If your office is like mine, the work can seem never ending. My Inbox has 500 e-mails and my to-do has at least high-priority 15 tasks. Even though I work in a deadline-driven industry, like all good journalists I put things off and wait until the last minute to write a story or conduct an interview.

Can you relate? Do you ever feel so overwhelmed by all the work, you just stick the to-do list and all the project folders in a drawer and think: “I’ll get to that later.”

We’re not alone. I received a news release today about National Procrastination Week, coming up the second week of March. The news release was touting workplace productivity consultant Bob Kustka, CEO of The Fusion Factor, a HR strategy consulting firm in Massachusetts.

Kustka has come up with a “Right Here Right Now” method to help those of us doomed to a life of procrastination. He says National Procrastination Week is a great time for people to assess their productivity and workplace habits.

This interesting note from the news release: Kustka argues that while some people procrastinate because they dislike working on specific task, others feel overwhelmed by the incredible amount of work they have to do and don’t know where to begin. "When faced with an overflowing Inbox, looming projects and a phone that rings off the hook, some people freeze. Not knowing where to start or how they can make a dent in their seemingly unending workload, they do nothing."

Here are just a few of Kustka’s methods:
• Decide. When faced with a daily to-do list, first decide the priority of each task.
• Designate. When a task cannot be completed quickly, set a time for it later in the day or the week, and then write it in a calendar to ensure accountability.
• Delegate. When faced with too much work and not enough time, see who else in the office is carrying a lighter load and use teamwork to help everyone get through the day more productively.

I have to admit these methods sound good in theory, but are tough to put into practice. I’d like to hear your tips for avoiding procrastination and staying on top of your many projects, so post a comment below. 

Holly Fisher
Electronic Media Editor

Comments (1) >>

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow...
written by Shelia Watson on February 23, 2007

I'm pretty good at deciding and designating, but not the last one:

"Delegate. When faced with too much work and not enough time, see who else in the office is carrying a lighter load and use teamwork to help everyone get through the day more productively."

If only. I'm a freelance writer and have no one else in my office to delegate to.

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