Mark Twain wrote, “If you have to swallow a frog, don’t look at it too long.” Welcome, fellow frog-starers; this is for you.
The agony
Procrastination results in stress and shoddy work. Why? Because if you leave it until Zero Hour you:
- won’t be able to put it aside to let your subconscious mull over it, to generate fresher ideas
- will rush your work, and make errors in content, layout or punctuation, etc.
The ecstasy
You’re not doomed to procrastinate forever; like any bad habit you can “unlearn” it.
Here are four proven procrastination prescriptions:
- Gimme five: Commit to doing the task for just five minutes – a tiny time period. When five minutes is up, decide if you want to continue. You probably will, but if not, at least you’ll have started.
- Break it down: Need four hours to write a report but only have 20 minutes until your next meeting? Do something towards it – brainstorm some notes, call a subject expert, or draft your contents page. Then your brain will be engaged so you’ll have better ideas when you continue it later.
- Daydream: Imagine the endgame – how will you feel if you do great work? What results will you get? What will your boss or client say? Now imagine the opposite of all that – what you’ll get if you procrastinate. That should motivate you!
- A, not B: Is this you? “I can get any amount of work done, as long as it’s not what I’m meant to be doing.” If you busy yourself with priority “B” things instead of important “A” tasks, wake yourself with a slap, see point 3 above, then point 1!
How do YOU procrastinate?
Tell us your favourite ways to avoid writing, and your reward will be an EXTRA anti-procrastination tip — and it’s a biggie. We’ll (anonymously) share the funniest avoidance strategies next month. Tell us now (don’t put it off!).
OR you can share your thoughts for the world below…
10 thoughts on “Procrastinator Terminator (don’t read this later)”
Hi Paul,
I wouldn’t be doing this exercise, if I wasn’t procrastinating. Right now I have an URGENT presentation to prepare – already sort of two (working) days overdue. “Sort of” because it’s my own deadline. After all, I own the business. This morning, having very firmly set myself the task of “getting on with it” to the exclusion of all other activities, I have: 1) given up smoking. This, of course, was much more important and therefore the IMMEDIATE making of “failure-proof” plans for Operation “THE FINAL FAG” was an entirely justifiable activity. As was carrying them out, since every moment I delay somehow multiplies into minutes being knocked off my total life. I’m sure that’s lung cancer I can feel right now – or is it just too much typing? Anyway, I’d better get down to the chemist’s for some Nicabate. 2) I have had at least 5 VERY IMPORTANT CALLS to make. None of them could be delayed. 3) All email had to be dealt with, including Magneto’s. How could I delay looking up the back issues to get to this survey? Obviously, VERY IMPORTANT. 3) The dog had escaped. Yes, I had to go up the street to find her (I could hear her barking, miles away). However, turned out she hadn’t escaped, just hidden under a blanket – the barking was another dog – amazing how similar they sound…. 4. Had to take some time out to worry about my daughter – she’s meant to be doing some work for a test she’ll be sitting at college later this week! She’s such a procrastinator!! She still hasn’t sat down to it – stomping about, tidying. I go and offer to help he get started. “No”, she says. She’s still stomping about…… God! Why won’t she just get on with it? Still, can’t put an old head on young shoulders…. 5. More information required … I now realise THAT’S why I can’t get on with it! I need more info … a nutritional values calculator would be such a help … the ones available aren’t very good. I’m just going to see if I can build my own in XL. It could become an Industry Standard!! I’ll offer it free. 6. Six?!! I haven’t got time for 6. Sheeesh! Look at the time – I’ve got to phone the schools. Damn! How did it get so late?
I eat chocolate…slowly…savouring the delectable smoothness…the rich taste…the energising sweetness…then I go write my Cadburys ad…
HI Paul,
If I’m avoiding doing something, I go onto realestate.com.au and check out the houses in the suburb I’m wanting to move to. I come away feeling excited and motivated knowing that if I want to get there I need to get on with the tasks at hand.
And if all else fails, I get a coffee.
Paul, I avoid writing by deploying “study avoidance tactics”. this term was used by us at uni at exam time. the tactic involved cleaning a semesters worth of filth and mess and playing sport (drinking beer) afterwards as a reward for a job well done. these days its a similar story, tidy desk, find a reason to have a meeting or do something else.
Hi Paul, I procrastinate by browsing the internet. Favourites like YouTube and Facebook 🙂
Hi Paul,
I fill my time with completely useless but fully justifiable little jobs that I’d never think of if i were not procrastinating, like plucking eyebrows, flossing teeth, and vaccuming the car (obviously I work from home!)
Paul, I know when I resort to vacuuming my shoe boxes (it’s amazing how much dust can collect in them) that I REALLY don’t want to do something. It’s equally amazing that when I finally do it (usually thanks to a deadline), that it is never as painful as what I thought it would be: in fact, the most pain is in the procrastination itself.
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Paul, I read all my emails, even the ones that I know are not worth my time reading. I search for emails from 6 months ago that are still in bold.
Hi Paul, I procrastinate by going to the work kitchen and making and drinking lots of coffee and tea. Not only does that take up time I SHOULD be doing something else but when I have to constantly go to the loo afterwards, that takes up lots of time too!