Parkinson's law and procrastination problems

The management we do of our work time is one of the most important aspects not only of work performance, but also of our satisfaction in the workplace.

Unfortunately, there are certain "traps" that workers in virtually any position on the organizational chart are very likely to fall into, and procrastination is one of them. Here we will see what this tendency to procrastinate consists of and how it is related to Parkinson's law, a very interesting idea about the use we tend to make of our available hours.

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What is procrastination?

Procrastination is, in short, the tendency to leave our responsibilities or what we had set out to do for "another moment". It is a way of sacrificing medium and long-term objectives in favor of a much more immediate well-being and that It has to do with avoidance: the fact of not facing something that will require a certain physical effort and / or psychological.

The action of prioritizing the well-being of the present over the well-being of the future is a very frequent phenomenon that can take several forms; However,

in the case of procrastination, a kind of mirage remains that makes us believe that we did not give up what we had set out to do, we simply put it off. However, this is self-deception, which makes us lose sight of the fact that we do lose something: time and capacity. to carry out this task in the best conditions available to us when we decided to leave it for another little while.

Furthermore, procrastination can also have a qualitative cost, not just a quantitative one. Think of the times when we realize, too late, that we need more time to do this task than we initially estimated. And is that not procrastinating also serves to prevent this kind of accident, giving us more room for maneuver to correct unforeseen events.

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What does Parkinson's law say?

The so-called Parkinson's law, proposed by historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson in the 1950s, is the idea that, in his own words, “work expands to cover all the time we have available". That is, by default, carrying out a specific activity tends to “stretch” until reaching the last moments of the period that we had planned to dedicate to it, practically without us noticing.

The reality expressed through this formulation by Cyril Northcote Parkinson has clear implications in the world of companies and professionals and general: if we do not do something to avoid it, we will tend not to make optimal use of time and to waste the minutes, hours and days allotted to a task. There where we improvise and decide that circumstances will determine our work rhythm, we arrive on time or at deadline having reached our objectives with great difficulty, and many times seeing ourselves in the need to accelerate final.

Thus, Parkinson's law is closely related to procrastination, since it expresses the mode in which we do not even try to finish a task in less than the maximum time allotted for her. As in most of the process we see that we have plenty of time, we decide to waste it through procrastination, pushing the situation to the limit. In addition, since we do not get rid of that obligation or responsibility until the end, we are not even able to fully enjoy that wasted time distracting us or taking too long breaks.

Some tips to improve time management when working

To combat procrastination and that tendency to waste available time, it is advisable to apply these strategies to work.

1. Subdivide tasks into sub-objectives

Break down general goals into smaller goals that can be achieved almost immediately (in a matter of minutes) is a very good way to improve our work performance.

It will make it more difficult for us to waste time, being exposed to the temptation to complete a task of the sequence in a matter of doing it for a very short time, without even needing to take breaks intermediate. Which brings us to the next tip.

2. Incorporate short breaks into work sessions

These sessions will allow us to always be in good condition to tackle the next task, and at the same time they will act as temporary references that they will help us to be constantly aware of our progress and the time we have left.

3. Put single tasks one after another

If we make the "loose" tasks form a block, in a very short time we will have the feeling that we have done a lot and that will motivate us to continue with that rhythm of work.

4. Set triggers for action

In order not to waste time, it is good to create triggers for action. It consists of mentalizing ourselves with the idea that, at a very specific moment, the next task to be done without excuse is to start another block of work. For example: "when I finish eating, I will go back to my office and open the file of the document that I have to complete." It is about connecting one action with another, so that we need a very good excuse to dissolve that link between one situation and the next.

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If you are thinking of applying the principles of the science of human behavior to your work or your company, please contact me. I am an expert psychologist in cognitive-behavioral psychology and I have been serving individuals and organizations for many years either in Madrid or online by video call.