Are you a procrastinator on big projects?

Our reader poll today asks: Are you a procrastinator on big projects?

– Absolutely not – I tackle projects as soon as I can: 24%
– Not really – I’ll procrastinate from time to time: 44%
– Kind of – I put off most things with a few exceptions: 24%
– Absolutely – I always wait until the last minute: 8%

Some procrastination, but not much. Most of you are pretty good at tackling work as it comes in or, at the very least, not leaving it until the last minute. If you’re one of the procrastinators, think about the stress you experience by putting things off. Realize while a little stress does increase performance, too much stress — especially if it’s chronic — can severely diminish performance and affect your health. Consider changing your habits by planning better, changing how you tackle work, breaking big projects into smaller deliverables, and finding someone to hold you accountable for completing your work sooner. You might be surprised by how much less stress you face by making these changes. Coming from a guy who’s had a couple of heart attacks, trust me on this. Change your habits before they change your life.

Do you agree with these poll results? Let us know in the comments below!

– Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC

Did you enjoy this post?  If so, I highly encourage you to take about 30 seconds to become a regular subscriber to this blog.  It’s free, fun, practical, and only a few emails a week (I promise!).  SIGN UP HERE to get the thoughtLEADERS blog conveniently delivered right to your inbox!

These results were originally a SmartPulse poll in SmartBrief on Leadership which tracks feedback from more than 210,000 business leaders. Get smarter on leadership and sign up for the SmartBrief on Leadership e-newsletter.