Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been up close & personal with my own procrastination demons.  Here are my learnings:

• Give me all the stories/theories you want as to why it happens the outcome is the same – action that should be happening is not!
• The stress & the mental beatings that go along with it don’t make things any easier. And as for the judgement – don’t you start; I’m doing more than enough of that without your help.
• I read somewhere that procrastination is selfish – there’s a judgement that doesn’t help me! I hear the point though – keeping my gifts to myself is selfish. And therein lies a problem. What if I don’t think they are gifts? Oh, how little we appreciate our own gifts!
• Procrastination and anxiety go hand in hand, so it naturally follows that if the anxiety can be managed then procrastination won’t happen. This I can see and do something about it. Breathe. Meditate. Jump in. Just start, somewhere. The journey of a thousand miles, all of that stuff. Getting out of your comfort zone is … uncomfortable. Each small step requires acknowledgement & encouragement and this hopefully will reduce both the anxiety and the procrastination.
• Procrastination is perfection gone to extremes. Guilty as charged. Again, I’ll take small steps and acknowledge what a big step it really is (for me, not anyone else). Encouragement reinforces the change. Be on the lookout for it, it will come in the most random ways at the most random times.
• Procrastination is avoidance – oh, yes! This time around I know this is mine. Not only is avoidance, it’s resistance to that next big scary step. All my (perfectly valid) fears may, or may not, happen (and of course, they won’t happen). I will do it anyway; one small scary step at a time until, eventually I take that big leap.
• The delaying tactics are amazing! Including being late! This week I’m totally up to date in nearly everything I’m doing. My house is clean and tidy, my finances are sorted, I’m cooking some amazing meals, my clients are getting over and above service and I’m making up for all the walks the dog missed out on last week when I wasn’t well.
• It’s taken me forever to get here, or so it seems. Compared to how I’ve done it in the past, I’m starting before the point of panic and I’m actually progressing nicely. None of the big fears have happened. I’ve not failed or been rejected, or been laughed at (that I know about anyway). If anything I’m seeing and hearing acknowledgement and encouragement.

Procrastination may be a default setting right now. Rest assured the reprogramming is in progress and I’m starting by being gentle on myself and encouraging of my efforts. I know I’m on the right track because surprise compliments and opportunities are coming up as a bonus. It shouldn’t be too much longer before the pain of procrastination is worse than the pain of taking the action.

Contact me if it’s your time to get past your procrastination tactics.