Procrastination and how to beat it

So what exactly is procrastination and how does it affect us?  Procrastination is the postponement of action.  As a result we get caught taking action at the last possible moment.  This practice leads to tyranny of the urgent instead of what is of long term benefit or importance.  Tasks that should have been fulfilled at an earlier time are addressed at that very moment, pushing other tasks out of the way.

Procrastination can make you scurry around at the last minute.  This frenzy takes time away from other important tasks, activities or even your time to relax. You always lose your buffer when you push things off and a time buffer can be a great way to plan for the unexpected. 

The urge to procrastinate can stem from fear, forgetfulness and disorganization.  First, the fear of doing the task or what the outcome may be (one task has now become five new tasks) can delay the start of a task.  Second, simply forgetting to do it because the task was not recorded can be an indirect problem, or not having what you need when you need it (disorganization) can make the task too hard to start. 

So how do we stop procrastinating?  Do not put tasks off until the last minute.  This creates unnecessary stress.  Always build in a buffer time to complete things or get places.  Break bigger things down into smaller steps if they feel overwhelming and the temptation is there to put stuff off. 

This next practice can be hard especially with small kids or a busy job, but try to limit distractions that can make it easier to procrastinate.  Stay away from the computer, tv and phone if you have something important to work on!  We sometimes enable ourselves in bad habits so we can put things off.  

Finally, set realistic expectations of yourself and what your schedule will allow.  More time to complete a task means you are not pressured by the deadline and can actually plan milestones and steps for completing the tasks in a timely manner.  

How to help your child clean their room

One of a parent’s big challenges is helping a child into the consistent habit of cleaning up his/her room.  This can be especially daunting when the child is young and easily distractible.  Many parents will tell a child to clean a room, only to come up 30 minutes later and find that not only is the room no better than before, but the child is playing with all the toys.  Giving your child a step by step process for cleaning a room when they are young is key to helping them maintain the habit as they get older.

Children are just as overwhelmed by clutter as adults, and the problem is multiplied when there is not a home for anything.  They are told to clean up yet they do not know where to start and they don’t know where anything should go.  Before a routine is set up the room should be (ideally) purged of unnecessary toys and a system of storage put in place.  Make sure to label all containers!  You have now set your child up for success by assigning everything a home.

Second, create a checklist for them to follow.  When you say, “Go clean your room”, there should be a process they can follow and replicate easily without your presence.  You may need to be there the first few times to keep them on track, but eventually your child should be able to execute the plan without you.

The checklist can have pictures if your child is not of reading age and the list should be short.  The most effective ones I have seen direct children to groups of toys and go something like this:

1. Put away all your books
2. Put away GI Joes
3. Put legos in bins
4. Spend 5 minutes putting clothes in drawers
5. etc

Remember to keep it simple and make the number of steps appropriate to the age of the child.  The younger the child the simpler the list and steps should be.  Make the checklist fun and decorate it.  You can laminate it and hang it on the door knob or just put it on the wall.  The bottom line is to give your child a structure so cleaning a bedroom won’t be as daunting anymore!