Procrastination

OMG...I have a vending gig that I need to get ready for (in 2 weeks) and I haven't created a new item in weeks! This means that I will be running myself ragged until then in order to be prepared. It's procrastination at it's best!

I've been doing much better in some areas when it comes to procrastination and worse in others. I have been able to get simple things done right away...send an email, make a phone call or write something in my planner. It's the larger things that I like to wait until the last minute to do...pay a bill, call for estimates or start a creative project. One would think because the later list is most important, that would be the thing that I would jump on first. Uh...not so much!

It goes back to that nasty little four letter word that I talked about yesterday...fear (and probably a bit of insecurity also). There is a nifty acronym that is going around for fear that looks like this:

False
Evidence
Appearing
Real

Now I love a good ole' acronym. I really do! However, I think I have heard this one too many times and it doesn't serve to be as effective as it once did. So what do fear and procrastination have to do with one another?

I have read that procrastination has a lot to do with the fear of the outcome. If true, this would make complete sense! This is why it is easy for me to do the menial tasks that don't take much effort. This is why even thinking of the harder tasks would cause angst and be harder to start.  

So, what is the remedy? Perhaps figuring out a way to break things down in small bite-size pieces. Maybe finding an accountability partner or finding ways to re-organize your schedule. 

What I have found works best for me (when I work it) is to figure out how much time and money I have wasted vegging. Yup...vegging! I could name several examples, but perhaps this is the best! A time where the TV is mostly watching you. Your eyes are focused on the images in action, but your brain isn't. While watching you are too busy thinking about the time that you are wasting watching the TV instead of enjoying the program. It's a nasty, vicious and ugly cycle. Guilt and lost time the end product. 

After assessing the lost time and feeling the guilt that comes along with losing that time is when it becomes much easier to focus on the other remedies mentioned. I suppose it is all about finding ways to incorporate tactics and staying committed to using those tactics on a daily basis. If the tactics that are being used are showing themselves to be ineffective at that particular moment, then perhaps it is time to rotate the tactic. Try something new and go back to the old tactic when the new starts not to work any longer. 

This is the strategy I'll work on. Of course, I'll keep you posted as to how it goes and how many awesome things that are accomplished sans procrastination 😉!

Corner of Gratitude:

Revelations (I know...it's the same as epiphanies, but this may be on the gratitude list for a while. It's a good one)!

Pearls of Wisdom:
"Usually we are illuminating things instead of looking at the light itself. But I like this quality of the light being the revelation."

~ James Turrell

Your Thoughts:
Are you a procrastinator?

Until next time...