The PRO in procrastination

Ever noticed how there's a "Pro" in procrastination?

Those of us who procrastinate don't take the subject lightly. We dive into it all the way, fully committing to doing our own thing in our own time.

There's so many of us, we've become a "Nation" of folks who just let it ride. Our national motto is "I'll get to it later."

Later's always better. First, later stretches to infinity, so there's no deadline imposed. Doing something later assumes you'll be fresher or better prepared or more motivated to take on that dreaded task. Postponing an action gives someone else the opportunity to step forward, and let's you off the hook.

Sound familiar? I bet it does.

When something comes up we're not interested in doing, it doesn't become any more appealing with time. In fact, once the task is postponed, it's easier to keep postponing it.

Got a household chore you hate? A work product you've been dreading? A term paper that's due tomorrow? Just thinking about those things is stressful.

Why do we duck out on certain things and not on others?

We're afraid we'll mess it up or do worse than last time.

The process is too complex to understand all at once.

We don't want to do it and you can't make us.

We don't care about the task.

We can't focus on something big; there's too many little things that have to be done.

We don't know how to get started.

It's not in our wheelhouse. The effort won't meet our minimum standards.

As a writer, I have definite tasks I procrastinate. First, I'm always reluctant to start a new book. The characters from the last story feel so real. I want to stay in their world. Second, I can research a topic to death. Once I start googling and opening files, the information flows all around me and leads me new places. Third, writing a synopsis makes me use the editing and creative side of my head at the same time. I worry my head might explode.

It's human nature to avoid pain and hardship and to seek pleasurable endeavors. You can't fail at something if you haven't tried it yet, but the trick is to understand why you don't want to do something.

If you're afraid, work on addressing the fear.

If you're overwhelmed, break the task into smaller steps and reward yourself for each step of the way.

If its out of your area, learn how to do it.

If starting is a problem, trick yourself by saying you're just going to get the tools for the job out.

Before you know it, you'll be motoring along on the road to completion. Commit to your task with a new focus and before you know it, you'll be moving on to better things.

Are you a Pro at procrastinating? Share with us something that you put off. And as a bonus, share with us how you've gotten past that stumbling block.

Happy November everyone!

Maggie Toussaint
www.maggietoussaint.com

In For a Penny, now $2.99 at Kindle
ps I'm looking for reviewers for my In For A Penny

Sitting on eggs - hatching creativity

"Sits on eggs" was the crossword puzzle clue.

The space was too long for hens, too short for chickens. My brain chugged to a start, trying to figure out what would fit. Crosswords are often humbling for my poor brain. The foreign words are challenges; the literary references are above my pedestrian taste.


But I'm an author, I say to myself. Surely, I can come up with a word that means sits on eggs.

But what?

I tapped my pen on the newspaper, hoping for inspiration, lightning, or both.

A moment later, it came to me: broods.

I hadn't thought about brooding as sitting on eggs since I was a kid. As an author, I tend to brood more about the amount of promotion I can't get to, about the reviews I need to garner, about the manuscript I hope to get contracted, and more.

That got me to thinking. If brooding is sitting on eggs, that's definitely waiting, but it's a creative/fertile waiting because something new and good is going to hatch from it.

Like keeping the home fires burning, brooding for writers is more productive when you focus your energies on "eggs" within your reach.

Can you control how many people review your book? No.

Can you control what the reviews say or how many stars there are? No.

Can you control if an editor will contract your book? No.

Can you control how well edited your submission is? Yes.

Can you control your weekly word count? Yes.

I discovered that I tend to brood about tasks/chores I'm not fond of. "Ugh, I've got to weed my flower beds," I'll think - for days - before I finally stir myself to doing it. Another source of my brooding, "What will I cook for dinner?" When we're on diets, I go to the diet book and fix what it says. And because we're being strict about the diet, all of the ingredients will be on hand. Normally I grocery shop by the seat of my pants; that's how I cook too, and in a hurry. It's never great, but it's decent and digestible.

No point in brooding about either of these jobs. They have to be done. And pretty routinely or there are negative consequences.

Dang! What else have I been wasting energy on? I can do better! I need to nurture those eggs!

What about you? Is there something you brood about that isn't productive? Can you rephrase your thoughts about it and move forward?

Maggie Toussaint
www.maggietoussaint.com

In For A Penny, now on Kindle:

www.amazon.com/InForAPenny-ebook/dp/B008MCSGMM

Murder in the Buff, Ariana finalist
Death, Island Style - at your library!