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  • Category: Miscellaneous
    Points:5

    Why do we have a tendency of doing thing at the last moment?

    There are many jobs or task to be done by us in our personal lives or at our workplace. Different people have different approaches towards doing these jobs as per their priorities and importance of a particular job.
    There are some jobs or matters which are to be done by a particular time and there is a last date stipulated for them. For example filing of Income tax, depositing house tax, paying utility bills, recharging for a service, etc.
    Many people have a tendency of delaying these and only become active when the last date approaches. It creates hurry for them and many times they complete the task or pay the bill at the last moment facing crowd or inconvenience everywhere.
    Why we have such a tendency? Why we cannot do it in time to avoid all those hassles? What are your experiences?
  • #777958

    Points:5
    Whatever the author has indicated is correct at least for individuals in our country. We take urgent tasks very casually - be it a tax liability or any pending due from the different departments. The moment we get the intimation of any dues to be paid, we will go by the date indicated for the last submission of dues. If it shows that the due - date for the payment has enough time, we get a lot of relief and we keep, the same in our file without noting down the due date for the payment of the same. The dates are not taken care of by writing down somewhere else to avoid lapses.
    It is happening in most cases with us. However, we should follow a word of caution that the last date of accomplishment of such a task might be delayed sometimes beyond our control due to multiple reasons. Hence it does not seem to be a healthy norm.

  • #777964

    Points:5
    It all depends on the individual.
    My father used to complete all his work well in advance. He used to sit late ours in the office to complete his work on that day. He never postponed today's work to tomorrow. He was able to do that because of the work quantum he was having in the office and he used to make all his subordinates also complete well in time.
    I also acquired that habit from him. I will never keep any paper pending with me and take immediate action. I used to conduct weekly reviews with my colleagues and see how they were progressing. Sometimes I was getting pressurised because of the workload. At such times also I used to try to complete the work within the time frame.
    I have also seen some people who will never attend to the work immediately and keep it pending for a long time saying that they were busy. They waste their time during office hours and start late working in the office.
    drrao
    always confident

  • #777971

    Points:5
    Let me share my own experience in this regard.

    I got my first job in Railways. After completion of training, I got my posting. Within 3 days, I realized that this job would not be suitable for me. So, I started applying for better Government jobs.

    I used to come to Calcutta on (my) week-ends, filled up the application forms (at that time, there was no concept of online application) and submitted the forms to the designated offices of the recruitment boards.

    My father always advised me not to wait for the last day, and I also used to submit the filled-up forms as quickly as possible. But, once, due to the absence of the rest-giving officials during my holidays where I was posted, I could not come to Calcutta in time. I came later and on the last date of submission of a particular application form, I went to submit the form at SSC Eastern Region Office in Calcutta.

    When I got down near my destination, I was stunned. Thousands and thousands of applicants are filling up the application forms in front of the GPO and sitting on the grass at the Calcutta Maidan. There was a serpentine queue for purchase of Postal Order in the counters of GPO.

    Fortunately, my form was fully complete. I had completed it at my residence and attached the prescribed postal order and copies of documents. So, I did not have to wait in any queue and without wasting my time, I reached the SSC Regional Centre to drop my application in the drop box.

    What I saw there was another experience for me. The two huge drop boxes were completely filled. (I never saw such things earlier because I used to submit application much before the closing day.) Thousands and thousands of applications were lying on the floor. I hesitated a bit and then submitted my application-containing envelope near one drop box. To do that I had to trample at least fifty envelopes containing applications.

    From that day, I never, never keep things pending for the last moment. I always advise my near and dear relatives, close friends and students not to keep things pending for the last day.
    (a) Those who have forgotten Noakhali, how can they protest Sandeshkhali?
    (b) Have no fear of perfection - you'll never reach it. ---------- Salvador Dali

  • #777972

    Points:4
    Oh, the struggle of leaving things till the last moment, right? It's like a habit we can't shake off! Maybe we just think there's always more time than there actually is. Then suddenly, whoosh! The deadline's here, and we're in a mad rush. Stress levels through the roof, and queues everywhere! Why do we do this to ourselves, I wonder? It's like we're gluttons for stress! But hey, I guess it's just human nature, always pushing things to the limit. Maybe we need to start setting reminders or breaking tasks into smaller chunks to avoid this last-minute panic. Anyone else find themselves stuck in this cycle? Share your thoughts!
    Regards,

