I was planning to write about creativity, but I was so lazy this past week that I decided to go with something more pressing. Just as the heading suggests, procrastination is today’s subject. As much as I enjoy writing for you, I am writing for myself this time. The series of blog posts on procrastination is more like a letter to myself (maybe guideline is a better word).
I will be writing down what procrastination means to me and how I can overcome it. I hope to give myself indicators to watch out for that will quickly let me know when I am procrastinating so that I can quickly get myself together and fight it.
I think I used the fact that I like to work under pressure as an excuse to procrastinate. Don’t get me wrong, it has helped me so much in the past. Working under pressure has allowed me to come up with some amazing solutions and solve problems that others have spent weeks or months working on. But the main reason why I get to that stage in the first place is my procrastination. And although it has been such a rewarding exercise, it has also been super draining and uncomfortable. As the saying goes, “nothing lasts forever”.
Lately, I’ve run out of luck and I am unable to come up with solutions under pressure. Working under pressure has become crippling. I am no longer able to think straight or come up with any solutions. I feel lost and eventually end up watching a series or anime and doing nothing. This means I get nothing done and all the work is there waiting for me. Since I am unable to work, I just end up leaving the work undone.
This past week reminded me of the time when I was writing my design report. I now realise that it was not a one-off thing and that if I continue to wait till the very end to do important tasks, then the chances of me being crippled and doing nothing are very high. I need to find a way to be productive every single day and make an effort to eliminate procrastination as much as possible. I want to be able to consistently and efficiently produce quality work without having to rely on a burst of energy to solve problems (which is extremely unhealthy and highly unsustainable).
Although many would suggest that procrastination and laziness go hand in hand, that is not always the case (I am not lazy). This article explains it a bit more in detail. You can also read the article on the 4 types of procrastinators, I believe it is a good read and it helped me understand myself a bit more. I am not going to go over any of those aspects of procrastination but I think it will be helpful.
I know that there might be numerous definitions of what procrastination is. However, the one definition that most resonates with me is that “procrastination is the opposite of decision.” The appropriate term is indecision, but the answer is not so simple. According to my mini research of myself, I have discovered that indecision never operates on its own. It always has two other compadres closely lurking behind it.
INDECISION is the seedling of FEAR! Remember this, as you read. Indecision crystalizes into DOUBT, the two blend and become FEAR!
Napoleon Hill — Think and Grow Rich
Therefore, these three critical enemies, INDECISION, DOUBT, and FEAR, are at the heart of all my seasons of procrastination. These enemies are super dangerous because they often hide in the subconscious. They slowly grow and become stronger unobserved, making them difficult to locate and even more difficult to eliminate.
Indecision is the biggest problem I have. When I get overwhelmed with work or think that a particular task is too big and difficult, I am unable to make quick decisions or even make decisions at all. This is where the crippling effect comes in. I become even more anxious and stressed without a clear path to follow. Indecision is the key that opens up the door for the other two enemies to creep in unnoticed. These three foes never work in isolation, making them formidable and worthy opponents.
Because of my indecision, I do not know what to do next, and because I do not know what to do next, the task that seemed like “mission impossible” turns into “mission freakin’ insanity”. I randomly start collecting unnecessary data, and soon I begin to see the complexity of the problem, the skills, and knowledge I am lacking, and then doubt creeps in. Unannounced and without barely making a sound, it begins to blow everything out of proportion. Whispering sweet nothingness in my ears and polluting my thoughts with the idea of inferiority. Reminding me of my level of education, lack of finances, and inadequate knowledge to accomplish the task.
Many things can cause us to feel overwhelmed. For some, it may be a fear of failure. Others may feel like they don’t have the time or energy to do what needs to be done. And still, others may feel like they’re not good enough or don’t deserve to succeed. Whatever the reason, the fear of feeling overwhelmed can hold us back from taking action and achieving our goals.
Timothy Presley — Procrastination.
It doesn’t take long before doubt turns to fear. Once again, without any indication whatsoever, fear takes over the wheel and ensures that I crash into a tree of hopelessness. I fear that I might fail or that I might not be able to do a good job. I fear disappointing myself or others around me, and this is not the most conducive mindset to channeling my inner genius.
The process of writing this post has really revealed to me the dangers of procrastination and, at the same time, the funny side of it. I will humor you for a second. I do not make a decision with or without a reason. Then paranoia edges me into a realm of doubt, which gives birth to fear. Once fear has stepped in, it makes me even more afraid to make decisions. That means doubt will be produced once again and fear will soon follow. The process just continues non-stop and before I know it, I’ve spent weeks without doing anything (this is just so funny to me). It is such a hard cycle to get out of. Trust me, I am speaking from experience.
If you have ever wondered what every one of us has in common (other than being human beings, of course), then the answer is procrastination. It is a common enemy that every single human has to face and overcome in order to achieve success.
