Is procrastination a human condition?

The procrastination blog post, which I’ll write....tomorrow?

procrastinate
verb

To delay, put off doing something, postpone action, defer action, be dilatory, use delaying tactics, stall, temporize, play for time, play a waiting game, dally, drag one's feet/heels, take one's time; hesitate, vacillate, dither, be indecisive, be undecided, waver; Brit. haver, hum and haw; Scottish swither; informal dilly-dally, shilly-shally. 


According to my Thesaurus, there are many words/actions to describe delaying doing something. Even with calendars, reminder apps and sticky notes, inevitably I end up procrastinating certain things all the time. Unpleasant phone calls for example, certain accounting tasks, even this blog sometimes falls victim to my procrastination, unfortunately. Not because I don’t like doing it; I love it! So why then? 

Well, that same dictionary consulted earlier states: “fear of failure is often the reason why people procrastinate”. But research shows that’s not always the case. Other reasons for procrastination (plus how you could overcome them) are:

• You perceive the job or task at hand to be unpleasant, and you’re trying to avoid having to do it. Oftentimes you’re better off just getting it done and over with, so you can continue with things you enjoy more, or with more pleasant/fun aspects of the task. Like ripping off a bandage: quicker is less painful! Also, many procrastinators overestimate the unpleasantness of a task, but many times, in hindsight, you find it was not nearly as unpleasant as you had thought.

• You may be disorganised. More organised people are better able to prioritize tasks and schedule them in order of urgency or importance, and because they have prioritized to-do lists that cut the task down to manageable blocks of time, they don’t get caught with tasks overdue and avoid the stress that comes with being late to deliver. 

• Even though you are organized, you may feel overwhelmed by the task or job at hand. Maybe you have doubts whether you have the skills or resources to complete the job, so you delay getting started on it and spend your time on other, less important things in stead. But if that job you’re procrastinating on is important, it won’t just go away. So start with the parts of the task that you do feel confident about, and that you know you can complete succesfully. You’ll often find that once you’ve started, the rest will come too. Make a realistic schedule, taking into consideration the time needed to complete each segment, and stick to it. If needed, ask for help from people you know have the knowledge, and you’ll expand yours. There is no shame in learning along the way! 

• You may also fear success as much as failure. For example, you may worry that success at this task will lead to you being overwhelmed with more requests to do this type of task, or that you’ll be pushed to take on things that you feel are beyond you. Surprisingly, perfectionists are often procrastinators, as they tend to think "I don't have the right skills or resources to do this perfectly now, so I won't do it at all." Focus on one task at a time. Also look at all the potential outcomes: what's the worst that could happen? In many cases, reality is unlikely to be that bad! Learn to think more positively: it is a powerful tool to build your self-confidence and neutralise self-sabotage. If all else fails, have your Plan B ready, beforehand. No matter whether the outcome means success or failure (which is in the eye of the beholder and subjective to begin with), you are ready to deal with it. 

• One last reason for procrastination could be because you have an inability to decide. You just can’t make up your mind what to do, so you delay the decision, in fear of making the wrong choice. If you are really torn between your options, and your gut feeling is also not helping you, check out this guide from Mind Tools to help you develop decision-making techniques. 

Are you a procrastinator? If the answer does not come to you immediately, you can try this procrastinator self test. 

What's the most outrageous 'reason' you've ever given yourself to delay something you did not want to do? Share in the comments below. 

Have you ever used some of these ‘reasons’ to delay doing a task or job? There are a million of them, to be sure, these are just a few:

• Filling your day with low priority tasks from your To Do List (laundry, making a grocery list, organising your closet, etc.).
• Reading e-mails several times without starting work on them or deciding what you’re going to do with them.
• Sitting down to start a high-priority task, and almost immediately going off to make a cup of coffee (“I’ll get coffee now, that way I’m ready to sit down and work without interruption later.”).
• Leaving an item on your To Do list for a long time, even though you know it's important.
• Regularly saying "Yes" to unimportant tasks that others ask you to do, and filling your time with these instead of getting on with the important tasks already on your list (“Sure, I’ll help you sort your filing system!”.
• Waiting for the “right mood” or the “right time” to tackle the important task at hand (“I’ll start my work-out routine tomorrow, I don’t feel in the mood to work out right now”).

