“Hi! My name is Carolyn and I’m a recovering procrastinator.”
“Hi Mom. Whatcha doing?”
“I’m organizing my linen closet.”
A pregnant pause from the son on the phone. “What are you supposed to be doing?”
Drat. Nailed again.
Procrastination.
Surely it is a good thing to organize one’s linen closet, or reline the cabinets with shelf paper. But not if THE project is waiting to be done.
Busy business women who are juggling work and home, have this common problem –procrastination.
How, I wonder, do I befriend this shadow side of my personality? This voice that calls me away from what I should be doing. Can I embrace my inclination to procrastinate and still move forward with plans to minimize its negative effects on my life?
When you are beginning THE important project, what are the traps that lure you into the “let’s do something else” detour? It might be a good “something else.” But something else it is. Not what is necessary right now to tackle THE project.
Here are 3 traps that catch me:
1. Phone calls.
As I began this article, I answered a phone call which sent me looking for my last PG&E bill. Shortly, I found myself leisurely leafing through our household expense file.
Wiser behavior would be for me to make a note of the request — and return to the writing of this blog. Which indeed I did . . . Eventually . . . Two days later.
And BTW, speaking of phone calls . . . Why do you think Alexander Graham Bell invented the answering machine? There is no rule that you have to answer the telephone. They will leave a message or they’ll call back.
Lesson: Once I have begun an assigned task, expect interruptions and do NOT fall prey to their lure. Keep moving forward. Or find a place in the house that minimizes these interruptions.
2. Other tasks.
I have a tendency to want to take care of unimportant little things before I begin THE important big thing. “Clear the decks,” I tell myself. So I load the dishwasher, start the laundry, shine the sink, and water the plants. Perhaps a nap.
Ooops! I’ve run out of time. Oh well. I’ll do THE project later . . . or tomorrow.
Lesson: Do the first thing first. Join the DIN DIN Club = “Do it now. Do it now. Do it now.”
3. Waiting for perfect.
Another of my traps is thinking I need the right amount of time and the right physical space and the right mind set and the right equipment before I start THE project.“Where IS my favorite pen?”
Lesson: For Pete’s sake, Carolyn, just start. Set a timer. Work for 45 minutes. It’s quite amazing what you can do in 45 minutes if you hustle. Get going. Isn’t that the hardest part anyway? Starting? So start!
And you? What are some of the traps that trip you up? Have you found ways to push through and get done what needs to done?
Dive into more of Carolyn’s helpful and encouraging wisdom, The One Thing Busy Women Desperately Need and Can’t Make Happen
Carolyn Dunn coaches busy women who are time starved, disorganized and distracted balance a productive work life with a peaceful and nurturing home life. Instead of struggling with overwhelm, procrastination and time management issues they can learn to say “goodbye” to chaos, and “hello” to sanity. Carolyn has a strong Christian background and a Fuller Seminary Masters degree in theological studies as well as marriage and family ministries. She is actively involved in planning large conferences as well as small retreats, and has been the speaker at many seminars and workshops.
To learn more about the author please visit Carolyn Dunn Coaching
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