By: Dr. Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, Sr. Associate Editor, ICN Group
(In the past article, we knew about the strategy to overcome procrastination when the task seems difficult. Today, we will know about the strategy to overcome procrastination when you are over committed.)
Strategies of overcome procrastination when you are over-committed
NOIDA: Some people are so enthusiastic that they take up more things to do than their capacity. This can be seen at their home or work or in their social commitments. Inability to say ‘No’ at appropriate time is one of the most common factors behind this, as people often don’t want to invite displeasure of the person assigning the task. But you must realize that you don’t have enough time and energy to do all the things yourself nor you have any Aladdin’s Lamp for doing works as per your command.
I would suggest that before accepting any new responsibility, you should think before saying ‘Yes’. You must have to learn saying ‘No’ in order to attend the other works at hand, otherwise procrastination will become a compulsion, as you will always keep on focusing on A or B priority works and will never get time for C and D priority works.
You don’t understand all the potential risks behind procrastination
Sometimes, the potential risk behind postponing a particular task may be much more than your imagination. Often, we procrastinate as we think that the negative outcome of postponing the task is under manageable limits and can be afforded. But sometimes, it may cost you much beyond your imaginations. You have to always weigh the potential risks behind procrastination.
I give you my own example. I used to procrastinate on payment of my life insurance premiums. At times, I tend to forget the payment of premium, thinking that even if the grace period of one month is over, I have to simply pay a small amount towards interest for delayed payment by one month or two. As this belief got deep-rooted in my system that I can delay payment and afford the interest, I tend to procrastinate on this area and developed the habit of delayed payment of premiums by one or two months, costing a very small amount as delayed interest.
But once, only once in my whole life, I forgot to pay my 6-monthly premium at all. Even next 6 monthly premium was due and I was thinking that there is no problem as the grace period of one month is still there and I can always make payment with interest.
But to my surprise, when I opened the online gateway for payment, it showed that payment cannot be made with interest as last premium was not paid. Now first of all, I wasted my time in searching my papers, where I can find out the last premium payment receipt, but in vain. I contacted the insurance agent. He told me that now, it can be done by visiting the office of the insurance company physically. It again resulted into wastage of time. But to my utmost surprise, when I physically visited their local branch and offered delayed payment with interest, they told that it can be done only by the policy issuing branch. Now, the problem was that I had already left that city about 20 years back. But rules are rules, and you have to follow them. After all, I did not want to risk my insurance policy to lapse. Therefore, I had no option left, but to follow my case with the policy issuing branch in old city and then only my policy was regularised.
Here is an important message for you all. Often, we procrastinate because we are not aware of the real risk involved due to delay or we have judged the risk and are ready to take the said risk; but at times, the potential risk may be greater. In my case, I was mentally prepared to pay the small amount of interest but I was not aware of this potential danger of compulsorily visiting the home branch in another city. Imagine, what would have happened, had I died during this period when my premiums remained unpaid.
Do you think, I will delay any premium in future?
(In the next article, I will share about the strategy to overcome procrastination when you are born addict of doing things just before deadline. I believe that you are enjoying the journey towards the future of your dreams with me. If yes, please stay tuned. Happy G.O.P.T.A.)
Dr. Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, Creator & trademark holder of the concept G.O.P.T.A.TM is an Author, Certified NLP Lifestyle Trainer, Strategic Interventionist, Corporate Trainer & Transformational Life Coach. (http://bit.ly/Signature-Workshops-Sanjay-Kumar-Agarwal) and recipient of Honorary Doctorate of Excellence (Management) by prestigious Young Scientist University, California, USA. He is Founder of ‘International GOPTA NLP Academy’ and is popularly known among his fans & followers across the globe as ‘Time and Goal Guru’.
