Procrastinate Like A star
Summary: Procrastination is normal and you should allow yourself some downtime. Remind yourself of your humanity and make mindful decisions that work for you. Train your mind to look at yourself and your situation differently for positive outcomes that will allow you to either foster a passion or to re-energize and go back to your work.
As a leader, you must have been always advised to never procrastinate. But, like everything else in the world, procrastination has its place too. There will always be instances where putting things off for a while will benefit you as a leader. Don’t worry about them, for they say, “Rejection is often redirection!”
When you are a senior leader, you are bound to have a long to-do list, manage, and lead. Let’s not forget the number of presentations, strategy meetings, and stakeholder conversations. Your phone may be ringing with e-mail and message notifications. Oh yes, also the long line of wishes on your bucket list written in a diary that you have not visited for a long time.
The problem with “off time” is that we have a lot of difficulties completely flipping the switch. We find ourselves stuck in the middle of the spectrum, working begrudgingly with little energy or continuously being tense about work while trying to relax. One leader regales the tale of how after months of checking his inboxes all the time even when he was away from work. Then he intentionally took a vacation to an island in Panama with his wife and two best friends, amidst zero wifi connectivity. When he came back, he found everything normal, and realized that without his responses the emails had not accrued in his mailbox either!
Here are three ways to comfortably make it a habit to procrastinate like a Starleader:
Train your Mind
Instead of beating yourself up for procrastinating1 and labelling yourself as lazy and undisciplined, how about having a plan? Researchers have explained2 that creative thinking can be an extension of ordinary mind-wandering and daydreaming which has also been associated with self-awareness, goal-oriented thinking and increased compassion. So, train your mind to wander freely.
Be wise
Every time you lose focus on your task at hand, turn your attention to something else that feels light, you enjoy, and is helpful too. “The work you do while you procrastinate is probably the work you should be doing for the rest of your life.” – Jessica Hirsche.3 Engage in applications that help you learn something. Read an article about current events or about upcoming trends in your industry and field of interest. Call that long-lost friend. In other words, make the best use of your time even if you are not doing what you initially planned to do. You never know, you might just foster a passion and then even find the opportunity to follow it.
Recharge
In the world of Artificial Intelligence, it is important to remind yourself of your humanity. Start paying attention to your body and mind and find patterns of when you start losing focus. Allow yourself to be human and take a break. Scheduling breaks and habitually enjoying them will actually result in surges of dopamine when you need it,4 which you can then leverage to work for real!.Engage in an activity of your choice to exert physical energy (exercise, dance, swim, play tennis, go for a walk) that will help clear your mind. Listen to music and allow your mind to go someplace else. Maybe get a massage or go to the spa so your mind and body are relaxed at the same time. You could also just take a 20-minute nap that will boost your productivity.
Impact on Leadership
3 Immediately Applicable Action Steps
- Start paying attention to your body and mind and find patterns when you start losing focus.
- Pick activities that will help you use your procrastination time in a manner you enjoy.
- Pick activities that help you feel re-energized to put in the effort again.
References
- Council, F. C. (2018, March 22). 10 Ways To Beat Procrastination And Get Things Done. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/
forbescoachescouncil/
2018/03/22/10-ways-t o-beat-procrastination-and-get-things-done/?sh=78e200a92902 - Gregoire Carolyn (2016, Nov 3). A Wandering Mind Isn’t Just A Distraction. It May Be Your Brain’s Default State.
- https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mind-wandering-creativity-mental-illness_n_
5818acc4e4b0990edc33827a - Griffin, M. (2016, May 12). 10 Useful Lessons From “Steal Like An Artist” by Austin Kleon. Melyssa Griffin. https://www.melyssagriffin.com/
lessons-learned-from-steal-like-an-artist/ - Harmon, S. (2019, April 30). Procrastination: Why It’s So Hard To Break The Habit. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/
harmoncullinan/2019/04/30/
procrastinationwhy-its-so-hard-to-break-the-habit/?sh=3192111f1d59
Authored by Coach Vikram
Vikram is an Executive Presence Coach who supports CXOs and senior leaders to make an impact, influence, and lead with ease. He advises C-level leaders and teams to strengthen business performance through their executive presence and star leadership.
Vikram works closely with Boards and senior leaders to align leadership needs with strategy. His forte is his ability to develop trusted partnerships with senior leaders at some of the most recognized companies in the world. Vikram coaches senior leaders to draw upon their best selves, while growing their business and their leadership capabilities.
Vikram and his team have developed a groundbreaking model of executive presence and an Executive Presence Index (EPI) Assessment, the first frequency based, scientifically validated tool to measure executive presence.
Connect with him if you want practical and immediately applicable strategies to accelerate results, develop your people, and influence others to make a positive difference in your organization.
