting it off to the last.
The next way that it can manifest is by moving a deadline several times before you even start a project. So getting an idea, really writing it down in your notebook or in your project management software, and then thinking I'll just move that deadline I have a lot to do. And then moving the deadline again and moving the deadline again before you even put pen to paper on starting the project.
Another way that this can manifest is if you're in a situation where you happen to have a virtual assistant, or a team member, some of us attempt to reassign or delegate the project completely knowing full well, we'll have to do a lot to take it over the finish line, even if someone else starts it, right, Because it's in our area of expertise.
And finally, the feeling that you can only get things done when your plate is full. How many times have you thought to yourself, if I have three things to get done, I'm gonna get nothing done? But if I have 30 things to get done, I could get probably 15 done in a day. All are different ways that perfectionism and procrastination can creep into our lives, and a lot of the time our brain is in survival mode.
Our brain is really saying, Hey, I have an idea. We'll keep you safe. We're keeping you safe. We're keeping you in your comfort zone because it's reacting to the fear inside of us that we are not worthy or that we're not going to have a finished product that represents the standards that we have for ourselves.
But it can be extremely crippling. You know, sometimes we look at our work week on a Monday and we say, Man, I've got a couple of days where I don't really have a ton of stuff to do. I'm really excited to get all of these things done that I've been putting off. And then the week continues, Tuesday comes around Wednesday, and all of a sudden it's Thursday.
And you realize, Oh no, I had a couple of things to do that I've been putting off for a few weeks, but you know what? I can get them all done tomorrow. But then what happens on Friday? Then it's Friday and maybe I don't feel like doing it today. Or maybe the people that I need to contact aren't really in the office.
So then we continue to put it off and put it off to our own detriment and sometimes to the detriment of others in our department or our clients.
So here are five strategies that I use to break through my perfectionist tendencies when they get their worst. The first thing is to write down every single thing that you have to do with the deadlines, and if you don't have a deadline, create one for yourself.
The second point is to look at that list and ask yourself, which are things that you're telling. You have to do, which are the ones that you are putting on yourself that you don't necessarily have to do yourself, which can you delegate?
Right? A lot of times perfectionism also looks like, Well, I'll just do everything myself because no one else can do it the way that I can. But you have to look at your list and say, Which are some things that maybe I can ask my husband to do, or maybe I can ask my colleague at work to help me with, or, I don't necessarily have to do this at all, I'm just putting it on myself...
So that's the second thing. The third thing is picking one of the things that you have to do. I usually try to pick the one with the deadline closest, but whatever works for you, set a timer for a very short amount of time and see how much you can get done. So whether you have 10 minutes, if you have 20 minutes, if you have an hour, set a timer, and put on some focus music if you want to.
Whatever gets you in the zone. And get in the zone just for that amount of time. Seriously, you can absolutely get up from your desk when it's done, but make sure that if you do it for 20 minutes, you have a recurring 20-minute timeframe that you know you're gonna get this thing done. Sometimes it helps to quote-unquote bang things out and get things done because it does sort of feed that procrastinate tendency in us.
But we're also getting things. Part two of it. So you set a timer for a short amount of time and see how much you can get done. Then set up a reward system for when you complete the tasks. So, if I complete a task, I go out for a 15-minute walk around the block with my dog because.
I have sat down, and I have been at my desk. I have done the thing that I said I was going to do, so I need to reward myself. Figure out what reward works for you. Do you like getting your nails done? Maybe you watch half an hour of your favorite show. Pick a reward that really is going to make you want to complete the tasks.
Finally, enlisting an accountability partner. This is really great, especially if you're a solopreneur because. When it's just you and you're only being held accountable by yourself, your team, and your clients, it can be really easy to say, Well, it's really nice out today. I don't really feel like writing those blog posts, so I'll just take today and have a relaxed day, and then tomorrow write the blog post, but then tomorrow fills up.
Right? So a way to really make sure that you're on task and on deadline is to enlist somebody who doesn't have to have the same goals as you. But that they have a goal that they would like to accomplish, and you can be mutual accountability partners for one another. Sometimes if you're a perfectionist with procrastination like me, you're very self-aware.
You know that you're a procrastinator. So having someone in your corner who understands not only where you're coming from but can empathize with it because they're the same way, can be really helpful. Now, whether that's an accountability call once a week, whether that's an email, whether it's a Word document, a project management system, or a goal-setting system, whatever works for you. Finding that buddy to keep you accountable is a great way to make sure that your procrastination doesn't turn into a pattern that can be detrimental to you in your work.
I hope that this was helpful on this Monday morning. I hope everyone is feeling as energized as I am. Go Phillies and have a wonderful Halloween. We will see you back here next week on the Type A+ Podcast. Thanks for listening.