I know I have on occasion used one or more of these ‘reasons’ to delay an important phone call (“I’ll call later, when they’re back from lunch”), a confrontation with a staff member (“I have to check my emails and update the Facebook page first before I reprimand So-and-So for coming in late again.”) or yes, even writing of this blog (“I need a few hours to write and I have no inspiration right now”). 

Personally, I’ve found that making to-do lists that indicate priority helped me a lot. There are a lot of Apps out there that can also help with this, and Apple’s Calendar has built-in reminders that  you can set, as well as a Reminders app. Those are the ones I use the most, you may have your own favourites, please share them in the comments below? 

Another method that works well for me is to reward myself with something fun, once I’ve done the task I’ve been procrastinating. For example: complete a blog post, then I can go play tennis! Or update my jewelry sales spreadsheets, then spend a while (a.k.a. two hours) on Pinterest or Facebook :-)

In any case, most experts agree that procrastination is a deeply ingrained habit and is not easily broken. Like any habit (good or bad), it takes a long time to develop or break, so you should not expect results overnight. 

But if you tackle procrastination at every encounter, you’ll find that over time, you start recognising when you’re procrastinating and as soon as you do, you have an opportunity to identify why you’re procrastinating and and take the appropriate steps or actions to overcome the block. 

Well, I am off to play some tennis! ;-) But when I come back, I’d love to read your comments, your personal experiences and your suggestions! Thanks in advance for sharing.

Your Style Insider,

Cristel
Thanks go to www.mindtools.com for much of this post's background research. 

Fashion Week Look Book III- Giovanna Randall's Honor Inspired

Our third and final Fashion Week Designer Inspired installment features designer Giovanna Randall with her label Honor, which made a huge debut just a year ago. She's already opening her flagship store in the prestigious Meatpacking District in New York City, at which Fashion Week this elegant and classy design made its first appearance.

Backstage at the show, Randall explained to NBC the inspiration behind the collection: "I see my muse as having been in Paris and lived there and been inspired by her surroundings...". Marie Claire describes her fall collection as packed with '70s-inspired chiffon cocktail numbers and minimalist-chic coats, all cast in a palette of neutral grays and camels punched up with the occasional hit of emerald or marigold. Randall told Marie Claire she had been inspired by the concept of "bound movement" and of the uptown girl displaced — picture a Parisian femme stranded in the Wild West. "It's all about texture-blocking and protective layering," Randall noted. "This girl wants to be free, but she's limited by her surroundings."

This Senzu Style Insider loves the cut, pale colors and soft fabrics used, which flatter every woman's shape. A perfect base to show off elegant jewelry! Her designs are suitable for all ages, and even her runway show was attended by everyone from celebrities, business women to fashion-conscious moms with kids in tow.

In this look-book image, we've combined a design from Giovanna Randall's signature label Honor of this year's New York Fashion Week with some of Senzu's jewelry collection pieces as well as other accessories such as footwear, purse and cosmetics that will allow you to recreate this on-trend runway look.

Watch this space for all the latest from Toronto's Fashion Week Runways, happening right now! Our own Sumitra Mahakanok is on the scene to report and represent Senzu.
Styling it up,

Cristel, Your Senzu Style Insider.
Featured in this article are the following Senzu jewelry:

2011 Spring Spirit Collection launched

This blog post brings some great news: We have just launched our new line of Spring jewelry as part of our Senzu Spirit Collection!

SZFNL42:  http://bit.ly/goNvbl

When we developed this Spring range of jewelry, we put the emphasis on fun and lightness. Our aim was to create a line that is versatile yet elegant, so you can wear it with a suit or with a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.  The jewelry will work great throughout the spring and into the summer, as weather warms up and clothing layers are shed. 

There are 11 new necklaces and 4 bracelets that all follow the Senzu mandate of good quality materials and a unique design that you'd only find at Senzu. Using aluminum and other light-weight metals and materials such as cotton, brass and glass, of course all lead-free, nickel-free and cadmium-free, the line is centered around the continuing trend of metallics and plays with textures, shapes and tones within the colour ranges. 

