Office LifeDec 10, 2019
Applelaude

dealing with procrastination

I have been a big procrastinator all the time. in office, i just can't start my work unless the deadlines are really really close. Everyday I make a schedule of tasks so that I can finish targeted things on time but I just can't start unless someone emails me or ping me about that work. I am not extremely passionate about my work but at the same time it is not that I don't like my work at all. I don't even have any major personal issue which is diverting my focus from the office work. I just keep thinking about all the irrelevent things and keep surfing about them aimlessly on the internet during office hours. I hate to be such a slacker in the work but somehow I am not able to change myself. Luckily I have a very good manager now and he never burdens me with a lot of work, but still I have never been able to finish things in time. In past, I have worked under extremly tight deadlines and I was able to deliver on time. It shows that I am capable of doing my job but if the deadlines are not closer I just end up slacking. everyday after the work I feel the regret of not having a productive day. This regretful feeling always keeps me unhappy, even in weekends. I have seen so many videos on youtube to deal with procrastination, but nothing is really helping much. I want to be a productive person who completes his office work by 4-5pm and goes home with a happy face. I have just started my corporate life(around 3yoe) and have a long way to go. As I grow in the career and responsibility increases, this will really take a big toll on me may lead to a depression. Just wanted to post here to get thoughts from blinders. Any help will be much appreciated. PS: From inside I am not a lazy person, I always want to finish things ontime but I just can't control my mind and end up procrastinating. TC: 180k

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TrueCar tippin Dec 10, 2019

its called ADHD and its a thing. Try talking to a MD about it.

Salesforce curious03 Dec 10, 2019

Lol, is it not just procrastination. Everyone does it

Google betamax! Dec 10, 2019

This is what people don't get about conditions like ADHD. Everyone experience some symptoms to some degree, but it is about frequency and intensity. But most people don't feel almost all day long and to the point it is harming their career, health and well-being. Not all persons with ADHD will experience to that degree either. But overall, it will be more frequent and intense than the general population.

Autodesk leetboba Dec 10, 2019

Go party more often

LinkedIn U💰S💰D Dec 10, 2019

Find work you are passionate about. Or, stay for TC.

Amazon MrRobo Dec 10, 2019

I have a few questions to ask before I can comment on your situation. 1. What is your everyday office timing? 2. How regular are you in office? Do you take work from home quite often? 3. How many times are you present for stand ups and team meetings? 4. How involved do you feel in your team? 5. Apart from the deadlines what else motivates you to work? This is a very important question so think hard. Have you observed any trigger which have led you to be motivated and be totally focused on work for even a single day? This can be a 1:1 with your manager or appreciation from your co-worker or some extraordinary work.

Apple laude OP Dec 10, 2019

Here is my reply. 1. Around 10am to 7-8pm. I just stay in the office late to finish my work but doesn't happen. 2. I m not regular in the office work. Most of the times I slack in the day and think that i will finish the work at home. But then push it to a next day 3. I attend all team meetings 4. I am not so involved in the team. Not making an impact 5. Money is my main motivation for the work. I am in the hardware but willing to move in the software because it pays more. Apart from that, in the current work i was able to focus on some work which was new and no one was able to do it before. But in general, i feel the start is the only issue. Once i start anything and get into the flow, I don't slack anymore. Thanks a lot for taking a time and asking questions. Means a lot :)

Lockheed Martin Schz Dec 10, 2019

I am also suggesting ADHD. I fall as borderline (it is also more difficult to diagnose in adults for some reason.) If you do get a prescription, I recommend Strattera. The other ADHD drugs are essentially amphetamines. Strattera is a neurotransmitter reuptake inhibitor. It keeps your own brain chemicals in circulation longer. I took Strattera for a year or two and was able to take the patterns I developed while on it and carry them forward without it. Not quite as on-target as I was while in it, but MUCH better than before.

Walmart nextwork Dec 10, 2019

Turn off your phone and sign out of your browser. Tell yourself you'll do 20 minutes of a project and then reward yourself, often times that's enough to get momentum. In a similar vein, look into the pomodori technique which gives you 25 minutes focused working, 5 minutes off, making it feel more achievable. I have ADHD and agree with others that your symptoms sound like ADHD, but I am not a doctor. The only thing to keep in mind is meds can actually make procrastination worse if you take them and then start focusing on blind or YouTube videos on how to end procrastination - a psych eval and a few sessions with a therapist will help point you in the right direction, and give you some additional tools in addition to potential medication.

JUUL lmnopzyz Dec 10, 2019

I used to be in your position until I got diagnosed with ADHD. I take Vyvanse now and I love the changes that happened after. More energetic, I follow through on tasks and my over all focus is just great. I suggest talking to your doctor about your lack of focus, I bet it is happening in other aspects of your life outside of work.

Google zoologist Dec 10, 2019

IANAD, I have (had) ADHD but I was able to overcome it to a certain degree by breaking down my work into smaller tasks, gamifying it and turning everything into a competition in my head. It may not work for everyone but worked for me.

WeWork WeTried Dec 10, 2019

The workload and the time it takes to accomplish something in engineering is usually unpredictable. That’s why “finish by 4 and go home” does not work. Apply different measure to your productivity. For example: focus on a particular task for 1 hour total during the day. Don’t aim to complete the task, just do nothing except that task for some time. Even figuring out what is the next action required for the task counts as focusing on the task (and so is figuring out what the next action should be). The most important thing is to learn to focus on the task during periods of time dedicated to it. Once you learn how to do that reliably, you can work on increasing productivity through other means (Better task breakdown, increased workload, etc). The actual accomplishments will be a result of regularly dedicating time to important tasks, so, again, don’t focus on how many tasks you compete or how long it takes you, but on how disciplined you are during the focus time.