Page 179 - End Procrastination Now Get it Done with a Proven Psychological Approach

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Applying Techniques to Address

Procrastination in the Workplace

he purpose of work is to accomplish something. Work procras-
T tination includes putting off all or part of what you do to earn
a living, and so you accomplish less.
Who engages in work procrastination? A percentage of those
people who view their work as unpleasant and unfulfilling are
likely to find ways to get around it: daydreaming, getting involved
in office intrigues, going over the same ground, busywork, or with-
drawal. However, while on the job, practically everyone will occa-
sionally put something or another off. This includes people who
are ordinarily conscientious, and in situations where procrastina-
tion can draw unwanted attention: “What happened to Charlie on
this one? He dropped the ball.”
Organizations treat time shrinkage as a fact of life; some of them
even build this factor into their pay scales. The basis for adjusting
pay to take procrastination into account is simple: it’s virtually im-
possible to eliminate daydreaming, personal calls, taking time to
work up to getting started, slowing down, and so forth. If an orga-
nization can recapture some of the time shrinkage that it has dis-
counted, that’s a gain. However, some of the dollar costs from
procrastination can be especially serious. Delayed callbacks may