I’m in my Procrastination Era (Tracy’s Version).
No, I have no idea why the color of procrastination is lavender.
March 18, 2024... (nope)
April 23, 2024... (nope)
May 11, 2024... (nope)
June 20, 2024...
I’ve been thinking a lot about procrastination lately. Well, when I haven’t been thinking about other things like “When is the next season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power going to be released?” and “Ooh, the new season of Bridgerton!” and “Is Rory going to win his fifth major this summer?” So, yeah, I’ve been busy. But I’ve also been thinking a lot about procrastination. And reading a lot about procrastination. And talking a lot about procrastination. Yep, that’s how it gets you. That paper needs to be finished and you keep intending to work on it but somehow…you don’t. The thought of that assignment is causing you so much stress and sleepless nights and acid reflux! You tell yourself to get it done and yet…you don’t. Lather, rinse, repeat. You continue to prepare to start working on it by tidying your desk, laying out the things you need, having the perfect beverage and snack at the ready, and you sit with your fingers poised over the keyboard! And then? You get that itchy feeling in your brain (or your backside depending upon how long you’ve been sitting there) and decide that you cannot possibly concentrate with that pile of dishes in the sink! So now you spend the next hour scouring your kitchen, and then you have that momentum going so you attack the bathroom, and then you notice ALL that dust that has accumulated on the bookshelves and realize that is probably a health hazard for your wheezy, geriatric pet and so on and so on and so on.
I’m going to finish this but I just remembered I really should change all of the smoke detector batteries and the furnace filter.
I’m still here . However, the example I wrote above is not an inaccurate reflection of my own struggles with procrastination. The truth is that it is often easier to help others with a problem when you can relate to it yourself. As a person who spent approximately 100 years in graduate school, I had a pretty antagonistic relationship with procrastination myself so lest you were anticipating I was going to boast about how I never put off anything (*cough!* dissertation), I’m not.
September 4, 2024...
It’s still 2024, right? So is it that I haven’t felt like writing or that I haven’t felt like writing about procrastination? In truth, I love to write but will often procrastinate if it feels like a “must do” instead of a “get to do” scenario. Reframing how you conceptualize a given activity/task/job/obligation can be very helpful in bypassing the slow pull of Netflix, and instead tapping into your feelings of industriousness. I used to tell my training clients that simply changing how they spoke about physical activity could help increase their motivation to do it. “I get to go for a run/walk/hike on this beautiful day” sounds more appealing than “I have to run/walk/hike,” does it not? That example may seem like pretty weak tea if we’re going to apply it to something like cleaning the cat box or emptying all of those suspicious looking food containers in the back of the frig that are holding (restraining?) contents that appear to edge closer to independent movement with each passing day. Did you really think that Swamp Thing started out in a swamp? No! In fact, it was originally the contents of someone’s lunch container that was left unattended for far too long and then tossed down the disposal without a second thought as to the new and terrifying life form being unleashed upon the swampy eco structure. A little less procrastination and many innocent swamp creatures may have been saved.
(Mid-refrigerator Check.)
So, how do you stop procrastinating? Honestly, I don’t have a magic potion for it. There may be a number of reasons why you’re procrastinating: you may be overwhelmed by the enormity of the task; you may fear failing; you may really want to do it but struggle to start; you may not know where to start even when you do feel motivated; and you may just want to avoid something because it’s going to suck regardless of whether you do it now or later. So, start by making a note of what you’re thinking and what you’re feeling when you choose to put off doing something. By keeping a record of what thoughts and feelings precipitate your avoidance of a task, you may begin to notice patterns that will help you understand what is underlying your procrastination. Talking to a therapist or a tutor or a coach (there are many trained coaches who specialize in working with the challenges of ADHD and who focus specifically on task initiation), trying different organizational strategies, setting a system of rewards for yourself, having a buddy to keep you accountable… these are all options to start working on your procrastination. Sometimes it helps to keep it simple. Nike’s ad campaign was incredibly effective for decades: “Just Do It” doesn’t leave room for you to negotiate with yourself. If you don’t negotiate brushing your teeth, you can do the same with other things. Especially discarding the creepy-looking life forms growing in the back of your frig. Good luck!
Thanks for reading!
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Dr. Tracy Brottem is a high skilled therapist who sees online clients throughout the state of Minnesota. Please don't hesitate to reach out to her with any curiosities.
(P.S. This testimonial was not written by Tracy, but by her colleague and blog manager Nate Page)
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