Now that’s an oxymoron, isn’t it? Procrastination indicates lack of action—putting off tasks, postponing duties that you know need to be done. To procrastinate is to ignore and neglect things you are planning to do, right? You say, for example, “I’m going to get my shopping done before the holiday rush,” or “I will write a page a day until my book is finished.” If you find yourself making excuses for not going to the mall or you fill your time with things other than writing, that could be procrastination in action.
Do you tend to procrastinate? Do you ignore deadlines? Or maybe you are keenly aware of your deadline, but you keep finding other things to do. Most of the time when we procrastinate, we also suffer with some level of guilt. We know that a project needs to be completed, and we really want to do it, but we can’t bring ourselves to turn away from our self-proclaimed freedom in order to buckle down and commit to a long-term (or even short-term) task we’ve accepted responsibility for.
I don’t consider myself a procrastinator. I am fairly well organized and I generally get things done. I’m one of those who handles most things as they come across my desk. If it is something that will take more than an hour of my time, however, I tend to put it off until I have a clear slate, a larger pocket of time, less chance of interruption and so forth. Can you see the procrastination in my logic? Or is it logic in my procrastination?
I’ve been procrastinating this month, but I feel I have some perfectly good excuses. Hmmm, I guess that’s what even the worst procrastinator will say… “I have a good excuse for not getting that done.” I wonder if a true, hardcore procrastinator ever finishes the project—or maybe he doesn’t even start it. I like to think there are levels of procrastination. But then that’s the way my mind works. Everything can be measured. There are different levels of good, bad, enjoyment, attentiveness, caring, knowledge, trust and so forth. So it follows, for me, that there are different levels of procrastination. Let’s explore that concept:
• There are those who procrastinate forever on a project—it never gets done.
• There are those who procrastinate a little bit on a daily basis—putting off various tasks throughout the day, but often finally completing most of them.
• Some people set aside a project until they have the appropriate mindset, knowledge and time allotment and then they dive in and quickly complete the job.
• Others procrastinate only on certain things. They get their housework and paying work done, but are slow at taking care of what they actually want to do—the writing they dream of doing, or the gardening they love doing.
I guess a psychologist could see the underlying causes in the way an individual procrastinates (or doesn’t). It might be an interesting study and one that has probably been done before.
Do you procrastinate? Which category do you fall in? I guess there is no real problem with procrastination except when it harms the procrastinator or someone else. For example, if you are so stressed by the time you decide to take care of business, you probably won’t do a very good job of completing it. And you may make yourself sick in the meantime. I think some of you can relate to this. You put something off, feeling guilty with every excuse you make. And when your deadline is looming, you dive in, rush, work impossible hours, possibly do a lousy job, complete the task and then come down sick with a cold. Ever have that happen to you? I believe I have.
Sometimes we wait so long to do the job that we can’t get it done and we end up letting someone down. That stings. Even our creative excuses can’t sooth our feelings of shame and disappointment. Shudder, shudder.
Today, I am taking on a project I’ve been putting off. Well, at least that is my plan. Every week for several, I have written into my schedule that I would outline the freelance writing class I’m teaching at the local college weekend after next. And every week, I get involved in other things—always with that class outline project in the back of my mind nagging me. Yesterday was finally the day I designated to work on the class outline. But that morning, my publisher contacted me with a request that took priority and most of the day to complete. I decided to procrastinate with regard to the class project just one more day. But today is the day I will stop procrastinating, at least on that project. Wish me luck.