Thought for the Week
“Anticipation Procrastination
Anticipation Procrastinay-yay-shun is making me late
Is keeping me [and everyone else] way-yay-yay-yay-yay-aiting…” *
According to an article in Psychology Today, the number one reason for procrastination is another “ation,” catastrophization, the tendency to overexaggerate how difficult, boring, or unpleasant a task will be, and consequently to put off the “unbearable” event. The second reason is that people tend to waste time loathing themselves for something that’s a universal human trait. So forgive yourself for being human and start procrasti-not-ing with these four steps:
- Picture it Done: Focus on being on the other side of the task and on how good it will feel being there.
- Get Real: Schedule a realistic (even slightly overlong) amount of time to accomplish the task.
- Commit: Tell someone who cares, or if possible who has a vested interest in your completing the task. It’s easy to let ourselves down, it’s harder to let others down. Guilt works!
- Take Stock: At the end of the day, ask yourself (or God) not just, “What could I have done better?” but “What did I follow through on? What did I get right?”
Happy Procrastinoting!
Mitch Teemley 
You’re the second person today to gang up on me about this. (Yes, it’s a bloated Jabba-the-Hut-like manuscript.) Okay, I’ll tackle a corner of it!
LikeLiked by 2 people
;>)
LikeLike
Good ones, Mitch…and all of them are true! In my case, anyway.
LikeLiked by 2 people
As I have gotten more “life experience” (older) I now like to get after what needs to be done as soon as the need arises. Bottom line, Mitch…I get it accomplished without having to put it on a list…where it becomes much easier to wait on and can also make it out to be a bigger task than it really is.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Wise man.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I need to borrow your muse!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I was going to reply… but I thought I’d leave it for a while.
LikeLiked by 5 people
Rim shot.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ditto!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Excellent post! I especially liked the way that you incorporated accountability and prayer into the process. As you know (thank you for liking the post), I also included prayer among my antidotes to procrastination in this recent post: https://callforfireseminar.wordpress.com/2023/02/07/prayer-and-procrastination/. I agree with Bruce, too, that just “get after what needs to be done as soon as the need arises” may be the answer when immediate action is possible.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Michael!
LikeLike
The definition of “tomorrow” is spot on.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Love the gifs. well chosen! thanks
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very clever. At least I think it was
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good ones, Mitch. Just like other humans, I have my foibles and shortcomings. Many, in fact. Being late is not one of them. I deeply dislike having to wait for someone so I will never make someone wait for me. It’s not that difficult to be on time. ⏱️
LikeLiked by 1 person
I joined a Procrastinators’ Support Group last year. We will start meeting very soon. Really, we will. Honest, we’re trying to plan the first meeting this week; or maybe next. 🥴
LikeLiked by 2 people
🤣
LikeLiked by 2 people
I just told someone yesterday that I didn’t like to procrastinate–and then I put off something from yesterday afternoon till this morning. I suppose not a big deal since it wasn’t urgent, but… I still don’t like to procrastinate!
LikeLiked by 1 person
“procast-not- ing” 🙃 love it… Tried all of that, nothing works maybe it’s fear
LikeLike