Listen to this article:
Abstract: Procrastination is a pervasive challenge that undermines productivity, leading to missed deadlines, poor performance, and increased stress. Understanding the root causes—such as task aversion, poor time management, fear of failure, impulsiveness, and self-regulation issues—allows leaders to develop targeted strategies to combat it. This article explores research-backed techniques to overcome procrastination, including breaking large tasks into manageable steps, using planners to schedule work, setting achievable daily goals, and leveraging environmental triggers. Additionally, strategies like positive self-talk, rewarding progress, and minimizing distractions help sustain focus and motivation. Beyond individual efforts, cultivating an anti-procrastination culture is essential for long-term success. Leaders play a pivotal role by modeling engaged behavior, implementing accountability systems, and promoting work-life balance to prevent burnout. By fostering productive habits at both individual and organizational levels, businesses can reduce procrastination, enhance employee well-being, and maintain consistent progress toward goals.
Procrastination is a widespread productivity problem that affects organizations and individuals alike. With constant demands on our time and attention, it can be easy to put off important tasks and responsibilities. However, chronic procrastination takes a significant toll in the form of missed deadlines, poor job performance, increased stress, and diminished well-being. As leaders and managers, it is important to understand why procrastination occurs and what steps can be taken to overcome it - both for ourselves and for those we lead.
Today we will explore the underlying causes of procrastination, provide research-backed strategies for beating it, and offer industry examples of effective anti-procrastination practices.
Causes of Procrastination
Before addressing how to overcome procrastination, it is helpful to understand why it occurs in the first place. Research points to several common root causes.
Task Aversiveness: One of the main drivers of procrastination is a dislike or distaste for the task at hand (Steel, 2007). When people view tasks as boring, difficult, or unpleasant, they are more likely to put them off in favor of more immediately gratifying activities. This is especially true for tasks seen as vague or ambiguous.
Poor Time Management: Procrastinators often struggle with effective time management. They underestimate how long tasks will take, have poor prioritization skills, and fail to schedule specific times for work (Lay, 1986). Without a clear sense of priorities and timelines, important tasks become easy to neglect.
Fear of Failure or Success: The anxiety of possibly failing or even succeeding can paradoxically cause procrastination (Martin, et al., 2010). People may delay starting to avoid potential disappointments or uncomfortable feelings of having to perform well under pressure.
Impulsiveness: Some research links trait impulsiveness and difficulty controlling urges to procrastination (Steel, 2010). For impulsive personalities, more immediately rewarding activities naturally take priority over important future-oriented responsibilities.
Self-Regulation Issues: At its core, procrastination involves dysregulated self-control and willpower (Steel, 2007). Putting off tasks requires overriding natural, short-term urges in service of long-term goals and priorities. For those prone to procrastination, self-regulation abilities may be weaker.
These causes provide insights into strategies. By addressing the underlying drivers, organizations can help employees better manage tasks, time, anxiety, impulses, and self-discipline to overcome chronic procrastination.
Strategies for Beating Procrastination
With an understanding of what drives procrastination, leaders can implement research-backed strategies to help individuals and teams stay focused and productive. The following approaches have been shown effective when applied consistently.
Breaking Large Tasks Into Smaller Steps
One way to make procrastinated tasks feel less daunting is to consciously break them down into smaller, more manageable steps (Ariely & Wertenbroch, 2002). This relieves the anxiety of an overwhelming to-do list and provides a sense of frequent, small wins along the way.
For example, writing a 10-page report could be divided into steps like: find 3 sources, outline key points, write introduction, write section 1, etc. Completing each step delivers a mini-sense of accomplishment that fuels continued progress.
Using a Daily Planner or Calendar
Strong time management, with dedicated blocks for each task, is crucial to overcoming procrastination (Lay, 1986). Daily or weekly planners help visualize commitments and priorities. Software programs like Trello or Asana make it easy to schedule, track progress, and keep all team members accountable to deadlines.
At a biotech firm, each employee's weekly calendar clearly allocates hours for major ongoing projects. This prevents last-minute scrambling and ensures important R&D deadlines are met.
Setting Small, Achievable Daily Goals
In addition to breaking projects into steps, leaders can encourage setting smaller, daily productivity goals that are realistic yet challenging (Lynch, et al., 2010). Achieving mini-milestones each day builds momentum and reinforces a habit of consistent progress instead of last-minute crunches.
