Overcoming Laziness

Overcoming Laziness At Work: Ditching Distraction On The Job

Posted by john on October 27th, 2006 — Posted in How To Be More Motivated And Productive

Laziness can creep up even when you don’t mean for it to. Recently an anonymous reader sent me this question:

my biggest problem is that when I’m waiting for my PC to do something (e.g. load a new web page - my work requires the use of the web), I’m tempted to visit a news page or a web forum, and then I can easily get involved in that (or leads that follow from that) for a long time (sometimes the “quick look” genuinely is quick if there’s nothing interesting there). So - when one is working quickly and enthusiastically, but a delay arises, how to avoid the temptation to “quickly” take a look at a web site? What to do instead?

You sound like me about a year ago.

News sites and forums are deadly to your productivity. Here’s the 5-part solution…

1. Realize the potential consequences of your behavior.

Have a look here at this from the Canadian government’s Adult Literacy Database:

Top 12 Reasons For Getting Fired

1. Little interest in getting work done. (Bad Attitude)
2. Too many days off work and late starts. (Bad Attitude)
3. Lack of loyalty. (Bad Attitude)
4. Being impolite to workmates. (Bad Attitude)
5. Lack of speed.
6. Not paying attention to detail. (Bad Attitude)
7. Not sticking with things until they are done. (Bad Attitude)
8. No interest or excitement. (Bad Attitude)
9. No pride in speech or appearance. (Bad Attitude)
10. Lack of responsibility. (Bad Attitude)
11. Lack of respect for authority. (Bad Attitude)
12. Lack of respect for the property of others.

Notice how #1, #5, #6, #7, and #8 are all related to laziness? If it sounds like you, your odds of success at work aren’t good.

If you can’t stay motivated about your job, you’re in trouble. I’ve met many successful people — self-made millionaires, winning athletes, and CEOs – and they all share a passion for what they do.

Like you, I also work with computers, and part of the benefits is that you can be relaxed in a comfy office (unlike people like auto mechanics and roofers who do “real” work for a living) — though the drawback is the temptation to goof off.

2. Think about the big picture.

Getting distracted happens when you think about the little picture instead. You get bogged down in the task you’re doing, and then you become bored… and then those message boards and news sites look awfully interesting.

The solution is to constantly take a step back and look at your overall goals. Your current task is just a small step on your way toward a million dollar portfolio, a career promotion, etc.

So remember to keep focused. The downtime when you’re waiting for your slow computer is the perfect moment to reflect on your goals.

3. Give Yourself More To Do.

A lot of times we get distracted because there simply isn’t enough for us to do. For example, think about what it’s like to be a college student. The semester starts, and there’s not that much work. You can hang out with friends and watch South Park on TV.

And then all of a sudden you’ve got 5 tests and 3 papers due the same week. It’s literally impossible to get distracted, because you’re frantically trying to catch up. Going to news sites and forums would be the last thing on your mind.

You get the work done because there’s no other choice. What that means is this: don’t be happy with doing the minimum. Accomplish your goals, then see what more you do. Don’t limit yourself.

4. Limit Yourself To Once Per Day.

One of the best things I ever did was to limit myself to checking news sites and message boards no more than once per day. News sites and forums are likely to have valuable new content once a day, but rarely 10 times a day. You can usually set aside 20-30 minutes a day and pick up everything you need from those sites. Checking them more than once a day adds little additional value, but subtracts significant value because it sucks up so much of your time.

When you place a strict limit like that, those sites aren’t as addictive any more.

5. Take A Productive Break.

I learned a breathing exercise from parenting expert Pam Van Zwoll that both soothes your stress and energizes you. It goes like this:

1. Breathe into your abdomen as much as you can. (You’ll know you’re doing it right when you see your belly rise; your chest should not inflate.)

2. Hold for a 3-count.

3. Exhale through your nose. (That ensures you’ll be slow when you breathe out.)

Bingo!–Now you feel both relaxed and energized.

Think about the time you spend throughout the day. When you’re certain that you’ve spent more productive time than surfing time, you’re on your way to success.