I’ve been thinking of writing an article on procrastination, but I kept putting it off…
Procrastinating = delaying something that must be done, especially if it is unpleasant, in favor of things that are more important or pleasant (Oxford dictionary).
Or, in my case, re-scheduling for a time when everything can be resolved quickly, correctly and inspirationally: Tomorrow!
Some label procrastination as the modern man’s issue, because the occurrence of this behavior rose sharply over the last decades.
I, on the other side, believe that the number of procrastinators only rose in theory. And that’s because people started taking psychology seriously, and got to know and accept themselves better!
Also, I do not see procrastinators as slobs with low productivity and questionable results, but as action pursuers, bold and imaginative darers who always have a new project up their sleeve. They are energetic and really know how to prioritize. They regard their projects and deadlines in a complex, pyramid-like manner, where deadlines are set both from a realistically as well as emotional point of view.
And they get so many things done. Why? Because a packed agenda does not intimidate or stop them.
The Journal Of Management states that performance is high as deadlines get closer. All because the anxiety we face near an imminent deadline produces the secretion of cortisol and dopamine, that encourage innovation.
However, I do urge you to avoid instances when procrastinating tendencies flourish and you risk missing some opportunities. Here are just a few simple tricks that work for me:
- Every Monday, I make a To-Do list with objectives and deadlines for myself and try to stick with them;
- When I get an idea, I write it down and avoid starting it if I have not finished what I was previously working on;
- I start the day with whatever I perceive to be the most boring/plain/repetitive/gruesome task, just to get it off my mind;
- I picture myself as a do-er and, therefore, am more inclined to act like one;
- I treat myself kindly, I know creative people or not necessarily famous for their predictable working pattern;
And I never stop trying to be better than I was yesterday.