A consulting company trains employees to set a quota of billable hours each day rather than vague weekly targets. Hitting the daily numbers becomes a motivating game that propels the whole team forward.
Environmental Cues and Triggers
Some experts argue procrastination stems partly from a lack of environmental triggers prompting action (Silver & Sabini, 1981). Setting clear situational cues makes task-starting an automatic behavior.
An energy company ensures important renewal contracts stay top-of-mind by displaying the due dates prominently on communal whiteboards. Simply seeing the dates daily sparks employees to safely complete renewals ahead of schedule.
Positive Self-Talk and Reframing
Negative self-criticism often causes stress and evasive behaviors like procrastination (Taylor & Kemeny, 2011). Leaders can encourage positive self-talk and reframing how employees perceive difficult tasks.
For example, rather than thinking "I dread this presentation," reframing as "This will be a great chance to showcase my knowledge" shifts mindset from aversive to enthusiastic. Positive focus breeds productive effort instead of avoidance.
Rewarding Progress, Not Just Outcomes
To reinforce steady effort and momentum over last-minute dashing, leaders can acknowledge and celebrate milestones, not just final results (Gailliot & Baumeister, 2007). Praise and minor rewards along the way satisfy intrinsic needs for accomplishment and social validation.
A law firm publicly thanks individuals each time a case progresses from discovery to depositions to closing arguments, keeping teams energized throughout long-term projects instead of racing for last-minute finishes.
Limiting Distractions and Urgent Interruptions
Given the temptation of more immediately rewarding activities, enforcing limits on non-work distractions during dedicated work periods helps with self-control (Ariely & Wertenbroch, 2002).
A web development agency reserves the afternoon solely for focused coding with all notifications silenced. Employees report less procrastinative multitasking and greater productivity as a result.
Implementing these practical, research-backed strategies can help organizations overcome chronic procrastination at both individual and group levels. However, lasting change also requires cultivating a culture that reinforces effective habits on an ongoing basis.
Cultivating an Anti-Procrastination Culture
While strategies provide tools, culture plays the larger role in shaping behaviors over the long run. Leaders aim to establish norms, routines, and incentives across teams that reinforce diligence as the social default rather than last-minute heroics. A few methods for cultivating an enduring anti-procrastination ethos include:
Communicating Clear Expectations: Work standards must emphasize consistent progress over crunch-time emergencies. Leaders clearly define task responsibilities, deadlines, and the expectation that employees will regularly update their standing (Schouwenburg & Lay, 1995). Ambiguity breeds procrastination.
Implementing Accountability Systems: Peer accountability systems, where individuals report progress to colleagues, activate social motivation factors proven to strengthen self-control (Hagger et al., 2010). Public progress updates shift procrastination from a private habit into a social norm.
Offering Support for Self-Regulation: Given procrastination's root in weaker self-discipline, leaders can provide training, resources and mentorship on time management, goal-setting, project planning and stress prevention (Schouwenburg, 2004). With guidance, self-regulation skills strengthen over time.
Modeling Engaged Behavior: Leaders model diligence by working consistently and productively themselves (Brown & Treviño, 2006). Followers emulate what they observe in their superiors rather than what leaders merely instruct. Consistent, engaged behavior from the top cultivates a culture where procrastination loses favor.
Promoting Work-Life Balance: Heavy workloads predict procrastination due to depletion of self-control resources (Tice & Baumeister, 1997). Maintaining reasonable job demands along with encouragement of recharging off-hours activities helps stave off burnout and its unproductive consequences.
These cultural elements, coupled with proven strategies, equip organizations for long-term success in meeting commitments and maximizing productivity through sound time management habits across all levels. In the end, beating procrastination requires consistent effort from each individual as well as supportive norms from the teams and cultures that shape daily routines.
Conclusion
Procrastination poses a significant problem for organizational and individual effectiveness given its prevalence in the workplace. By understanding its core causes in things like task aversion, poor time management and self-regulation issues, leaders gain insights for implementing proven anti-procrastination strategies and cultivating a culture of diligence. Breaking large projects into steps, setting clear schedules and goals, rewarding consistent progress, limiting distractions and cultivating accountability systems counter the drivers of avoidance. When adopted systematically and modeled from the top down, these evidence-based approaches empower both managers and employees to conquer chronic procrastination through enhanced focus, motivation and productivity over the long term.
