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!
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!
;>)
Good ones, Mitch…and all of them are true! In my case, anyway.
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.
Wise man.
I need to borrow your muse!
I was going to reply… but I thought I’d leave it for a while.
Rim shot.
Ditto!!
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.
Thanks, Michael!
The definition of “tomorrow” is spot on.
Love the gifs. well chosen! thanks
Very clever. At least I think it was
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. ⏱️
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. 🥴
🤣
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!
“procast-not- ing” 🙃 love it… Tried all of that, nothing works maybe it’s fear
Yes, sadly, fear does play a rather large role in our lives, Wilma.
Procrastination is indeed the thief of time. Do it now!
Yep!
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