    Sunil

  • #777979

    Points:5
    We all have days when we feel an attack of pathological laziness and don't want to do anything. If they happen rarely, then it's okay, sometimes you can and even need to allow yourself to be lazy. At the same time, we usually explain our own or others' tendency to put off important work (and not only) tasks for later and do them at the last moment with the same laziness. But in most cases laziness has nothing to do with it. That in fact people with this tendency have a very serious psychological problem, which is more common, you won't believe it, among true workaholics. Its name is "procrastination", or "procrastination".
    Procrastination - (from the Latin procrastinatus: pro- (instead, ahead) and crastinus (tomorrow)) is a concept in psychology that denotes a tendency to constantly postpone things and unpleasant thoughts. It manifests itself in the fact that a person, realizing the need to perform specific important tasks (for example, his work duties), ignores this need and is busy with trifles.

  • #777985

    Points:4
    I think laziness and resistance to act are the main reasons behind such behaviour. I have also experienced same situation as Partha has elaborately mentioned above whenever I did try to do a thing on the last date. A long queue, a big crowd, and a discouraging environment all were there waiting for me on that last day.
    These habits of delaying things are generally got through the bringing up times of a person and to some extent can be said to be as family traits. A family where parents are extra alert and do things much before time, the children also pick up the same habits.
    Doing things in time is a great habit and is a sign of disciplined and well planned person. Generally such people are also successful in their lives.
    Knowledge is power.

  • #777986

    Points:2
    I also take this opportunity to welcome 'Amit' to this portal ISC and hope that he continues to contribute his ideas and thoughts not only in this forum section but also in other sections here. Have a nice creative journey in this portal.
    Knowledge is power.

  • #778070

    Points:4
    My dad always finished his work early. He stayed late at the office to finish everything on time and never left work for the next day. He managed this because he had a lot of work and made sure his team finished their tasks on time too.

    I learned this from him. I never leave any work pending and act on it right away. I also have weekly meetings with my colleagues to check on their progress. Sometimes I feel pressured because of the workload, but I still try to finish everything on time.

    I've seen some people who don't attend to their work right away and keep it pending for a long time, saying they're busy. They waste time during office hours and start working late.

  • #778080

    Points:5
    The author is perfectly right. Many among us doing the things at the last moment only. I do not whether we call such persons sluggish or lazy. But they are, that is such persons, justify their side as correct by saying they do not want to waste the time on that by ignoring other items or work. But they do not mind about the loss coming out of such last minute work.
    In my last company, I was in the Admin department, sent a note to accounts department for issuance of a cheque for payment to the Government. The due date was 31st October and I sent the note to the accounts section on 10th of October. By considering the last date they kept idle in spite of my oral reminders about the last date. On 3oth, accounts manager told me to prepare necessary papers for submission along with the cheque to submit on 31st. 31st Morning, he gave the cheque to me by 10.00 am, by justifying that they are giving demand draft instead of cheque as the realization found easy. To avoid embarrassing situation I myself went to the concernd Government office by taking the papers and DD. On the way I stopped my van to get a court fee stamp to affix in the form where I heard the radio news that our then PM Smt. Indira Gandhi shot dead. By hearing the news everybody got panicked and started closing every shops and etc., I was unable to move further that suddenly assembled policemen drive out us back. Moreover in order to send our employees to their homes by closing our factory I rushed to the factory back. On the next day I took the papers and went to the government office, they told that they would accept the paper only with 10 percent penalty. So, we have to pay the penalty for submission because of last minute step. Normally I used to do anything without waiting for the last minute but from this incident I took extra care in doing anything in time.

  • #778082

      

    Points:5
    Procrastination can land you in trouble. One may keep his work pending due to different reasons including laziness and over-confidence. But it is always better not to wait for the last moment. I have seen people running to catch their train or bus which they could have avoided had they started a bit early. There may arise situations, like the one narrated by Ramachandran, on which you won't have any control.

    I had this experience of jumping into a moving train for no fault of mine. I started well in time from my sister's place in Chennai since traffic blocks can always be expected there. But then a procession of some political party disturbed all my plans. My taxi could not move ahead for quite some time, and it was getting late. Ultimately, I had to carry my baggage and run across to the central station which was, luckily, quite nearby. The train had started moving by then and I had to literally throw my baggage into the first compartment I could catch and jumped in.

    The point is that we should not wait for the last moment. When you have to do something, do it at the earliest. It will help you to stay calm and relieved.
    'Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all'.
    -Aristotle


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