Procrastination is a state of mind that’s a bit like the twilight zone.  It’s a behaviour we all know, to some extent.  I found this clip today and, sad to say, it is something I TOTALLY understand!  Ah, stuff!  And getting it done!  If you’re a procrastinator, you probably looked at the clip and thought - “That’s really funny”.  But why is it funny?  Let me tell you - it’s funny because you understand it, because you’ve been there, and because - if you’re watching the clip - then you are watching the animation instead of “getting stuff done”!

 

We all drag any number of things and actions (always useful and essential things and action, I want to stress) into our day, in place of getting done the things we had actually set out to do in the first place.  We have the clean desk, the anti-bac wiped phone and keyboard, the re-sharpened pencils in their holder, the felt tips all tested and the old ones binned … need I go on?  You probably have your own favourite.

 

For me, as a parent, I can always find a “family” reason why I didn’t get my blog post written.  I had to collect my daughter from the station, I had to drop my son to guitar class, I had to shop for the dinner etc.  These are all blessed with the special category of “family”, therefore I cannot be blamed for doing them before writing my blog.

 

What’s really going on here?  Yep, I’m trying to justify NOT doing something I’ve already committed to doing.  Beyond that, what’s the story?  Well - is the thing I’m avoiding necessary?  To whom?  In what way?  To whose benefit?  One possibility is that it’s not something I really want to do at all.  If that’s the case, why am I doing/avoiding it?  Does it comply with my role in some way? (e.g. is it so I’ll be seen as a good/better businesswoman/coach/worker or - dare I say it - person)?  Maybe it’s not something I need to be doing at all.

 

Or is it something I want to do, in order to have it done, but don’t enjoy the doing of it?  What can I do?  Maybe I can delegate?  Maybe I can do turn-and-turn-about with a colleague/neighbour?  Maybe I can offer to exchange my skill in some other area, with someone who has skills in my area of procrastination?

 

Finally, it may be something I want to do, I need to do it and, in the circumstances, I’m the only one who can do it.  At this point, the easiest path is acceptance.  “Ok, I have to do this.  I don’t enjoy it, but I will enjoy the benefits of having it done.  So - as Brian Tracy might say - “Eat that Frog!”  Just bite the bullet and do it.  Pick the nastiest, most put-off job and start with that.  You will feel such a sense of satisfaction and - yes - self-righteous pride when you have it done, that it will make you look forward to the next challenge with more enthusiasm and less procrastination than you have before.

 

Now I have a frog called “ironing” that I have to go and eat!