Procrastination

Charmaine Drafke

As soon as I…
           Right after…
                     I’m not feeling it right now

Are You a Procrastinator?

If you are, have you ever wondered why? If you're not, do procrastinators drive you crazy? Check out this video from Tim Urban: Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator.

There are many theories behind the science of procrastination. Psychology Today offers suggestions from Freud to the University of Bielaland. The Writing Center at UNC blames procrastination on, among other things, a fear of failure or even success. Whatever the cause, there are always consequences.
 
So why would a procrastinator continue this behavior knowing there will most likely be negative consequences? If you ask a procrastinator, they will likely reply with an I don’t know.
 
In my case, Tim Urban hit the nail on my head. I work best under pressure. I am most creative when the wheel in my brain is spinning out of control. Does that mean that I like writing or working in a frenzy? Of course not. Some psychologists link ADD with procrastination, and I can relate. Procrastination is actually a coping mechanism. When I leave myself more than enough time to attack my goals, I get easily distracted. I find excuses to not complete the project or move on to something else before that project is done. In the end, those projects only get completed if there is a deadline with consequences and generally at the last possible second.

“You can't just turn on creativity like a faucet. You have to be in the right mood.
What mood is that? Last-minute panic.” ~ Bill Watterson

So if you are a writer and the only consequence to not completing a project is that the project never gets completed, what can you do?
 
Consequences and Awards 
Give yourself consequences and awards. Create a goal, such as writing a minimum of 30 minutes per day at least 5 days per week. If you complete your goal, allow yourself a perk. This can be something you already give yourself but now have to earn. You can also create consequences - take away a perk. Decide you can’t watch the Handmaid’s Tale that week if you didn’t meet your goal.
 
Make Lists
Make a to-do list and place it where you will have to see it throughout the day. It is harder to make excuses for a visual list than one floating in your head. The satisfaction of completing a list is significantly more enjoyable than the anxiety of an unfinished list.
 
Fear of Failure
So what if your procrastination is seeded in a fear of failure? Consider this. Not starting or completing the project is failing before you even start. Always remember that failure is not a reflection of who you are as a whole person.

“A rejection is nothing more than a necessary step in the pursuit of success.” ~ Bo Bennet

Have you solved the problem of procrastination in your life? Do you have a solution different than those I shared? Let us hear what you have discovered as a procrastination cure.