How Leaders Can Stop Procrastinating Today

Ever found yourself putting off an important task—only to scramble at the last minute?

Procrastination isn’t just about being lazy. It’s a deeply ingrained habit fueled by brain chemistry, energy, and even our personal values. And if you’re in a leadership role, the stakes are even higher.

In this episode of One Simple Thing, we break down:

✔️ Why procrastination happens (it’s not what you think!)

✔️ How our brains trick us into avoiding important work

✔️ What Enjoyment-Performance Theory reveals about our motivation

✔️ Four simple strategies to take back control

✔️ Why managing procrastination isn’t just about time management

Curious?

🎧 Listen now—and stop putting things off for later.

What are you waiting for? 😉

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Transcript

Introduction to One Simple Thing

Speaker 1 0:05

Welcome to Leading People with me , gerry Marais , this week . It's One Simple Thing , where , in each episode , I share a quick , actionable tip to help you bring out the best in yourself and others the best in yourself and others . One simple thing is created for young leaders , but hey , us older folks can still learn a thing or two . Ask my dog he's

The Reality of Procrastination

Speaker 1 0:35

learned a few new tricks recently . Here's a question for you have you ever put off an important task only to scramble at the last minute to get it done ? How does this happen ? Well , you check your inbox instead of starting that report . A colleague needs just a second , which turns into 20 minutes . Oh , let me just see what's happening on Facebook . Let me just see what's happening on Facebook , which turns into half an hour and , before you know it , deadline , panic , stress .

Speaker 1 1:21

We call it procrastination , but let's be honest , it can be a real leadership challenge . Great leaders often don't have the luxury of waiting until they feel like it . So how do you stop putting things off and actually get stuff done ? Let's explore why we

Understanding Why We Procrastinate

Speaker 1 1:36

procrastinate . Procrastination isn't just laziness , it's habit , it's chemistry chemistry and its energy . Our brains are wired for patterns and when we avoid a task , we get instant relief and we can actually experience a dopamine hit . And your brain likes this . So next time we face a similar task , guess what ? We repeat the pattern to get the dopamine hit . But if leaders are to maintain their own performance levels and motivate their teams , they can't really afford to develop these habits .

Speaker 1 2:19

And here's where it gets interesting . We don't just procrastinate because something is hard . We procrastinate because it's boring , so we lack motivation . Or it's a challenge , so we fear failing , or it's of low value to us , so we push it aside . It's of low value to us , so we push it aside . And here's where it gets even more interesting . According to enjoyment performance theory , we tend to invest our energy into things we enjoy , which makes us better at them . But when we don't enjoy something , we tend to avoid it . We don't practice , we don't invest our energy and , guess what ? We never get good at it , so we avoid it even more . So how do you break the cycle

Four Strategies to Break the Cycle

Speaker 1 3:21

? Here are four yes , four simple things you can test out .

Speaker 1 3:29

Number one reframe the task . Make it meaningful to you Instead of saying , oh , I have to do this . Link it to a bigger purpose , for example , instead of saying , oh , I have to prep this meeting . Think this is my chance to influence senior leadership . Number two invest your energy wisely . Follow your values .

Speaker 1 4:00

If a task aligns with what's important to you , motivation follows . Ask yourself why does this task matter to me ? Number three block your time and start small . Chunk the task down to get past the first hurdle . Procrastination feeds on open-ended timeframes , so set a 10-minute timer and just start . Momentum will kick in and suddenly you're on a roll .

Speaker 1 4:36

And number four delegate strategically . Not everything should be delegated A Not your strength , or B Not worth your energy , or C Better done by someone else . Then hand it off . Great leaders know when to let go and the person you delegate it to can benefit from an opportunity to learn , grow and develop . Remember , procrastination isn't really about time management . It's about where you choose to invest your energy and focus . So test out this one simple thing this week Reframe the task .

Speaker 1 5:26

Invest your energy wisely . Task , invest your energy wisely . Start small and delegate when it makes sense and watch how fast things

Closing Thoughts and Next Steps

Speaker 1 5:38

change . And that's another one simple thing . Thanks for tuning in . Remember , small steps can lead to big changes . Test out this one simple thing and notice how it transforms your day . Let me know how you get on , reach , reach out on LinkedIn and connect with me . Mention the podcast and if you'd like to learn more One Simple Things , then subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast channel and follow our LinkedIn Leading People page . In our next episode of One Simple Thing , we'll explore another easy way to be a great leader by bringing out the best in yourself and those around you . And in between , you can check out one of my longer conversations with leading people about yes , you've guessed it , leading people . So until then , keep exploring and stay curious .