Okay, Listen Here

Okay, Listen Here

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Procrastination

Surfing the Web is one way that I am constantly avoiding what I really need to be doing. I didn’t used to be a procrastinator but lately it just seems easier to delay cleaning out the fish pond by reading about the latest on TMZ. While surfing one day I found another article by Dr. Robert Leahy about,you guessed it, PROCRASTINATION. I am guilty of it in all phases of my life, including my writing.

Dr. Leahy said that there are certain ways of dealing with procrastination to make you less likely to do it. First, you must focus on a specific task. Thinking about all the things you have to be doing allows you to put them all off. Choose a specific task then set a specific time to accomplish it. Don’t say, “I’ll get to it tomorrow or next week.” Pick an exact time to do it and make an appointment with the task. Then he said that you must list the advantages and disadvantages of doing the task. The disadvantages include not wanting to do it, having something else to do that is more fun, or simply not having the time to do it. The advantages would be that you accomplished something or that, by doing the task, you will benefit in the long run, i.e. exercise (the results are not immediate but eventually you will be in better shape and feel better). Once you weigh the advantages versus the disadvantages you will probably come to the conclusion that you are simply avoiding it and not realizing the benefits of accomplishing your goals.

Practicing “constructive discomfort” is also something you must do to overcome procrastination. Dr. Leahy said that most procrastinators over-estimate the discomfort of doing a task. He said to look at the task and rate it from 0-10 in discomfort level – one being tight shoes and 10 being “water-boarding.” The procrastinator will usually over-estimate the discomfort level. Write down the level and then proceed to do the task. He said that most will realize that the task was not that bad. You have been dreading something that didn’t carry the discomfort you thought it would. That is called practicing “constructive discomfort.” This is empowering yourself to see passed the discomfort to acknowledge the feeling of accomplishment you receive for completing the task.

The one thing that I saw in his article was what we writers already know: we must practice successful imperfection. We must make progress and not perfection. Doing something positive every day moves you toward the goal that you are seeking. If you write a little every day eventually that book will be written. Dr. Leahy said that procrastinators are closet perfectionists who want to make everything perfect yet know that they cannot be perfect. The procrastinator will then say so why bother? No one is perfect and no performance of any task can be perfect. But if we strive every day to accomplish a small goal, we are practicing successful imperfection.

Finally, the part I really liked: REWARD yourself. If you accomplish a goal or complete a task, you get a reward for doing it. Do something that you want to do and give yourself a pat on the back for completing what you set out to do. So everyday, if you write your goal, give yourself a reward like reading the latest Blaze or maybe taking a hot soak in the tub. Little rewards give you something to look forward to.

I hope this helps those of you that put off those really bad jobs. Dr. Leahy’s approach gives you a pattern to follow in overcoming procrastination. I know I am guilty of always finding something else to do when the job is boring or hard. Now I can make my little list and see that I have been dreading doing the task for nothing.

Do you procrastinate? About what? How do you avoid the evil of putting things off?

6 comments:

  1. The pantry. Ugh. I hate that cabinet. I've always had a walk-in pantry or at least a closet style pantry before and this current one that's cabinet style just makes me want to clean windows or pull weeds before tackling it. It's mahogany colored inside with shelves the same color that are 3 feet forever deep ending in another universe. No matter what I do, organizing it really only matters on a face level because let's face it, no one will ever know what's behind that front row unless they climb in there.

    I fantasize about opening the pantry and it gleaming Mr. Clean style back at me with it's interior white and glistening and shiny, light coming from above and below and behind, bouncing off its clear glass shelves. And someday I WILL tackle painting it, wiring in lighting (well, honey can do that part) and installing glass shelves. But you know me...once I paint the inside of that cabinet I'll want to paint the outside. And once I paint the outside, I'll want to paint the rest of the cabinetry. And once I paint the cabinetry, I'll want to paint the walls and install new light fixtures and maybe take Laura Numeroff and the mouse to the movies.

    Speaking of the movies...that room is a whole 'nother procrastination....

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    1. My pantry is also a disaster. I have a walk-in one but it needs to be organized. I just don't want to face it. Uh, oh, on the discomfort level it would be right there with water-boarding.

      I know about starting one task then it evolving into another. I guess that's what makes a lot of them overwhelming. I have to try to start remembering to set one task and then not think of the others. At least I will get that one done.

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  2. Last weekend I dusted rather than write. Sick, huh? And that evolved into vacuuming. Then I swept the pollen off my patio and after that I just HAD to wipe down the table and chairs with a damp cloth. I'm surprised I didn't ask the neighbors if I could sweep their patios too. ;-)

    Marilyn

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    1. I know Marilyn. When I start cleaning I keep seeing the next thing that needs it - an endless cycle. I don't know when to stop once I start.

      On a brighter note, sounds like you are recovering from the accident. I am glad to hear it. Maybe you could come sweep my porch. LOL Seriously, glad to see that you are getting up and around better!

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  3. Oh, pinterest.com has become my newest form of procrastination. E-gads! I do love it!

    I also need to organize my closet. It's driving me nuts but I'm hemming and hawing about doing that too. Purple Hearts called so I guess that needs to rise to the top of my list. ;)

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    1. Oh I like pininterest! Thanks to Rhonda, now I have new ways to procrastinate. LOL I really need to clean out my closets too. Since I have lost weight (a little) I have had to buy new stuff (such a shame...) and all the old stuff needs to go to make room. I set myself that task for tomorrow.

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