Procrastination – what is it? How to fight it at work?

You’ve decided to find a new job. You know which websites to search for it and how to write an effective CV.

You still don’t do it for some reason! What’s more, you have constant remorse.

It is very possible that you have been procrastinating, which is always procrastinating.

Have you ever thought:

• I will look for a new job next year / after the holiday.
• First I will arrange my private affairs and then look for a new job.
• How do I find a spare moment to get my CV ready, I’ll start sending them out.

it means procrastination is your problem.

In this article, you will learn 4 specific tips to help you change your mindset and find a better job faster.

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Why are you procrastinating?

It will be easier for you to fight procrastination if you find out why you are postponing everything:

Imagine you are unemployed. You have no job and nothing to pay for rent, bills and other obligations. The only thing you can count on is a small allowance, the so-called curoniówka.

Moreover, you can’t afford any fun. So you have a lot of free time, and you have nothing to spend it interestingly on!

Unless you are deeply depressed, after a maximum of 2 weeks you will start looking intensively for employment. You will write your CV and start sending it to your employer.

Why is this not the case if you are looking for a new, better job?

• you are not under a lot of pressure
• after 8 hours of work you feel tired and want to rest
• you are not in a difficult financial situation

Your procrastination is because you are not in danger. And it is in an emergency that you are willing to act.

Here are some tips to help you get started and find a better job.

NOTE: Procrastination is not laziness! This is a tendency that can range from mild to severe, requiring treatment. The tips in this article are for people who have the mild form. If you are in doubt as to whether your procrastination is not morbid or you can see the features of the so-called avoidant personality disorder, get help from a specialist, such as a psychologist or therapist.

1. How to plan wisely so as not to procrastinate?

Changing your job is a big change in your life. And the more complicated the project, the harder it is to get to work. The best example is the master’s thesis. Lots of people postpone writing it endlessly.

Why?

Because writing 120 pages seems to be overwhelming!

It’s the same with looking for a job.

Think of looking for a new job as a project. Break it down into stages:

a. Read the articles on a successful CV

If you don’t have much time, look for complete tutorials like:

“How to write a CV that will get you a job? 9 tips [Examples]” (read).

“22 sample CVs for your position” (read).

For example, spend 2 or 4 hours depending on your needs.

b . Write your own CV

You can write your CV in Word or use our online CV maker (create a CV here). The wizard will help you create an effective CV thanks to the interactive tips in each section.

Remember to create your CV based on the knowledge you have from the articles. Once you’re done writing, go over your articles and resume again. Make sure that:

• you have successfully reported the achievements
• you have not skipped a relevant section
• you have only described the experience related to with the position you are applying for

c. Search for job offers

Use job search engines such as Interviewme, Pracuj.pl, InfoPraca. If you want to work for a particular company, go to its website and see if they are looking for employees.

If there are no current job offers, find the contact address for the HR department or to manager of the department in which you would like to work. Also try to establish contacts with those responsible through LinkedIn.

d. Distribute your documents

In this complete guide, you’ll see how to send your CV for the employer to read:

“What to write in an email with a CV? How to send a CV to get a job?” (read)

FREE EBOOK: Make sure there are no mistakes in your CV before sending it to your employer! See the most common mistakes in the free ebook – “24 mistakes in your resume that keep you from getting a job” (download)

Prepare an action plan . Break your job search into steps.

See a plan example below:

As you can see, job search tasks are marked with a different color. This way you can see them immediately and know that you shouldn’t put them off until later.

Note that to-do tasks are separated in time. Thanks to this, it will be easier for you to focus on them and not distract yourself. You can additionally set reminders on your phone.

In the above example, the entire job search project is written for one week. Of course, adjust the calendar to your needs and time possibilities. You can spread tasks over a month. The most important thing is to stick to the plan consistently!

See the summary of what will stop you and what will help you win against procrastination:

WRONG:

• doing everything at once: do not distract yourself from writing your CV to browse the offers.
• reorder: do not browse the offers until you have a CV.
• planning everything for one day: you can’t stand it and sooner or later you’ll start surfing the internet.
• no plan

GOOD:

• treat the work as a project: Divide it into smaller parts.
• write your CV first: When it’s ready, only then look for offers and match your CV to a specific position.
• Make a plan of action and stick to it

By dividing the tasks to be done into smaller parts, looking for a job will not overwhelm you. You will increase your chances of getting to work!

