Confessions of a Former Procrastinator
As I write this blog post, I am under the pressure of a deadline. The draft is due today and I’ve only just begun writing it. My name is Mike, and I am a procrastinator. I’m not normally one for labels, and if I’m honest I can make the argument that I’ve mostly outgrown my procrastinating ways. But the fact remains, here I am, writing on deadline day. In this month’s post, I’ll share my personal journey of (mostly!) overcoming procrastination.
Why do we procrastinate?
Let’s start with why. Why do we procrastinate? For me, it comes down to a single reason: I think too much. I still remember receiving that piece of feedback for the first time and being offended by it. Then it sunk in over the ensuing months. It’s true. I think too much. Often, it’s a good thing, because I anticipate all the angles, all the steps I’ll need to take, all the obstacles I’m likely to encounter. I’m good at thinking things through. And that right there is the problem. It is daunting to imagine the entirety of what needs to be done, then very quickly the feelings of "I don’t have the time or energy right now" wash over me. It’s not until a deadline is looming that I can overcome those feelings.
There are other reasons, but they usually boil down to overthinking (e.g., I can think for days about how I don’t want to do the thing, I never asked to do the thing, why do I have to do the thing? And then, of course, I could have done the thing 10 times over by then). But I digress (overthinking again instead of writing!).
Managing my overthinking is a lifelong development area and I’ve made tremendous strides. When it comes specifically to procrastination, here’s what has worked for me.
Start small
What is the absolute smallest thing you can do in the direction of your daunting task? Whatever you just thought of, think even smaller. Reduce the phrase “start small” to just “start.”
The idea is to come up with the smallest and most immediate starting point and make that your task. This is often something like: open the laptop and create a word file with the right title, saved in the right place. DONE! Other times it’s to sketch out a quick brainstorm of steps I’ll need to take. The important part is to reassure yourself, you don’t have to do anything more. Be satisfied with just that start.
A couple of potential things happen after that. One is that you don’t stop after that small task. You’ve created a little momentum, and you keep going. Another is that your starting point becomes something to build on. It may become obvious what the next thing to do is, and you may find time the next day, or the next hour, to do the next thing. Just start. JUST START!!
Create a simple, organized, note taking system
OK, this by itself is another daunting task to procrastinate. But without it, it’s hard to ever make progress on being more productive (i.e., less procrastination). So, start small, then develop this over time. I use a combination of apps – Notability for handwritten notes on my iPad, and Evernote for organizing all my “stuff.”
I stretched the truth when I said I procrastinated this blog post until the last minute. Over a week ago, I jotted down a note that said, “Confessions of a Procrastinator.” When the idea hit me, I captured it, which allowed me to let it go almost immediately. I have a morning routine to review notes, and every time I saw that note, I added a thought to it. Now, on the day I can no longer wait, I’ve actually done a lot, and all I have to do is finish.
These strategies are deceptively simple. In practice, we’re still talking about building new habits and you still must overcome that initial hurdle of starting. So, how do you overcome procrastination? Start small. Just start.
Mike Caracalas
Professional Executive Coach
michael.caracalas@utsouthwestern.edu
About the Author
Before becoming a professional coach with his own Leadership Coaching firm, Mike Caracalas worked for Sun Microsystems and YUM! Brands in training, HR, and leadership development. He holds a B.A. in psychology, M.A. in organizational psychology, CPCC (Certified Professional Co-Active Coach), and PCC (Professional Certified Coach).