Habitual procrastinators have more than a history of last-minute jobs. They also lack productivity and the quality necessary to succeed.
What are the consequences of procrastination in business, and how do we solve them?
In one study of procrastinating college students, it was found that students who waited until the last day to start their homework scored three percent lower than those who did not. The primary cause of distraction was that the students were distracted by something they would rather be doing, or they were overwhelmed in general.
Does Society Promote Procrastination?
Some believe that procrastination is developed through society. Social media distracts professionals from their work in the office, and students are entertained with many different media devices and video games. With so many distractions around, it is no wonder a person has trouble with productivity.
The Consequences of Procrastination are a Business Killer
It seems like an obvious point that procrastination is not healthy for a budding business. In fact, if you procrastinate or employ procrastinators, you might find that your productivity and quality of work are significantly impacted.
In one study of 10,000 workers, it was found that the average worker admitted to wasting 2.09 hours per day on non-related job activities. With the average salary of those workers at $39,795, it was estimated that the 2.09 lost hours cost employers $10,396 per year, per employee.
Imagine if your company employed ten procrastinators at those numbers?
Some common reasons for worker procrastination include:
- Priority Dilution: A person’s attention shifts to less important activities and they put off their top priorities for later.
- Avoid What Should be Done: This is a classic procrastination tactic that is done unconsciously but involves an employee avoiding what they know must be done.
- Distraction: Employees today are distracted by email, technology, smartphones, and other apps looming in the background.
While you can never erase 100 percent of the distractions around you, there are things you can do to keep yourself and your staff on task. For starters, do what you can to remove distractions from the office, such as limiting apps allowed on computers. Identify tasks that can be delegated so that workers are not overwhelmed or distracted by priority dilution.
Also, consolidate simple tasks like checking emails and other activities that can wait until the end of the week.
How do you avoid procrastination in your business?
