The Eternal Battle Against Procrastination

I promised you an article which sports interesting today, and that usually means writing something about a general topic, as opposed to the occasional personal post here and there about myself. While this post centers around myself, it’s only because I will try to use it as a starting point and an example of irratic behaviour that is not reccomended for anyone leading a goal-oriented life where productivity is a virtue.

You’ve probably already realized that I am indeed talking about the highly underestimated but oh-so-consuming character trait that is procrastionation. What you might not know however is that I am a grade A procrastionator of the worst sort, and that I have been struggling with it for years. I was going about my usual business the other day, surfing the web randomly when I really should have been doing something far more important, when I came across a couple of articles that reminded me of this sad, but painfully true fact.

The first article was Defeating Procrastination: Analysis Paralysis by Chris Garret on his own blog. The article starts with:

Analysis Paralysis is where you can’t make any forward progress because you bog yourself down in details, tweaking, brainstorming, research and … anything but just getting on with it. Sound familiar?

Actually Chris, it doesn’t sound familiar, but rather it sounds like you just described my life. So now we know that Analysis Paralysis is another, more fancy way of saying procrastionation. Great, now read Chris’ article, it is most reccomended. The next article I found immediately after, was the more direct solution posted on SEOBlackHat entitled Do it Fucking Now. An excerpt from that article:

When it comes to building your business, there are 4 words that should be echoing in your mind throughout the day; they are “Do it Fucking Now.”

We’re not talking about checking your stats or chatting with your buddies on Instant Messenger. We’re not talking about checking your RSS reader incessantly throughout the day. And we’re not talking about surfing MySpace, Digg, Fark, Television or some other time waister.

Except for the fact that they mispelled waster, they couldn’t be more correct in their description of what the main problem is, and what the best solution is. Unfortunately, the DiFN-approach is exceptionally harder than it sounds, especially when procrastionation has become such an integral part of your everyday-life that you can’t remember a different lifestyle. Because that’s what it is, a lifestyle.

I procrastinate in absolutely every single thing I do. Schoolwork has always been put on the backburner until the night before due, for as long as I can remember. Last fall when I was in a position when I needed a job, I put it off for as long as absolutely possible. Everything that I should be doing, and that there is a slight chance that I’ll put off for later, I put it off for later. Infact, I’m so bad that some of the most important things I’ve done in my life has come as a result of me spending my time at it strictly to avoid doing something else, like for instance my ventures into the world of websites and internet entreprenuering.

Chris Garret points to the fact that it might have been beneficial in the past can be one of the key reasons to this type of behaviour, as well as establishing a behaviour-pattern over a longer period of time. This can most definately be the case for myself. I mentioned one occurance where it had a positive outcome, and the same can also be applied to schoolwork. While I’ve always been the stereotypical pupil that does his homework in the recess before the class it’s supposed to be delievered, I’ve also always enjoyed reasonably good grades. Nothing out of the ordinary, but overall good enough to be considered “smart” by classmates and teachers. Imagine what could become of me if I gave it my best?

Another possible reason for this type of behaviour can actually be perfectionism and the fear of failure. The typical procrastinator is often of the opinion that it is better to not give it your best, as you have something to blame if it doesn’t turn out to be as good as expected, and that if you can’t do it perfectly it’s not worth doing it at all. I can recognize myself in both of these situation, the first being promoted by pressure put on me by others without ever really intending to do so. It could happen by saying something as simple as “wow you’re good”. It all really depends on the receiver and how he or she reacts to compliments.

I digress though. The point of this is to make an example of myself and the position I’ve put myself in. This is not a place you want to be, because honestly, it is sucky. Everytime I have something to do, it’s always an uphill battle to get it done when I should be doing it. What is great however, is the feeling you get when you overcome the desire to postpone something. It’s a feeling of accomplishment and victory, and one that you should build on in order to be better prepared the next time you find yourself in the same situation.

Sometimes when my procrastination is at a peak, I remind myself of a saying I stumbled upon somewhere, sometime (if anyone knows the origins of the quote, be sure to let me know):

Procrastination is just like masturbation, it feels good at first, but in the end you’re only screwing yourself.

With that and the words of SEOBlackHat, “Do it Fucking Now!” ringing in the back of your mind, you should be able to overcome the temptations of procrastination the next time it tries to trick you into bed!