The workplace isn't somewhere we expect ourselves to procrastinate, but we do, much to our own detriment. Various studies show individuals who procrastinate at work are more likely to earn less, be under-employed and are unemployed longer compared to non-procrastinators. It's highest in self-employed professions, prevalent in white-collar work and less common in blue-collar work.

The true source of the issue must firstly be identified in order to fix it

The causes of procrastination are the same as what we've discussed throughout this issue, but at work it can lead to missed deadlines, costly mistakes, poor appraisals, lost promotion opportunities, team friction, gossip, and sometimes, shortened contracts or retrenchment. So what can we do to reduce procrastination in the workplace and secure our jobs and careers? The true source of the issue must firstly be identified in order to fix it.

A common and probably least harmful source is digital distractions. As we increasingly utilize smartphones, tablets and web applications for work-related tasks, we open ourselves up to the temptations that exist within those domains. The ease and stealth in which we can switch between work application and personal online activity make it a tempting avenue for procrastinating randomly when we should be working.

Autonomy is another cause of workplace procrastination. Like digital distractions, it's also more common in white-collar roles. With freedom comes a greater need to self-regulate, which is likely why customer-facing, blue-collar and highly supervised roles are procrastinating less.

Workplace procrastination often stems from a lack of motivation, underestimating effort or taking on too much work, lack of training or skills, the belief that the work will feel less boring or that creativity will be sparked when time pressure is high, or even a means of combating stress.

Besides retrenchment, negative feedback, damaged manager, team and department reputations, and animosity felt from colleagues as they become responsible for picking up the slack and fixing mistakes in shorter timeframes, are some of the most troubling outcomes a procrastinator can experience.

Depending on what the source of the problem is, there are straightforward solutions to most. To begin with, it's important to recognize the value of the work we're expected to do, that someone relies upon it and it pays the bills. Encouraging or joining agile projects or Scrum teams increases visibility and accountability, which highlights procrastination and enforces ownership of late work. Block out your most productive hours as a recurring meeting or 'out of office' to minimize distractions and maximize optimum focus periods. Start early or finish late. Take MOOCs or professional education courses to upskill and boost confidence. If all else fails, continue to employ techniques that reduce procrastination, but consider looking for a BAU or operations role that offers less flexibility by way of frequent and shorter deliverables.