Why are you motivated to procrastinate?

There are so many ways to overcome the procrastination habit - it's exciting. No I am not being facetious, I think what motivates us to procrastinate can be harnessed to overcome the procrastination habit itself.

Did I just say motivate us to procrastinate?

Actually I just did - if you think about it, you do have to be motivated to not do things, you have to be motivated to think up the reasons and excuses as to why you can't do something, and you have to be motivated to do whatever it is you have chosen to do instead of what you were supposed to be doing.

Interesting isn't it.

I bet you hadn't thought of it in those terms before.

Most of us use structured procrastination as a way to get around the procrastination habit. As in, we have this massive to-do list and the items at number 1 or 2 are those things we know we need to do... so what do we do - the items sitting further down the list of couse. Not because they excite or motivate us more, it's just we can be bothered to do those items rather than the ones we have been putting off doing. Human nature is fascinating don't you think - and the reason I say that - well tomorrow, other things will take the place of items 1 and 2, so what do we do? The new items sitting at no 1 and 2? probably not. So what do we do instead? Well - those things that were at number 1 and 2 yesterday. Now to be fair I didn't say it had to make sense, rather I feel it's our way of trying to control the situations we find ourselves in. We tell the powers that be, we would love to do the new items, but because of their unrealistic work loads - we haven't done yesterdays' yet....whether that's true or not, is not for me to say - but I'm sure you can relate.

So why?

Well as I mentioned, control is part of it - we try and make sense of what needs to be done, what we can get away with doing or not doing and we do what we feel most comfortable with at the time. With me so far? I hope so, because the next bit becomes interesting.

What if you were to do the items sitting at your no1 spot - today, right now? How would it make you feel? Would you feel empowered to think you had achieved the task? Or would you feel that if you had achieved the task item "they" would think it was easy and you could handle more work?

You see an honest appraisal of those few questions will answer why you procrastinate one day and not the next.... well I think so at any rate ...

So - an honest appraisal time. Why do you procrastinate over tasks today, yet tomorrow you know you won't have a problem with doing them?

And I don't want you to use the

Well - I will have more time tomorrow, I'm tired now, I've got too much to do .... reasons we see all the time.

You don't need to be honest with me, just with yourself - why are you motivated to procrastinate so much?



Comments

[jody]

I tell myself what's the point. I'm an empty nester as well as disabled. I have never given my self the ok to just take care of me. I use to have a purpose that was well defined 3 children. once i get through the procrastination problem I've got to define a balance. It's always been all other nothing.