“I really must get round to that…”
“I really should do…”
We’ve all said it and still not taken action on the ‘thing’. We’ve all left things undone for longer than was necessary or prudent.
It’s all too easy to ignore our obligations to ourselves and as a result, we continue to feel the weight of guilt or shame that we’re not doing what we should.
What if there was a better way?
Commitments to ourselves are one thing but commitments to another person is a whole different ball game.
When we promise something to another we seem to be hardwired to follow through on it. We hate letting others down. I think it harks back to our prehistoric ancestry when the survival of the tribe depended on each person doing their part and stepping up. We feel strong emotions if we let someone down. It hurts. Again, our prehistoric brain is conditioned to avoid pain so we’re more likely to follow through next time.
OK, sounds good but how does this help with procrastination?
Simply put, the steps are
- Decide what actions you need to get done and are avoiding
- Find someone you trust and ask them to be your accountability partner
- State what you are going to do and when
- Agree what ‘done’ looks like
- Agree a time to check in and update on your progress or completion
- Do the thing
- Report it as done
For this to work for you, it’s important to both commit to checking in at the stated time.
Ideas to boost the effectivness of an accountability partner
Make the check-in times frequent, hourly, every few hours or maybe at the end of the day.
The shorter the timeframe to get things done the more focus tends to get put on the activity. When we think we’ve got lots of time to get things done we can be tempted to hold off starting until “later”. That’s a fatal mistake. You’re in danger of letting something more interesting or exciting get your attention and ‘prevent’ you from doing the thing. Notice that you are the one preventing yourself from getting it done, no one else.
Be very clear (SMART) about what the action or outcome you’re aiming for is.
For example, “I’m going to call 20 prospective customers to ask for meetings in the first 90 minutes of my day.”
This is clear on the action (call the potential customers), the measure of success (20 calls made), the purpose (to ask for meetings with them) and when it will be done (in the first 90 minutes of the workday).
Share the accountability
Team up with someone who also wants to get something specific done in a similar timeframe, both share your goals and hold each other accountable. Why stop at one person? Why not club together with some like-minded people and form an accountability support group. Jump on a call and each state your goal and action plan, agree on the check-in time and go! There’s amazing power in the mutual support even if you’re all doing different activities.
Questions for the accountability partner(s) to ask
- What have you done / achieved already?
- What’s the next action you’re going to take and when?
- How much is left to do?
If you’re slipping behind
- How are you going to get back on schedule with this?
- What are your options for getting this done quicker?
- How will you feel when this is done?
Bonus idea for remote workers to beat procrastination
For many of us, working at home can be a lonely experience and when we’re facing a task we don’t really relish it can be hard to get and keep going.
These days, with the advances in technology and the ability to connect so easily on video calls, why not create a virtual office buddy with your accountability partner. Set up a video call, both be on camera, able to see each other and then both get down to your own work. You don’t have to have microphones on, it’s enough to be ‘with’ someone else who’s working. Seeing them working encourages you to keep going and vice versa.
There’s nothing wrong with procrastination. Or is there? I’ll leave it to you to decide, but only if you have the time.
Craig Brown
If you’d like to explore hiring me as an accountability coach, get in touch and let’s talk. There’s power in making commitments to another person.
Best wishes
Andrew
Disclaimer: The information contained above is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this article are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this article. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this article. Andrew Marshman disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this article.
