January can be a breath of fresh air when you want to make a new start, however when it comes to doing things that are uncomfortable such as conducting a job search, you can find a ton of excuses to postpone moving forward.
Even if you are in a miserable situation at work and know that leaving would be the best thing that could happen to you, taking those first few steps can be the most difficult. While its human nature to delay day to day tasks, making it a habit of postponing your big goals in life leads to procrastination.
The best job in your life could be just around the corner but if you don’t take the necessary steps you might find yourself always grieving for what could have been. Procrastination is self-defeating and will rob you of reaching your career goals.
One way to start the New Year is by debunking procrastination myths and identifying the ones that keep you from making progress. Gaining a new perspective can help prioritize what’s most important in your career and help you make better decisions.
Myth one: “You are just lazy” – Truth is, procrastinators are ambitious people who are stuck with a perfectionist mindset that keeps them waiting until things are perfect. Of course things are never perfect and that prevents them from taking the first steps. Take the job candidate who had 54 copies of his resume, each new version kept him too busy to apply for opportunities.
Myth Two: “It’s a self-esteem issue”– That’s not true according to Joseph Ferrari, PhD, professor of psychology at DePaul University in Chicago. In his book, “Still Procrastinating: The No-Regrets Guide to Getting It Done” he views procrastination as a social-esteem issue that keeps people delaying tasks rather than taking action and being seen as lacking skills.
Myth Three: “You work better under pressure”– The truth is, working under pressure creates a tremendous stress load and mistakes are more likely to happen. It is difficult to complete one goal if you are chasing three at one time such as scanning the internet for jobs while a few minutes later making a networking call and reading the latest industry trends. You are more effective in your job search if you use time in blocks rather than trying to do everything at once.
Myth Four: “You work best when you are motivated”– Truth is, waiting on motivation to take place keeps you in limbo because your feelings are constantly changing. Whatever task you are delaying will be there tomorrow. Start working on the task and the momentum you build will lead to motivation. If you wait to start networking when you feel motivated chances are high you’ll miss a lot of networking events however by attending one at a time your connections will build as well as your energy.
Myth Five : “You work best without a plan”– Truth is, if you don’t know where you are going then how will you get there? Conducting a job search begins with a plan and not having one to follow fuels procrastination.
Myth Six: “You are just taking your time to make a good decision” – Truth is, taking time to make decisions is not a bad choice, most good leaders will take time to examine situations before deciding what action to take. With procrastination just taking your time can lead to a loss of focus and staying stuck. You control time, not vice versa; using valuable time unwisely keeps you from reaching your goals.
Myth Seven: “You need more time to grieve the loss of your job” – Truth is, you do need to allow yourself some time for introspection and process the loss of your job. When you focus on the past and agonize over your old job and what you could have done differently it keeps you from moving forward to future opportunities. Grieving can lead to procrastination and avoiding those tasks that are unpleasant such as meeting new people and talking about your skills. You can manage the loss while taking mini steps towards updating your resume or making a list of contact names.
What steps do you take to overcome career procrastination? What myths keep you from reaching your goals?
