“Procrastination is the thief of time.” Most of us have heard this proverb for years, but is it true in every case?
To procrastinate is simply to defer an action, and sometimes, putting something off until later can help you manage your time better.
The most important part of time management is to give top priority to the most important things. There are days when I am able to get 5 tasks done, but if my
most important task isn’t one of them, I feel less than fulfilled. Conversely, there are days when I get only 3 tasks done, but because of their importance to my overall goal and vision, I experience a sense of achievement.
When making your to-do list, know that there are some items that will be put off until later, while you focus on getting the really urgent and essential ones done. There are things that are good to do and there are others that you
must do; the key lies in being able to differentiate, and then postpone the others till later. You may even find, when ‘later’ comes, that they do not have the same urgency they appeared to initially. Some of them may never even get done, and that’s okay too.
Things pop up during the day for people who pursue success. There will always be books that can help you grow your business, phone calls that may open doors, and articles that can teach you skills. There will always be meetings in abundance. There are even Facebook pages and Twitter time lines that will add value to your life. Then there are those activities that directly affect the growth of your career and your business bottom line. Unfortunately you won’t have time for them all
now. Even when you add all these things to your to-do list (as you rightly should) your expectations will more often than not be too high.
Deliberate procrastination is a powerful tool that can actually help you maximize your time, not steal it. Have a plan and purpose for your day, and when those “good but not expedient” tasks come along, put them in their place. Know your goals and their timelines. Make a to-do list, prioritise it and keep adding to it. Then procrastinate and have a fruitful week!
About the author: Joy Ehonwa is a writer, editor and online proofreader who is passionate about relationships and personal development. She runs Pinpoint Creatives, a copy-editing, ghostwriting and transcription business, and blogs at www.anafricandiva.wordpress.com and www.girlaware.wordpress.com
