This is a subject I could talk about for hours. After all, I am the master of procrastination and I know perfectly well it’s my worst enemy and the reason why I seem to boycott my own chances of success more often than I would like to admit it.
What is procrastination?
Well, it’s the fine art of postponing everything forever. Tomorrow is always the right day to start doing things. Like starting a diet: tomorrow is always the perfect day. So do you have a deadline that you need to meet? Start it tomorrow. Do you need to do some repair work on your home or your car? Let’s think about it some other time. Or watch TV instead, or read your e-mails, or clean your house… You get the picture.
Don’t confuse procrastination with laziness. It’s not. When a procrastinator sets his mind on something, he/she can get it done in half the time anyone can, it’s just easier to keep postponing instead of doing and getting it out of your head.
What does procrastination cause?
A lot of grief, pain, missed opportunities and frustration. At least on my end. I feel frustrated and so do the people around me who rely on my work or my organization. And I end up giving the wrong image of myself and most importantly, disappointing people.
Why do people do it? I still don’t have an answer for that. But what I can tell you is that I crave for a little stress in my life, I enjoy causing this much pain to myself. Why? Stress is a great propeller for action. But sometimes I cause too much and just end up paralyzed and not getting things done on time.
Is it bad time management? Yes, sometimes. Personally speaking, I know how to manage my time and when I’m focused on not being a procrastinator, I can get things done on time or sooner. But procrastination, so far, gets the best of me most of the times.
How to not be a procrastinator
(This is the part you want to know about)
- Find out on what you procrastinate the most. For me it has to do with bureaucratic things (like paying taxes). And put those on the top of your list. The first thing to do on Monday is to get rid of that awful task you hate so much.
- Find ways to boycott your procrastination. You don’t have to do everything you hate on the same day, but you can plan it. Or just do it and get it over with. You can force yourself into situations that you can’t procrastinate. Ask a friend for help on that day and no other for instance. Set goals for yourself and stick to them. It’s all about personal commitment.
- “Don’t leave for tomorrow what you can do today”. It’s a saying my grandmother used to tell me often and I guess she was right. Although I also though she was a little bit slave of work and didn’t have any leisure time. But she was obviously far less stressed than I am most the time!
- Time is the most democratic thing in the world. There is time for everything. You just have to beat your procrastination and make up your mind on how you want to live your life. Always stressed and overwhelmed or relaxed and enjoying the best in life? Your choice.
Image Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/markjsebastian/426364168/
