It’s easy to fall in love with getting things done at the last minute. But over time this kind of lifestyle will burn you out and hurt your bottom line.
The problem is that we romanticize this behavior. As a TV News Veteran, I understand the rush you feel when your story is completed seconds before airtime. And countless action movies celebrate the hero saving the day, with no time to spare.
But Hollywood isn’t portraying an 8 to 5 world where your job depends on your getting things done on time. The problem with waiting is that it rockets up your tension. For a day or two, this can be fun.
After that, you start to get tired and frustrated. And that’s when mistakes can happen, if not sooner. You’ll find yourself saying, “If only I would have had a few more minutes.” Meanwhile your reputation as a performer will plummet. Would you want to work with someone who waits so long to get things done?
It’s easy to Clear the Path of this obstacle:
- Ask yourself if you think you can complete the project on time. If you do, get started immediately. If not, get help. Not knowing what to do or not feeling confident about your ability are major causes of procrastination.
- Stop putting off tasks because they are challenging. ?It’s often best to do these jobs first thing. Leave the easy stuff for later.
- Life on the job often includes curveballs. You don’t know when they’ll come but they’ll end up taking a lot of your time and energy. By staying on top of your other duties, you’ll be better prepared to tackle the unexpected.
On the job, quiet success is much better than a noisy, hectic hustle.
