Some of the best ideas for blog topics come from clients. This one is right up there.
Working with a client before the holidays. The topic was Time Management Skills. Not the sexiest topic on earth, but so important for many people. We were hovering over the occupational hazard of procrastination. A few minutes into the discussion the client said, “Ever since Covid and the hybrid work schedule I find myself procrasticleaning a lot more than I want to when I work from home.”
Procrasticleaning! I thought he made the word up on the spot! After the laughing died down we Googled it. It’s a word. An Urban Dictionary word . . . but these days – that counts! Procrasticleaning (or procrasti-cleaning) is the act of putting off an important, often difficult, task by focusing on easier, seemingly productive cleaning or organizing chores instead, offering a temporary sense of accomplishment and control.
Makes sense. How many times in the last 4-5 years have you found yourself NOT focusing on the work you were doing (the work that feeds your family)? You may not have jumped into Molly Maid mode and started cleaning the kitchen. Maybe you threw in a load of laundry. Perhaps you folded the laundry that was already in the dryer. Could it be you got the mail, read the mail, and arranged the mail on the counter?
This time of year, people put up the Christmas Tree, hang decorations, wrap presents, take the Christmas Tree down, and on and on and on . . . anything to get out of the work that they are doing in their “home office.” When you think of it, this has become a pandemic of its own. Pandemic Procrasticleaning!
If you relate, let’s see if these four suggestions can help you get over the Procrasticleaning Pandemic:
1. The 80/20 Rule
This is actually an 80/20 Rule that you will like. Brian Tracy says, we all have a lot to do. We all want to do 100% of it. That is impossible. Realize this very quickly. Understand that 20% of your “things” will not get done – understand it quickly and don’t dwell on it. Do the 80% of the activities that are important – you know that 80%. Make sure the things you do are in the 80%ers. What are your 80%ers? What are the things you get PAID to do?
2. Eat the Frog First
Another gem from Brian Tracy. Eat the Frog First. In other words, do the hardest Item first. These are usually the most important things and should come first. You always know what’s most important – these may be harder – but you have to do them first. Often these involve delivering bad news or having difficult conversations. Get them over with! You’ll feel a lot better once they are completed, too! So, what are your most common Frogs? Eat up!
3. Focus on Activities (not results)
Not a Tracyism, but an absolute rock-solid suggestion. Do the things you need to do (that you control) and the results will come. Do what it takes, under your control, to put yourself in a position to succeed. For Salespeople these are often phone calls, follow up emails, prospecting activities, sales appointments – customer-centric tasks.
4. Motivate Yourself
If you are waiting for your boss to motivate you, it may happen. It might even happen again. But eventually that motivation will fade, and then you are back to your old self. Salespeople need to be self-motivators, period. Time management is about taking control over what you do next – and you always have that choice – nobody makes it for you. Your ability to choose between the important (hard) and unimportant (easy) is the key factor to your success in life & work. So, what do you do motivate yourself – every day?
There is nothing wrong with a spotless kitchen or a beautifully feng shui’d living room . . . as long as neither one happens at the expense of doing what feeds your family.
