RMN'S Blog

Combating Procrastination: The Legal Edition

Date: July 09, 2014

If you are one of the majority of Americans who put off important tasks until the last minute, you may be a procrastinator. This can include any task from packing for a trip, completing a report right before a deadline, or even cookingFor lawyers and legal recruiters trying to search for their best career move, getting that promotion, or finding the best talent, procrastination can be a killer. Here are some ways to beat the procrastination bug:

1. Procrastination can be brought on by a fear that you should embrace. The fear of the unknown is a big deterrent for people when it comes to completing something, especially major tasks. Whatever your fear is, cold calling, talking to your boss, or finishing a big report, realize that keeping the thing that needs to be done from getting finished will make the problem worse. Completing the task will be more rewarding.

2. Make the complex into something simple. Or break down complicated tasks over a span of time. Seeing something as a huge task can make you avoid it. Mentally breaking up the big, scary task will make it less intimidating. Also, spreading out these little to-do’s will make the job feel like it’s getting done faster. Getting started is usually the hardest part, so breaking tasks down into micro parts makes that task less daunting: such as writing down 5 names of people you need to contact, then calling one person every hour can be a lot less intimidating compared to seeing a list of 25 people you need to call.

3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. We all need a little help sometimes, and asking for it is not going to be harmful. Instead, it will be helpful. Less stress will be on you, and you will be more productive at work. If you need some assistance, think about hiring a temporary worker, or if the workload is getting out of hand, hire someone who is there to always assist you.
Procrastination can cause more stress on your everyday life, which can easily be avoided. The extra stress of not getting important things done can be draining and hinder your work performance. In order to be the best lawyer or recruiter you can be, it’s good to learn how to deal with procrastination, and get things done so you can grow your career without extra stress.