Canadian Finance Blog

Posted: 15 Jan 2011 02:00 AM PST

The following excerpt on how to handle distractions is from The Procrastination Equation, written by Piers Steel and published by Random House Canada.

Distractions are a major enabler of procrastination, so learning how to effectively handle them is a must. Your options are to denigrate, eliminate, or replace cues that remind you of your temptations.

• Sully tempting alternatives by using covert sensitization, imagining disgusting ways they may be tainted, or envision possible disastrous outcomes from procrastinating. The more vividly

you can imagine the contamination or the catastrophe, the more effective this technique will be.

• When confronted with distracting temptations, focus on their most abstract aspects. Triple chocolate cheesecake, for example, can be construed as another fat and sugar combination.

• Entirely eliminate cues that remind you of distracting alternatives where possible. Keeping your workplace clear of clutter will help you accomplish this.

• Once you have purged your workplace of distracting cues, replace them with meaningful messages or pictures that remind you of why you are working. For some, a desk photo of loved

ones can be an effective reminder.

• Foster these work cues by compartmentalizing your place of work and play, keeping them as separate as possible.