Overcoming postpone behavior

Being careful about decisions isn't a bad thing. In fact, it's responsible to consider the consequences of your actions. But at work, you're part of a social infrastructure – connected in some way to everyone else in the organization. And the inability or reluctance of procrastinators to make timely decisions can seriously affect your ability to do your job. It's human nature to avoid or put off completing work from time to time. But sometimes delaying finishing tasks becomes a serious behavior pattern – procrastination.

It's important for people to have control over their working lives, but it's also important that they be able to work effectively with their coworkers. Procrastinators often jeopardize their careers and work relationships because of their failure to support schedules or follow through on commitments.

Procrastination is triggered by anxiety that interferes with an individual's capacity to complete tasks in a timely fashion. This is known as avoidance behavior. When people procrastinate, they choose inaction over action because they want to avoid something unpleasant. In short, procrastination is a "quick fix" to relieve their anxiety.

The roots of procrastination are varied. Some people procrastinate because they fear they won't succeed in what they have to do. Others use procrastination as a rebellion against authority. They fear a loss of power and control if they "do what they're told." Still others have emotional attachments to their work and resist sharing or giving up influence.

Whatever the impetus for their behavior, procrastinators have one thing in common – they fear a loss of control over their actions and responsibilities. But in a work environment, total control is impossible. So procrastinators rationalize that if they can't control what they have to do, they can at least control when they do it.

There are three common types of procrastinators you may encounter in the workplace:

• avoiders – Avoiders procrastinate by being noncommittal – they're good at disappearing from the radar when needed. And it can be a challenge getting them to answer a voice message or e-mail.
• storytellers – Storytellers procrastinate by telling you what they think you want to hear. They're experts at concocting a web of half-truths to cover up what's really happening.
• perfectionists – Perfectionists procrastinate by becoming entrenched in the details of their tasks. Of all the types of procrastinators, perfectionists are the most emotionally attached to their work.

Avoiders

The avoider is one of the most common types of procrastinator. These procrastinators fear that they can't adequately handle or complete a task, and so they choose to avoid it. Avoiders are frustrating because they're aware of their responsibilities, but avoid any firm commitments to completing tasks. Avoiders are chronically indecisive. Thinking about the consequences of their actions causes them mental anguish. That's why they live in the present, in denial about impending deadlines.

Typically, avoiders hate confrontation and hate disappointing others. Due to the fear of not being able to deliver by their deadlines, they tend to avoid the people that are depending on them. They go to great lengths to avoid encountering coworkers whom they fear they've let down, or will let down.

Avoiders are also in denial about work relationships. They convince themselves that everyone is working well together, and they tend to concentrate only on what needs to be done to keep their heads above water. Avoiders often ignore the fact that work isn't getting done, until they hit a crisis and have to put out a call for help. In fact, being rescued makes many avoiders feel valued.

Storytellers

Another type of procrastinator is the storyteller. Storytellers are people-pleasers. Unlike avoiders, storytellers don't hide when they're facing a crisis. But rather than face your displeasure, they fabricate credible-sounding descriptions of their accomplishments and progress. Dealing with storytellers can be extremely frustrating because you never know what to believe when you're talking to them.

Storytellers are often disorganized and frequently overcommit themselves as they try to accommodate the desires of others. They live in the moment and, in any situation, they're more concerned with accommodating you than considering the consequences of their behavior. Storytellers tend to daydream rather than complete their work. They're often creative types, spinning pleasing stories out of half-truths and selective omissions, but not following through with any concrete plans for action.

Perfectionists

A third type of procrastinator is the perfectionist. The priorities of perfectionists are based on what they would like to accomplish, rather than what's possible. They have an emotional attachment to their work, and don't feel a sense of accomplishment until they're completely finished. They make no allowance for the inevitable limitations and time constraints that are part of working toward a goal.

Perfectionists equate their work with their self-worth. In the past, they may have been rewarded for their attention to detail and self-imposed standards of perfection. This has created a situation where they become absorbed in the minutiae of a task, at the expense of the big picture. They procrastinate because they fear making even the smallest mistake.

Perfectionists often run out of time because they don't prioritize. Because they're aiming for perfection, every detail deserves their attention. Coming close is experienced the same way as failing. For perfectionists, "good enough" is never good enough.

Perfectionists find it difficult to be part of a team. They're intolerant of colleagues whose standards don't measure up to their own, and fear that sharing or delegating tasks will mean a loss of control. They rationalize to themselves that letting go of control means that others will let them down by producing less-than-perfect work.

Procrastination is a negative behavior pattern that involves delaying finishing tasks. There are three common types of procrastinators. Avoiders fear making decisions and ignore impending deadlines. Storytellers spin tales rather than risk upsetting you with the truth. And perfectionists become obsessed with perfecting details at the expense of the big picture.