This year's Pantone colours, Silver Cloud as well as Russet and Silver Peony, are well represented in the collection, either on its own or in combination with gold and silver tones. As the quintessential neutral that consumers can rely on to coordinate with everything in their closet, Silver Cloud it is one of the most versatile colours in this year's range. 

SZFNL37: http://bit.ly/goSZc1

Senzu features it in the form of smokey, opaque glass beads that have been worked into both necklaces and bracelets. 

As Chrissy Lorenzo mentioned in her article on this year's Pantone chosen colours and their effect on mood: "Why does silver cloud seem to go with everything? This hue is multi-faceted and has many undertones. When paired with a deep purple, for example, blue-ish undertones in this color will come out for a seamless match. When paired with white, it will have a cooler, lighter look. For this reason, it's a great color to play off what's already existing in your wardrobe! Why you should wear it: gray-blue colors have a calming effect and inspire relaxation and creativity. A perfect color for a wall in your office, or a blazer for work. It will center you and leave you focused."

SZFNL38: http://bit.ly/ecfIbk

The warm chocolatey tones of Russet come back also in one of their wood and glass beaded necklaces. 

I've given you a sneak peek at some of the pieces in this blog, now go check all of them out on www.senzustyle.com! 

It is also posted it on Senzu's Facebook Page photo album, a great opportunity to 'like' our page and stay up to date on events, promos and special offers for our Facebook fans ;-) 

For daily updates and more 'insider' info, follow us on Twitter @senzustyle and @cristelmd. 

Styling it up!

Cristel, 

Your Senzu Style Insider. 

The LBD & other styles that never fade, literally!

Good morning everyone,

Having just come back from Shanghai on a Senzu sourcing trip, I was welcomed by some good news out of England this morning. It just goes to show you that true style never goes out of fashion and never fades away. Now we can actually say this and mean it literally, thanks to the scientists at the University of Leeds, who came up with a black dye for fabrics that does not fade in the wash. It was about time, right? ;-)

As was reported on also in The Toronto Star a few days ago, Partick McGowan and colleagues at the University of Leeds are proud of the dress because “black is the hardest colour and the most sought after. More than 50 per cent of clothing is black.” Glad to hear I am not alone in favouring this colour as a basic! It is flattering on most people, makes you look a bit more lithe and goes with nearly anything. Plus, the little black dress is one item that nearly all us ladies have at least one of, in our closets. 

Though I am not big on techie-speak, I thought it was worth quoting Mr. McGowan's process to create this little miracle (Nerd alert: science paragraph coming up!).  

The eco-friendlier process behind the dress and the dyes “turns a traditional problem in polymer chemistry on its head,” said McGowan. The process uses PLA or polylactic acid, a polyester derived from renewable sources. “It biodegrades, it is carbon-neutral, and it doesn’t rely on products from the petroleum industry,” he told The Star. 

“We’ve eradicated the wet-dyeing step and achieved a homogenous colouration.” Fabric dying traditionally uses oil-based material, lots of water, high temperatures, and creates considerable waste. Each type of textile needs to be dyed differently or takes the colour differently, even in the same garment. “The dye actually stays attached to the polymer. When you wash your PLA fibres, it doesn’t come out.”. 

Separate research is developing hair dye “without some of the chemicals perceived to be nasty. Organic is one of our goals.” concludes McGowan. Now would that be nice, to be able to colour your manes without all the horrible chemicals? 

When Sumitra and I started Senzu, we also wanted to ensure the colours and materials in our jewelry were long-lasting, which is why we love our Stainless Steel line. 

It is also a recyclable, very durable, non-staining, hypo-allergenic, and long-lasting material that will keep the same beautiful sheen, look and colour for a very long time with minimal care. 

Just like the non-fading LBD! 

Styling it up with a wink and Senzu jewelry of course,

Cristel, 

Your Senzu Style Insider.

PS: Don't forget to join our FB page too, for all the latest updates, and follow us on Twitter @senzustyle

Senzu Interview for Biz Opportunities - Part 2

Good morning everyone,

A few weeks ago we at Senzu had the honor to be asked for an e-Interview with Biz-Opportunities.biz, and were contacted by Ms. Angela Shupe with 11 questions. The Business Opportunities Weblog is a moderated list of legitimate business opportunities for entrepreneurs. It will be posted on their website on the 21st of December 2010, but you get to see the questions and my answers here first, in this 2-part blog post. Part 1 was published on this blog last week, here's the conclusion!  It was my pleasure to do the interview and I hope you enjoy reading it here and on biz-opportunities.biz from 21 December onwards!