See the following article if you want to know how to match your CV to the job offer: “How to match your CV to the job offer and highlight? (5 tips + Examples) “(read)

Want to write your CV right away? Use our wizard, where you will find professional templates to complete and practical tips. Create a resume in 5 minutes here .

See other templates, create CV and download PDF document here .

2. How will the Pomodoro technique help you overcome procrastination?

You already know that you should approach your job search as a project and implement it in stages.

You have made a plan and go back to the computer to write the achievements section on your resume. After 15 minutes, however, it turns out that … .. you are viewing your friends’ photos on Facebook. Moreover, you are ashamed of your laziness.

Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation?

See how the Pomodoro Technique can help you overcome procrastination:

a. Choose a task and prepare a kitchen timer

Want to read articles about your CV? Take the timer and sit down at the computer. In the tabs, open all the articles you want to read. See below what your bookmarks bar should look like in order for your job search to be effective:

GOOD:

Open only the tabs related to the task to be performed. This way you will avoid distraction from Facebook or news sites.

WRONG:

A dozen or so open tabs will distract you and even make you reluctant to work! Additionally, if you search for an article you want to read, you could accidentally end up on Facebook!

b. Set the timer to 25 minutes

One Pomodoro just takes 25 minutes. Note: for 25 minutes you can do nothing but your task! Don’t let anything or anyone interrupt you. You should see the timer throughout the duration of the task.

If you finish the task before the 25 minutes are up, go ahead and start the next one. Do not stop work until the alarm goes off.

c. Take a 5-minute break!

After one Pomodoro, give yourself a 5-minute break. Break is an important part of the technique and you must not skip it.

d. What can you do after Pomodoro 4th?

Depending on your plan, you can either quit or continue working. If you want to continue, take a longer break (about 20-30 minutes). You can eat something or gossip on the phone.

Some of the rules seem strange to you? See what benefits you will gain by using the Pomodoro technique!

• greater efficiency. It’s easier for you to concentrate as much as you know that it’s only for 25 minutes.
• better performance. You work harder because you want to finish the task before the break.
• strong motivation. Easier you will approach a task for which you have a certain time.
• high accuracy. Thanks to the breaks, your brain is not overloaded and you are able to work longer.

You like the Pomodoro technique? See other useful tools that will increase your productivity:

“10 apps that will help you save time and increase productivity” (read)

3. What is Parkinson’s Law and what does it have to do with procrastination?

Have you ever heard the opinion:

“Time is being wasted in proportion to all the time we have at all.”

This is Parkinson’s Law. His theory concerned the work of officials, but it is very possible that it also applies to you.

If you spend, for example, 4 hours on writing your CV, that is how much you will write. If you spend 2, you will end up 2. Most importantly, a resume written in 2 hours will be no worse than a resume written in 4 hours.

Why is this happening?

If you spend too much time on an activity, you will start doing it anyway at the end of the time, so ….. you will be procrastinated!

See how to use Parkinson’s Law to fight procrastination and find a job more effectively:

• set minimum deadlines. Don’t spend 3 hours a day looking for job offers. You may find that you browse the listings for 20 minutes and the remaining time you sit on Facebook.

• have a few tasks for the day . As you saw in the calendar in the first part of this article. Schedule time for job search and other activities. If you know you have to leave the house, you will get stuck and work more efficiently.

• limit your time looking for a job. The less you give yourself, the sooner you’ll finish.

The methods described are proven and have helped many people. Don’t wait for the New Year and don’t treat looking for a new job as a New Year’s resolution, because … it would be procrastination! Take advantage of the advice and take action now.

Need even more motivation? See the most effective motivational quotes:

“32 best motivational quotes – Steve Jobs, Mark Twain and others” (read)

Do you also need to write a cover letter? In our wizard you will find modern patterns to fill in and practical advice. Create a cover letter in 5 minutes here .

See other templates, create a cover letter and download the PDF document here .

And you? Do you think the procrastination methods in this article are effective? Or maybe you know any other method that helped motivate you to look for a job? Have your say in the comment.