Dealing With Procrastination
I know I’m not alone on this one! Let’s talk about procrastination…
What’s the deal with procrastination? What drives it?
What is its function and what do we do about it?
Instead of focusing on procrastination, try focusing on your inertia.
Notice how it is more difficult to initiate a task than it is to keep it going. Notice the moment of resistance… the moment the thought enters your mind to engage in a task, and the moment you decide not to. That moment is the moment to focus on.
Practice impulsively saying “yes” to the initial impulse to action. Practice pushing against inertia when it compels you to stay idle. As many times as you can muster the energy, practice springing into action, even just for a few moments.
Also practice stopping yourself before the point of burnout and exhaustion.
The more you practice, the more you will build the strength to fight inertia when it works against you.
Act now, procrastinate later.
Sure, it doesn’t typically feel that easy in practice. As explored yesterday, overcoming inertia isn’t easy. It IS doable, however. Change your mindset about it, bite the bullet, and dare to get started.
Some procrastination humor for you…
“Never put off till tomorrow what may be done day after tomorrow just as well” – Mark Twain
REFLECT:
What have you tried that has NOT felt successful? Why do you think that strategy didn’t work? What motivates you to action when you DO overcome the urge to procrastinate?
How can you be more playful with yourself in how you tackle procrastination?
Customized just for You
“Procrastination is the thief of time,
Year after year it steals, till all are fled,
And to the mercies of a moment leaves
The vast concerns of an eternal scene”
(an excerpt from the poem The Complaint: or Night Thoughts
on Life, Death, and Immortality by Edward Young)
None of us know how much time we have.
The “I’ll just do it later” mentality assumes there is a later to be had.
The more we push things off, the more time we take for granted. The more time we lose.
In some circumstances an abundance mindset can be helpful, however when dealing with a pattern of procrastination, avoidance and habitual disengagement, I encourage tuning back into how scarce and fleeting time really is.
