Success Advice
5 Ways to Procrastinate and Be Productive at the Same Time
Sometimes, you need to give yourself permission to procrastinate. This isn’t going to be your average blog post on productivity hacks. I’m not going to promise you a new way to streamline your life, or give you a secret formula for reducing the stress that comes from avoiding the things you know you have to do.
Instead, I’m going to give you a list of several things you can do when you really can’t avoid procrastinating, but you still want to move forward with your goals. We all procrastinate, and there is very little we can do to avoid it. These few tricks will help you get past periods of procrastination with as little pain as possible.
One of the main reasons most people decide to procrastinate is because of a feeling of uncertainty. Uncertainty comes from not having a clear idea of what your goal is or what the best course of action might be to achieving your goals.
The following five practices help me to tune out the noise around me, quiet my mind, and get past periods of procrastination:
1. Write
Writing (or drawing) is one of the best ways to clear your mind and clarify your goals. Often, I’ll get to a point in my day when productivity lulls and I realize I’m staring mindlessly at the computer screen, unable (or unwilling) to focus on anything. In these instances, I’ll take a step away from my computer and write for 10 or 15 minutes.
Occasionally, there is structure to my writing, but other times there isn’t any. The process is therapeutic and can be quite fun. Authors and entrepreneurs the world over from Tim Ferriss to Richard Branson use this technique to help focus their thoughts and outline their next steps on the road to success.
“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” – Ernest Hemingway
2. Exercise
Take a few minutes to get some exercise the next time you’re feeling unproductive. It can be anything from a set of 10 jumping jacks or pushups to an all-out 5-mile run.
The point of this practice is to get the blood pumping and help you clear your mind. It’s hard to work about what to do next on a large project when you’re trying to catch your breath after climbing up 5 flights of stairs. Take the time to reset your brain and you’ll be ready to start work again before you know it.
3. Read
I’m not talking about catching up on recent social media posts or the lastest gossip column. I’m talking about reading some good writing. Whether hard copy or digital, fiction or nonfiction, read something that inspires you and teaches you something.
I happen to be a big fan of nonfiction books related to business, but I’m also really into history and biographies of famous historic figures. Whatever you’re interested in, take 15 to 30 minutes to step away from what you’re doing and absorb something substantial that will influence how you think about and view the world.
4. Talk to strangers
This sounds much creepier than it is. Talking to strangers is one of the best ways to reset your mind and get a new perspective on a problem you might be facing in your work or personal life. Go seek out different perspectives from people you don’t know at work, on LinkedIn, even in the coffee shop or at the bar. Ask what they do, what they’re working on, how they feel about what they do.
Listening to others, and showing compassion by caring about what others say, is a surefire way of resetting your mind and shifting your frame of reference when it comes to solving your next problem or challenge.
“We sometimes encounter people, even perfect strangers, who begin to interest us at first sight, somehow suddenly, all at once, before a word has been spoken.” – Fyodor Dostoevsky
5. Cook
Cooking can be a very meditative process. The concentration required to plan out your next meal, buy the write ingredients and assemble the meal properly requires concentration and creativity. Stimulating the parts of your brain responsible for planning and concentration will help to rewire your brain and streamline your thinking when you start to procrastinate.
No matter which tool you decide to use next time you get stuck or consider procrastinating, remember that all of these exercises are meant to help you reduce uncertainty in the decision making process by helping you clear your head and clarify your thought process.
To be honest, I find myself using these tricks more often than I might care to admit, and I have found them invaluable as I’ve worked to build my own career and launch multiple side businesses.
What are some ways you spend your free time and propel forward at the same time? Let us know by leaving a comment below!
Image courtesy of Twenty20.com
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In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”
While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.
Why This Gap Exists
Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.
What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.
Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap
Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.
1. Practice Mutual Empathy
Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.
2. Maintain Professional Boundaries
Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.
3. Follow the Golden Rule
Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.
4. Avoid Micromanagement
Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.
5. Empower Employees to Grow
Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.
6. Communicate in All Directions
Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.
7. Overcome Insecurities
Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.
8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship
True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.
9. Eliminate Favoritism
Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.
10. Recognize Efforts Promptly
Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.
11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews
When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.
12. Provide Leadership Development
Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.
13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles
Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.
The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role
Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:
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Build diverse talent pipelines
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Embrace flexible work models
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Design compelling career paths
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Simplify HR processes
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Redefine the value HR brings
The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.
Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff
When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.
Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.
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