So I thought I would talk about Procrastination on Tuesday, but I got busy and then Wednesday, stuff came up, like it always does and by Thursday, I was too anxious to settle down so here it is Saturday. What happened to Friday?

Call them tools, coping skills, tricks or fooling yourself. How do we accomplish stuff we have been putting off so long? Two ways that work for me, though usually not at the same time:

Start with the pile directly left or right of your computer. Do it! Okay, so you just put your coffee mug into the dishwasher? Mission accomplished! Sort through the pens, paper clips and rubber bands that never seem to roost in the right place. Dump them! Two jobs done! And you’re picking up speed!

The dry cleaning receipts, that need to be sorted because you think they lost those great shirts you bought in Venice? Tape them to your front door – in fact anything that needs to go outside should be lined up at the door. But you don’t do those now. You WILL grab one or all when you leave the house the next time.

Ah oh! The books for the paper that’s due on Sunday are way far to the right and you’ll never make it to them on time? Move it in closer, but NOT next. We need to finish more brainless stuff before we tackle the bigger stuff……but we’ve already done so much. Your brain doesn’t really know if a task is long or short. Treat all tasks like short ones.

The other game, coping skill or trick I use is to do the smallest and easiest stuff first. Yes, I know your kitchen was never cleaner when you had homework to do and kept putting off. I’m talking about desk stuff – not cleaning the closets, scrubbing the shower or calling your Aunt who has been missing you. Desk stuff!

Usually what I thought would take days took only hours.

Dealing with the blame and guilt that comes from putting things off? We’ll talk about that later.

Image Courtesy of Google Images

Shawn Nichols

We tell ourselves it will get done eventually, some time, maybe later, when? I’ve taken many courses in dealing with stress and procrastination. The course that was missing? The one course I REALLY needed?

How to try or do something, possibly screw it up, forgive myself and move on!

I discovered, that I didn’t always screw up, sometimes the effort was better than if I agonized about it, wanted it perfect, waited for the prefect moment, etc. I’ve done more work, accomplished and created more in that half hour before I had to leave the house for some unrelated appointment.

Yeah! That’s right. I had to just GET IT DONE! But wait, until you need to leave the house, the office or the studio. In those last few minutes, you may even finish a task you thought so large it would never get done.

Another thing. A list works well for some people but for some of us, we begin to AVOID the list or the desk.

I’m meeting some friends for dinner now, but I just wrote the outline for a new presentation. It was something I had put off for too long. Now, it’s done.

Shawn M. Nichols

Later, I'll do it later.