Why do I procrastinate? Because I'm handed large projects with missing information. So here's how I handle this… #Brainstorm
This is part of my How to Stop Procrastinating series.
Hey friends!
I work as a computer programmer on complicated software projects. Unfortunately, when I first start on projects, I don't have all of the details. So I have to spend hours and days hunting down critical bits of information. This is annoying and frustrating and tempts me to procrastinate.
Over the years, I've developed strategies to overcome this. What follows is kind of a brain dump and brainstorm of these ideas. In a future post, I'll clean these up, combine redundant ones, etc.
Strategies I use
A) I slow my breath and acknowledge my discomfort. Not having what I need makes me feel anxious. I might set a timer for five minutes and just sit with my feelings.
B) I remind myself that everyone feels this discomfort when they don't have what they need. Feeling this discomfort doesn't make me special.
C) I remind myself that every project begins with missing pieces. Filling in the gaps is part of the project.
D) I remind myself that discomfort it's not a sign I should stop and give up. It's just a feeling.
E) I remind myself that the fastest way to reduce the discomfort is to make a tiny amount of progress.
F) I zoom in on one thing I'm missing. One bit of information, one requirement, etc. I pick one and make a plan.
G) I figure out who has the information I need. How will I approach them? What will I say?
H) I find my why. Why do I need this particular thing? What happens if I don't get it? Knowing this makes it easier to speak up and ask for what I need.
I) When I reach out to the person, I'm specific about what I need and include my why because they're more likely to help me.
J) I try to trust that most people are reasonable and want to help me succeed.
K) I try not to worry about the project as a whole. I try not to worry about how to get all of the missing pieces. Instead, I set a timer for five minutes and work on getting one piece of information for just five minutes. Afterward, take a break.
L) I might talk to a friend and talk through the situation.
But that's me.
What about you? What strategies do you use?
Read more on How to Stop Procrastinating.