If you are guilty of procrastination at work, perhaps there is comfort in knowing that you are not alone. One of the greatest artists in our history books, Leonardo Da Vinci, allegedly procrastinated for 16 years before finishing the ‘Mona Lisa’. Clearly, Leonardo experienced a different work era where time was your friend, not your enemy.
Fast forward to 2024, and it appears procrastination has crept its way into our offices and spread like wildfire. Look around your workplace and you will see some obvious ‘procrastinators’ who look incredibly busy shuffling papers and responding instantly to emails when they should be on the final page of the monthly report. Or perhaps they are less obvious to spot because they convincingly announce that they ‘work best under pressure’. Psychologists see this thought process as a cognitive distortion where reality is incorrectly distorted.
Workplace procrastination is bad for productivity, engagement, teamwork and hitting key targets. Left unchecked, it can be a costly workplace behaviour. It should be noted that employees who procrastinate are generally not trying to do the wrong thing, but rather it may be an indicator of anxiety, fear of failure, or pure lack of competence in a task.
1. Online workplace procrastination
Sometimes this is referred to as ‘cyberslacking’. Those who fall into this category will find themselves ‘stuck’ in a task and will pick up their phone to browse social media, read the news or message a friend. They use the technology to distract them and pass the time away from the ‘dreaded work activity’.
2. Offline workplace procrastination
This type of procrastination is sometimes also referred to as ‘soldiering’. Employees who soldier while procrastinating without online devices. They are commonly seen taking long or excess breaks, chatting in the staff room, daydreaming, or walking around talking to colleagues.
Workplace procrastination cannot be picked by role type but rather by the personality type of the incumbent. Arguably, procrastination begins at school, where maths homework is shoved to the side to work on a group art project. Research indicates that procrastination is prevalent in entry level roles right up to senior executives but it is more common in white collar positions.
It should be noted that two workers in the same role will not necessarily show the same level of procrastination. This is due to internal factors such as an individual’s ability to self-regulate their own behaviour, and external factors like how happy they are at home or the relationship that they hold with their manager.
In addition, a worker may not procrastinate at all in the morning but may be a heavy procrastinator in the afternoon when energy levels decline. It is helpful for leaders to understand the triggers for workers so that they can maximise work output at the right time of day.
If we procrastinate from time to time, is it really a problem? The short answer is yes! Workplace procrastination has a broad range of negative impacts for both the employee and the organisation.
Workplace procrastination is associated with the following negative effects for the employee:
Workplace procrastination is associated with the following negative effects for the organisation:
Most employees will need more than one technique to minimise procrastination in the workplace and like any skill, it takes dedication, time, and practice. The following are some key tips to minimise procrastination.
Hold yourself accountable to clear goals that outline not only the due date but the time of day and actions within the task. Go one step further and share this goal with peers to keep you on track.
Procrastinators can pick fellow procrastinators a mile off and also identify those who just buckle down and get the job done. Seek out support from non-procrastinating peers and ask them for coaching tips on how they meet deadlines with ease.
Are you a time waster at heart who prefers socialising over success, or is the real issue that you lack confidence or skill to complete the required task? Be brave enough to open the conversation with your manager as together you may discover that the root of the problem is that you actually need more of a challenge!
The ‘Pomodoro Technique’ is a time management system that encourages focus with the time that you have. You decide what you want to accomplish and how long the work will go for. Then break the work into ‘pomodoros’ and set a timer for 25 minutes. Start working before enjoying a five minute break.
Large projects can be overwhelming with no clear light at the end of the tunnel. Break it down into core tasks and success pillars, to enable momentum to be built. Avoid leaving the perceived ‘hard part’ until last when energy is depleted. Most importantly, know when to leverage support from co-workers when a part of the task is not your key strength. They may just do the same for you!
It is important that leaders try to support workers to avoid procrastination; rather than put measures in place that force them to do so. Most people procrastinate because there is a larger concern at play or they do not have the skills to eliminate it.
It is often driven by exhaustion, self-doubt, or fear of failure; all of which strong leaders should be seeking to unpack and support over turning to judgement and discipline. Understanding the cause is a key step to building healthy new habits that bring results, build confidence, and put procrastination aside for good.
For assistance with your workplace matters, Members of Ai Group can contact us or call our Workplace Advice Line on 1300 55 66 77 for further information. Ai Group offers a range of learning and development programs to support employees in their development journey.
Take advantage of more than 150 years of experience actively solving Members’ workplace issues and representing their interests at the highest levels of national and state government. Being a Member of Ai Group makes good business sense.
Download our Member Services Guide to see what Ai Group can offer your organisation and why you should join and call us on 1300 55 66 77 or visit our Why join page to sign up for a consultation with one of our member representatives.
Georgina is Senior HR Content Editor – Publications at Ai Group. She is an accomplished Human Resource professional with over 25 years of generalist and leadership experience in a broad range of industries including financial services, tourism, travel, government and agriculture. She has successfully advised and partnered with senior leaders to implement people and performance initiatives that align to business strategy. Georgina is committed to utilising her experience to create resources that educate and engage and is passionate about supporting members to optimise an inclusive workforce culture that drives performance.