6. What separates your business and opportunity from the competition?

- Senzu is very young, and therefore the market for Senzu Stylists is still wide open. Other companies may have been around longer, but people are ready for something new and fresh, which is reflected in our designs as well as our business model. 

- Senzu Stylists are not bound by any territories; all of Canada is wide open, so lots of room to expand their sales!

New Bracelet in Senzu's
Stainless Steel Collection

- Senzu Stylists can track their commissions and orders online.

- The Senzu website sets us apart from much of our competition. It allows our Stylists to sell direct from the website and also track their sales and commissions right there. It is very mobile-device friendly, so Stylists can have the Senzu e-Boutique at their fingertips wherever they are. In today’s world of smartphones and iPad-type mobile devices, we believe that it is important to offer our Stylists the best advantage in direct market sales.  The website supports our Stylists and our Stylists support the web site, it is a symbiotic relationship. 

- Our jewellery ranges in price from $8 to $154, with the average piece being about $40, so it is very affordable for every budget.

- Senzu carries a Stainless Steel Collection, all made from 316L stainless steel, which is 100% hypoallergenic. A great advantage, as some people have allergies to silver, gold or other metals. 

- Senzu also has a Naturals Collection, made from all natural products such as silk, cotton, semi-precious stones and wood.

7. When was it launched, and how has it grown since then?

We first formed Senzu in early 2010 and we had our Soft Launch Party on the 29th of September. About three weeks later, in late October 2010, the e-Boutique went ‘live’ and online ordering has begun. We’ve had quite a few Soirées since then, both hosted by us as well as by hostesses for our Stylists. We’ve been using this first Christmas season mainly as a vehicle to get the word out in Oakville about the Senzu company, the Senzu jewellery and we are already registering new Stylists in and around the Greater Toronto Area.  

8. Do you have any goals you'd like to accomplish in the next year or so?

Our main goal is to grow our network of Stylists and our sales of course, throughout Ontario and Canada. We will continue to create beautiful, affordable jewellery and by doing so, our Stylists will find that it sells itself. Our focus is on supporting our Stylists in their Senzu business and encourage their sales by continuing to enhance the website, the Stylist webportal, an easy to understand commission and downline structure and great customer service and Stylist support. 

9. What are some lessons your business has taught you?

New Earrings in Senzu's
Stainless Steel Collection

Together with my husband Brad, both Sumitra and I have run (and still run) many businesses, but this is our first business supported by an online store. I love browsing through our own e-Boutique! I have learned that for as many people there are in the world, that’s how many tastes and styles there are. I am inspired by working with the designers and manufacturers to develop great looking, high quality jewellery for Senzu. For Sumitra, this is the first time running a business in Canada. I think for her it is a breeze, compared to the challenges of doing business in other countries. Of course we all love being active in an industry that deals with such an exciting product as well as giving people the opportunity to change their lives and offer them a chance at financial freedom. 

10. Is there anything else you'd like to add?

A Senzu Stylist’s earnings are only limited by their imagination and efforts. Based on our records, our Stylists typically do around $1200 in sales per Soirée (our home party), which means about $300 in commissions for them, for just about 3-4 hours work. In addition, anyone can be a hostess (those who host a Soireé) and potentially receive hundreds of dollars in free jewellery, compliments of Senzu.  Our Stylists have no minimum sales requirements, but no maximums either! Anyone can become a Senzu customer, hostess or a Senzu Stylist. Our Senzu jewellery is high quality and attractively designed and priced, so it practically sells itself.  

11. Any advice you'd like to offer fellow entrepreneurs that are just getting started?

Immerse yourself in the industry, read up on your peers, their experiences and be open to advice from people who’ve been there. Don’t give up on your own concept but be prepared to adapt it to what the market will support.

Read the complete interview at www.biz-opportunities.biz from 21 December 2010 onwards.
In the meanwhile, a quick reminder to all our readers that Senzu has express shipping and can still deliver your shipments (within Canada) to arrive in time for Christmas, which is only 5 more days away!

Styling it up!

Cristel