Proper Planning or Pretext for Procrastination?
You have a goal to achieve. Perhaps it's a proposal to write, a "to do" list item to check off, or a major department project to complete. Whatever the task, preparation - research and planning - enables you to attack the undertaking in a more organized fashion, focus on what needs to be done, and complete the job more quickly.
Or does it?
It depends on whether the preparation represents proper planning...or it's merely a pretext for procrastination.
What differentiates the two?
The distinction deals with the type of information the preparation revolves around. Is it "need to know" information which is directly related to moving the task from one step to the next, or is it "nice to know" information that may be useful in planning for all the various contingencies - potential delays, detours, and roadblocks, or other "what if" scenarios - just in case they occur?
Just-in-case thinking - planning for all the contingencies - leads to over-preparation. And over-preparation not only delays the start of the task at hand, but it diffuses your focus and diverts your attention from what needs to be done. Whether deliberate or unconscious, it's a form of procrastination. And it will prevent you from completing the task in the most efficient manner.
There's another drawback to over-preparation. You become "programmed" to respond to contingencies in a particular manner, which diminish the perceived need to strategically analyze them when they occasionally arise. All too often, the circumstances surrounding the situations differ in varying degrees from the ones for which you planned. Consequently, the programmed responses don't always represent the best courses of action at that moment, and don't always lead to the best outcomes.
Should you abandon performing any contingency planning during your preparation? No. Do just enough to get a sense of the direction you should take if you encounter a contingency. Then, rely on your own resourcefulness to identify and implement the most appropriate responses for the situation if it occurs.
When preparing for a task, focus primarily on what it will take to keep your efforts moving forward. Recognize the possibility of roadblocks and detours, but don't dwell on them. Be prepared...but not over-prepared. You'll find that you can get more done more quickly.
- Sandler Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.