拖延症会传染：我们都爱凡事拖到最后一秒才动手

Newsflash: Procrastination is contagious.

资讯快讯：拖延症是会传染的。

Well, maybe it is not a newsflash. I think we all know that you become like those that you hang out with.

然而，这或许又算不上是资讯，我想大家都知道你会变得很像那些与你一起出去玩的人。

It has been shown time and again that people adapt their habits and behavior to fall in line with others around them. It really doesn’t matter why: whether it is science, social, or just a need to fit in. This can be applied to exercise, health, eating, beliefs, habits, …and yes, productivity.

时间一次又一次地证明了人们会调整他们的习惯和行为来符合他们周围的人。为什么会这样真的不重要：可能是科学因素，也可能是社会因素，或只是一个适应的需求。这个对于运动、健康、饮食、信仰、习惯同样适用……哦，对，还有工作效率。

So, it is for this reason that you need to be aware that procrastination is contagious. In fact, it is a sickness that can destroy individuals and companies. Are you in danger of catching procrastination from those around you? Or did you already?

所以这就是你需要意识到拖延症会传染的原因。事实上，这是一种能摧毁个人和公司的病。你是否正处于从你周围的人群中感染上拖延症习惯的危险中？或者你已经有了拖延症了？

Good Influences or Bad?

好的影响还是坏的影响？

Are the people you hang out with a good influence on your productivity? Do they build you up with good habits and efficiency? Or do they drag you down with slackness and procrastination?

经常跟你玩在一起的那些人是否对你的工作效率有一个好的影响？他们是否帮你养成了好的习惯和变得高效？或者是影响你让你变得懒散和拖延症？

Here are some things to consider. Do the people you associate with:

下面这些事情值得思考。 和你关系比较亲近的人是否：

Consistently show up late to meetings?

开会经常迟到？

Do they miss appointments?

他们是否经常爽约？

Are they always rushing?

他们是不是经常很匆忙？

Do they finish things at the last minute?

他们是否在最后时候才完成任务？

Do they fail to meet deadlines?

他们是否经常不能按时完成？

Do they procrastinate?

他们是否有拖延症？

If so, you could be following the same behaviors. Have any of these become acceptable or the norm in your life?

如果是的话，你可能也正在跟随着他们做出同样的行为。这样的行为是否让你觉得可以接受，或已经变成了你的生活规范？

Is Your Company Sick?

你的公司出问题了吗？

It is not just individuals that are susceptible to the catching the “procrastination.” Companies can fall ill with it, too. In fact, for a company it can be so destructive that some companies ultimately do not survive the procrastination sickness.

不仅仅是个人容易养成 “拖延症” 的习惯，公司同样也会感染这种习惯。 事实上，对于一个公司这可能有很强的摧毁性，以至于一些公司一旦感染了拖延症这个毛病最终不能存活下去。

Does your company show any of the following symptoms:

你的公司是否表现出了任何以下的症状：

Do projects finish late? – At some companies this is so regular, that projects are given “automatic” extensions.

项目是否延时完成？——在一些公司这是很常见的现象：会让项目“自动”的延长时间。

Do people sit around for hours shooting the breeze? - Of course, these companies are quick to say that their culture is based on “relationships.” But, sitting around every day for 3 hours discussing sports or gossip is not productive. This is not an exaggeration. Studies have shown that many workers get less than 3 hours of actual work completed in a typical day.

人们是否经常坐在一起闲聊几个小时？当然，这些公司马上会说它们的文化是基于“关系”。但是，每天坐在一起花三个小时聊体育或是八卦是没有效率的，我这不是夸张。研究表明很多职工在一个正常的工作日，其真正工作的时间不超过三个小时。

Are people habitually late with no consequence? - Many companies would rather look the other way than deal with workers who are habitually late.

人们是不是习惯迟到不会受到处罚？——许多公司宁可装作没看到也不会去处罚那些经常迟到的员工。

Does the company fail to meet goals and objectives? – You may not think that your company failing to reach its goals is a direct result of procrastination.

你的公司是否经常不能完成目标和目的？——你可能认为你的公司不能达到预期的目标不是因为拖延症。

However, in many environments it is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Work and projects are not successfully completed on time and then executives wonder why the company is not succeeding.

然而，在很多环境下，这是一种自我实现的预言。工作和项目不能顺利按时完成，而高管们质疑为什么公司不能成功。

Do people regularly skip out? If your office is a ghost town by 3PM every Friday, it is a pretty good sign that procrastination is running rampant.

人们是否经常早退？如果你的办公室主每周五下午3点就变成了一个鬼城，这是说明拖延症正在猖獗进行的一个很明显的信号。

What do you think? Is your company sick? Is procrastination the norm or does your company drive productivity and results?

你怎么看？你的公司是否出问题了？拖延症成了你的生活规范了吗？或是你的公司提高生产力和绩效了吗？

How Do You Avoid Catching the Procrastination?

你该怎么样才能避免养成拖延症习惯吗？

Procrastination is a habit that is not quickly or easily resolved. It takes long term effort and the forming of new productivity habits.

拖延症是一种不容易很快改掉的习惯。这需要花费长久的努力和要养成新的高效率工作习惯。

Here are some short term tips to help prevent you and your company from catching the procrastination illness:

下面是一些短期的提示帮助你预防你和你的公司养成拖延症这个毛病：

Learn from those who are getting it done– Get a mentor who is productive from which you can learn.

向那些做得好的人学习——从你能学习的人群中找到一个高效率的导师。

Don’t hang out with the procrastinators– This one seems obvious, but cannot be overstated. You need to stop hanging out with those who are not meeting deadlines. Those who are always late. Those who are taking 2 hour lunches.

不要和那些拖延症的人混在一起——这似乎是显而易见的，但也不要矫枉过正。你不要再与那些不能按时完成任务的人混在一起，那些经常迟到，那些吃个午饭都要两个小时的人。

Hold yourself accountable- Even when others are not, hold yourself accountable to being on time and getting things done by prescribed deadlines.

要对自己负责——即使别人办不到，你也要确保自己准时，在截止时间之前按时完成工作。

Make sure your workspace is workable–Make sure that your area of work is suitable for productive work. If it is a mess, clean it up. If others make it loud or unworkable, find a quiet area to work. Every Monday morning I used to go to a meeting room by myself while my co-workers debriefed the weekend for the first 3 hours of the day.

请确保你的工作空间是可工作的——确保你的工作区域益于高效率工作。如果它很乱的话，请整理干净。如果别人声音很大或是让你不能很好工作，请找一个安静的地方工作。每周一的早上我习惯去会议室工作，而我的同事们会浪费早上3小时的时间闲聊他们的周末时光是如何度过的。