Procrastinating Your Career

Managing A Career

I firmly believe that you have to own your career. If you rely on someone else to drive it, it will likely not go in the direction that you want -- if it actually goes anywhere at all. In each episode of this podcast, I cover a topic that makes you think about your career, but taking action is still up to you. Sometimes, we find ourselves procrastinating even when we know we should be acting.

This week, I want to cover several reasons why you may be procrastinating and how to get past them. We know what we SHOULD do, but struggle to find the motivation to do it. So, why do we procrastinate?

The first reason may be the fear of the unknown and the comfort of the known. We know what it's like where we are. It may be "just fine" to continue in our current role. If you've reached a level where you have a fair number of responsibilities and your pay allows you a level of comfort, maintaining the status quo may be more important to you than the risk of what might come next.

The strategy here is to find ways to reduce the risk and get excited about the future. Find someone within the company that has a role similar to your next role that will serve as your mentor. Set up regular time with them to talk about what their day to day activities look like. Ask them what they find fulfilling about the additional responsibilities of that role. Use their insights to identify the areas you are least comfortable with and find opportunities to strengthen them through training or assignments.

The next reason that we procrastinate is not having a clear goal of what actually IS next. I'm a big fan of the Individual Development Plan. The primary reason that I like the IDP is that it provides a systematic approach to help you clarify what your next steps should be. For a refresher on the IDP and how you can use it as a tool for career planning, go back to Episodes 036 through 040 and then reach out via the contact form at ManagingACareer.com to request your free IDP template. Once you have completed your IDP using my template, you will have identified your next role and created an action plan to get you there. This clarity will allow you to break past this source of procrastination.

Another reason that we might procrastinate taking action on our career is being overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done. You may be excited about what is next and have formulated an action plan in your IDP, but if there is too much to do, you may not know how to get started. Pair that with a fear of failure or a desire for perfection and you may feel completely paralyzed when it comes to getting started.

If you find yourself overwhelmed with everything that you need to do, take a step back and find the smallest, easiest task. Success breeds success. A small win provides momentum to the next win. Once you've gained confidence with small, easy steps, you'll be ready to take on the bigger, more important steps. In Episode 051 - Success or Failure, I talk about how taking action can be inspiring and this snowball effect can jump start your career progression.

If you are unable to push past your source of procrastination, it can lead to career stagnation. This can lead to a negative perception about having a lack of ambition. You might also face increased stress as you miss out on promotions and opportunities. You may even lose confidence in yourself and your ability to grow. Just like success breeds success, lack of success can lead to further delays.

One strategy, no matter what is driving your procrastination is to have someone on your side -- your leaders, your mentors, or your coach. Someone that can help you clarify your path forward and provide the motivation you need to take action. If you are interested in career coaching, it is a service I offer. Reach out to me via the contact form on the ManagingACareer.com website and I will set up an introductory session where we can determine if we are a good fit. If we are, we can arrange regular coaching to help you break past your source of procrastination and put your career on the fast track to advancement.