References
Ariely, D., & Wertenbroch, K. (2002). Procrastination, deadlines, and performance: Self-control by precommitment. Psychological Science, 13(3), 219–224. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9280.00441
Brown, M. E., & Treviño, L. K. (2006). Ethical leadership: A review and future directions. The Leadership Quarterly, 17(6), 595–616. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2006.10.004
Gailliot, M. T., & Baumeister, R. F. (2007). The physiology of willpower: Linking blood glucose to self-control. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 11(4), 303–327. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868307303030
Hagger, M. S., Wood, C., Stiff, C., & Chatzisarantis, N. L. D. (2010). Ego depletion and the strength model of self-control: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 136(4), 495–525. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019486
Lay, C. H. (1986). At last, my research article on procrastination. Journal of Research in Personality, 20(4), 474–495. https://doi.org/10.1016/0092-6566(86)90127-3
Lynch, S. M., Nettleton, S., & Wharton, R. (2010). Global health inequalities: Conceptual challenges and ways forward. Global Health Action, 3(1), 5639. https://doi.org/10.3402/gha.v3i0.5639
Martin, L. L., Czellar, S., & Olson, M. A. (2010). Motivated cognition in affective and cognitive processes. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 19(2), 96–100. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721410364771
Schouwenburg, H. C. (2004). Procrastination in academic settings: General introduction. In H. C. Schouwenburg, C. H. Lay, T. A. Pychyl, & J. R. Ferrari (Eds.), Counseling the procrastinator in academic settings (pp. 3–17). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/10808-001
Schouwenburg, H. C., & Lay, C. H. (1995). Trait procrastination and the Big-Five factors of personality. Personality and Individual Differences, 18(4), 481-490. https://doi.org/10.1016/0191-8869(94)00126-n
Silver, M., & Sabini, J. (1981). Procrastinating. Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, 11(2), 207–221. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-5914.1981.tb00039.x
Steel, P. (2007). The nature of procrastination: A meta-analytic and theoretical review of quintessential self-regulatory failure. Psychological Bulletin, 133(1), 65–94. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.133.1.65
Steel, P. (2010). Arousal, avoidant and decisional procrastinators: Do they exist? Personality and Individual Differences, 48(8), 926–934. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2010.02.025
Taylor, S. E., & Kemeny, M. E. (2011). Stress and coping. In Coping: The psychology of what works (pp. 131–151). Oxford University Press.
Tice, D. M., & Baumeister, R. F. (1997). Longitudinal study of procrastination, performance, stress, and health: The costs and benefits of dawdling. Psychological Science, 8(6), 454–458. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.1997.tb00460.x
Additional Reading
Westover, J. H. (2024). Optimizing Organizations: Reinvention through People, Adapted Mindsets, and the Dynamics of Change. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.3
Westover, J. H. (2024). Reinventing Leadership: People-Centered Strategies for Empowering Organizational Change. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.4
Westover, J. H. (2024). Cultivating Engagement: Mastering Inclusive Leadership, Culture Change, and Data-Informed Decision Making. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.5
Westover, J. H. (2024). Energizing Innovation: Inspiring Peak Performance through Talent, Culture, and Growth. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.6
Westover, J. H. (2024). Championing Performance: Aligning Organizational and Employee Trust, Purpose, and Well-Being. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.7
Citation: Westover, J. H. (2024). Workforce Evolution: Strategies for Adapting to Changing Human Capital Needs. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.8
Westover, J. H. (2024). Navigating Change: Keys to Organizational Agility, Innovation, and Impact. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.11
Westover, J. H. (2024). Inspiring Purpose: Leading People and Unlocking Human Capacity in the Workplace. HCI Academic Press. doi.org/10.70175/hclpress.2024.12
Jonathan H. Westover, PhD is Chief Academic & Learning Officer (HCI Academy); Chair/Professor, Organizational Leadership (UVU); OD Consultant (Human Capital Innovations). Read Jonathan Westover's executive profile here.
Suggested Citation: Westover, J. H. (2024). How to Beat Procrastination at Work. Human Capital Leadership Review, 14(4). doi.org/10.70175/hclreview.2020.14.4.13
