The evil twin of procrastination
By Bob Cox

I’ve noticed that almost every time I’m in a hurry, something bad happens. And the rushing around is often the result of the time pressure that follows procrastination.

Say your goal is to advance within your company. A management position recently opened, and you decided to submit your resume. However, you procrastinated… and didn’t turn it in until the last minute. In your haste, you didn’t take the time to “proof” your submission. And by not doing so you left in several misspelled words.

Oops! Now you know why you weren’t considered to be the top candidate.

Don’t let rushing or impatience interfere with the achievement of your goals. Learn how to recognise when you’re in too much of a hurry, and slow yourself down.

I have two warning signs that trigger me to slow down:

* I have an inner sense of desperation.
* I become irritable - and this affects my judgment.

Both of these warning signs occur when my timeframe to complete a task or project becomes compressed to the point where I can feel myself speeding up the process. A sense of urgency is acceptable. But a sense of panic isn’t. That’s when I know I have to step back, take a deep breath, reset myself and focus.

You must discover your own warning signs and resist the urge to rush. Stick with routines that work. And don’t make things worse by procrastinating.