How do I Procrastinate …
Let Me Count the Ways!
Dear Business Builder,
Happy Friday and welcome back to In the ‘Net Trenches. It’s Friday morning and my deadline has come and gone. For some reason I’m blocked … completely unable to come up with an interesting Internet marketing article.
Perhaps it’s the end of summer syndrome that’s grabbed hold of me and won’t let go. Maybe it’s the desire to be out playing with the kids in the neighborhood, hanging out at the beach and sleeping in late – not a care in the world – like when I was a kid.
Yet, I honestly can’t remember the last time I slept past 7:00 a.m.!
Or maybe it’s just plain ol’ procrastination that’s rearing its ugly head. I’ve never found writing easy … and I’m sure many of you don’t either. But I love it and perhaps it’s the blank page I fear the most. All of the ideas swirling around in my head … and the menacing blank page staring right back at me.
Heart pounding, palms sweating, stomach churning … I’ll get started after I answer this e-mail, take this phone call or approve this ad copy. Fearing that any minute the phone will ring and it will be “The Redhead” looking for my issue. Thankfully I think she has a bit of a soft spot for me … or else there could trouble.
But, in the words of Mary Poppins, “well begun is half done.” Once the words start to hit the paper the hardest part is over. Yet it’s no comfort in getting started.
Why Do We Procrastinate?
Procrastination is a widespread problem. We all do it to various degrees. We put off today what we can do tomorrow … it can be as simple as putting off paying the bills we don’t want to pay even though the money’s in the bank or as serious as delaying finishing an important presentation at the risk of being fired to go play golf.
Here are 4 basic reasons we procrastinate:
- The task is too hard – we tend to defer difficult tasks for easy ones. Yet, by doing this we’ll always find an easier task to accomplish and the big stuff never gets done. This can be disastrous if the task that is too hard is something like paying taxes or getting regular medical checkups.
- The task takes too long – often long projects tend to be harder to fit in. You just never find the necessary block of time to complete the task. But, most often these projects don’t actually take as long as we initially project.
- I don’t know what I’m doing – if you lack the skills or knowledge to complete a task, that task only becomes that much harder. Fear of looking like a fool can easily keep you from getting started.
- Plain ol’ fear – Fear of making a mistake, fear of looking stupid, fear of embarrassing ourselves … are all tremendous contributors to procrastination.
There are many other much more serious psychological causes of procrastination but for this article, I’m going to assume our problems are only minor. After all, I’m not a doctor and I don’t even play one on TV … I’ve been procrastinating going to med school!
Excuses According to Julie …
Procrastination is really just a series of excuses we tell ourselves.
Here are a few excuses that could be keeping you (or me) from accomplishing what you’ve set out to do:
- Waiting for an epiphany – I’ll do it tomorrow when I’m feeling fresh … If I sleep on it, the idea will come or the best way to tackle the problem with show itself …
- Putting fun first – I’ll do it after I run an errand … have a swim in the pool … buy that fabulous blouse I’ve had my eye on … all work and no play makes Julie a dull girl …
- In desperate need of a little relaxation – I’ll do it after I take a shower … take a walk … read a little of Harry Potter … or just plain clear my head …
- They’ll probably just cancel the project – if I just wait long enough, they’ll decide they don’t need the task done after all …
- Escaping the pressure – I’ll do it after I veg on the sofa … meditate … or sit in front of the boob tube!
The Need to Rationalize …
Overcoming procrastination is hard and the excuses are easy to rationalize. Rationalizing these excuses only makes them that much harder to overcome. But, you’ll need to overcome them in order to achieve success.
Here are several excuses you might be making for procrastinating:
- I work best under pressure … the solution will come after I’m so stressed out that I’m starting to hyperventilate (my personal favorite) …
- I don’t know what I’m doing … If I do a little more research before I get started, I’ll avoid making a complete ass of myself …
- I’d rather have toothpicks jammed under my fingernails than do this assignment …
- I’m not in the mood for this … perhaps a gallon of Haagen Daz will do the trick …
- I’ve spent so much time on this project I can’t bear to think about it one more minute … I wish it would just go away …
- Last time I waited to the last minute it worked out just fine … the world didn’t come to an end and I actually did a damn good job!
The fact of the matter is none of these excuses are going to get the job done any faster. It’s best to beat them now before they become your mantra.
Overcoming Procrastination …
The problem with procrastination is the more (and longer) you do it, the harder it becomes to break … you just strengthen the negative feelings you have toward the specific tasks you’re putting off.
You further solidify the habit of putting off today what you can do tomorrow … you avoid obtaining the skills or knowledge you need … and you allow yourself to be overcome with the fear and guilt that keep you locked into the same vicious cycle.
Here are 4 steps for overcoming procrastination:
- Recognize and realize you are delaying that which you need to accomplish. Own up to the fact that you are procrastinating. Write down the steps you need to take to get started.
- Uncover the real reason for the desire to delay. Write them down.
- State your case and dispute the excuses you’re making for delay. Take yourself to task and realize that the majority of excuses are not rational and will never come to fruition.
- Set a time to get started and stick to it. Hold yourself accountable and give yourself a reward for completing the task when you said you would. Enlist the help of a nag … someone that can keep you on track.
A Vow to Stop Procrastinating …
I tend to think that sometimes procrastination can be a good thing … perhaps that’s a sign of a truly functioning procrastinator. I’m sure you’ve experienced this situation … you’ve waited so long to make a decision that only Xanax will quell the massive anxiety that’s setting in and then in a flash of brilliance the answer (or idea) comes … making you wonder why it took so long. Perhaps it just took your subconscious a little longer to sort it out.
But, in all honesty that’s just another excuse! Make the decision right now to stop this nasty habit dead in its tracks!
Hope that helped …
Until next week,
Julie McManus
Editor, In the ‘Net Trenches
THE TOTAL PACKAGE
And Web Media Goddess
P.S. Are you in the ‘net trenches? Do you need help? Send
me an e-mail to AskJulie@MakepeaceTotalPackage.com and
I just might answer your question in an upcoming issue.
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Comment by Julie Mcmanus — July 27, 2007 @ 1:02 pm
Admitting that I\’m a procrastinator would be the first step to recovery … I couldn\’t possibley do that!
Happy Weekend! :zzz
Comment by Craig Spaid — July 27, 2007 @ 2:19 pm
I read this article twice because I didn\’t want to do the laundry. I would like to see the next article on how that [B]\”hold yourself accountable\”[/B] thing works. In my case, the inmates are running the asylum.
Comment by Bob Clarke — July 27, 2007 @ 4:02 pm
Good advise Julie but as they say in the commercial, \”if life were like that, you wouldn\’t need Visa\”.
I tell my clients to procrastinate the right way and enjoy it. If you know you are going to put it off until the last hour then do that, and have fun from now until the last hour.
Wait until the last hour to panic and get anxious, why ruin a good procrastination being panicky and anxious all the way through it.
But seriously, I\’ll send you a separate email with a real fix.
Comment by C.M. — July 28, 2007 @ 6:40 am
I was going to review this copywriting software for everyone in a copywriting forum….but I keep putting it off. I don\\\’t want to reveal the results. I guess it\\\’s procrastinating. But I just don\\\’t want to talk about it.