I first had the idea to write a blog post on procrastination in late 2014… it’s mid-2016!! I would like to say I was just waiting so I could have a great opening sentence but I’m not that clever.
I’m okay at a bunch of things, I’m pretty good at a few things but I’m GREAT at procrastinating! I have a long list of things I want to do. I can honestly tell you I’m excited about all of them! I want to write a book, launch a podcast, develop an online coaching program, run an ultramarathon and maybe move to Vancouver… but there’s also a Big Bang Theory on tonight and I’ve only seen it 3 times so maybe tomorrow.
The most classic procrastination is going to the gym. I always feel great after I work out, but ugh… it takes like 5 minutes to drive there and I can’t find my water bottle so maybe tomorrow.
No! this time it’s different! Tomorrow I’m gonna get up at 5am and hit the gym, then write a blog post, have a healthy breakfast and then go to work… or hit snooze 9 times and skip breakfast and be late for work.
Why? Why do I procrastinate? I know I’m not alone in this habit, a quick image search to find a picture for this post was overwhelming. There are so many cartoons have been made to honor procrastination, I can’t help but wonder what got put off so they could make the cartoons?
I don’t mind that I procrastinate, what I do mind is how hard I am on myself when I do it. I never seem to remember that beating myself up is a terrible motivator. Yet I do it all the time. I wonder if I could be a little more patient with myself if perhaps I would procrastinate a little less?
I’m going to try it out as an experiment, worst case I procrastinate more but at least I won’t feel so guilty about it. Maybe I’ll start a meetup group for procrastinators, tomorrow I’m definitely going to set that up.
jb