Procrastinating

"If it's your job to eat a frog,
it's best to do it first thing in the morning.
And if it's your job to eat two frogs,
it's best to eat the biggest one first."

- Mark Twain

Have you taken a swing after last week's mindful musing? I managed to do it 3 days out of 5. Creating new habits is challenging. I also noticed that the busyness of moving house makes me find excuses when I do not start on time with certain preparations. I am procrastinating. Yes, I do get it done in the end, but sometimes it causes me stomach flutters and unnecessary pressure.  I have written before about "eating the biggest, greenest frog first, and I think this is the moment to come back to it.  My tax return is due. 

Procrastination is a tricky beast. It hides. When I first came across the English word "procrastination", I did not know what it meant. I translated "procrastinating" from German, which is "zaudern", or" aufschieben". When translating that back is more a tactic of delaying something or not being too sure about doing something. I remember thinking  "Germans do not do that, we do whatever needs to be done straight away"... How wrong was I. 

Health writer Michelle Pugle points out that there are different types of procrastination, and that identifying what type of procrastinator you are, is the beginning step in changing your behaviour. There are six types of procrastination based on the main perceived issue causing the behaviour:

• Perfectionist: Has high standards and fear of not meeting expectations and puts off work because they fear they won't do it correctly

• Dreamer: Has big goals but no plan for success

• Worrier: Fears change, has worst-case scenario thinking, and resists risk-taking

• Defier: Promise-maker with poor follow-through and many excuses or reasonings for not doing the task

• Crisis-maker: May unintentionally or intentionally create chaos at the last minute to delay work

• Over-doer: Has unrealistic expectations of what can be achieved and lacks priority-setting abilities

Michelle says Procrastination is a learned behaviour, and it can be unlearned. A good place to start is to acknowledge that you’re procrastinating. Once you recognize this behaviour in yourself, you can figure out what's causing you to procrastinate and change it. While everyone’s reasons for procrastinating are unique, there may be a common element of fear and perfectionism motivating procrastinating behaviour.

As a recovering perfectionist and over-doer, I had to learn to be ok with gaps. As a partner of a dreamer, I had to learn to decide when to chip in and finish a task and when to leave it a dream. As the daughter of a worrier, I had to learn that I cannot run someone else's life and that fear is indeed the driver of a lot of our actions (and non-actions). And I had to learn to identify and set boundaries for defiers and crisis-makers in my life to find peace. 

I want to be kind to myself this week, and start by identifying what is driving me to procrastinate when I do. The moment I realise that I have unrealistic expectations of myself, I am able to take a step back and hop on the swing. It puts things back into perspective. 

The other intention I am setting is the eat the biggest frog first. I know that gives me the dopamine rush I need to get done with the rest - even though it feels so tempting to keep swinging. On the other hand, I do not need to do my tax return while moving house, I do have two more months to do it. Be realistic. I scheduled it in for March and now have peace of mind when unpacking boxes. 

Everything in balance. 

My invitation to you:

- Reflect on what type of procrastinator you might be and be kind to that part of yourself by sending yourself some thoughts of acknowledgment and compassion
-Identify what is important to you to get done and commit to one thing only in a realistic timeline.
-Celebrate eating the biggest, greenest frog first. 

You are worth it. This is your time. 
 

With a commitment to my tax return in my diary and ready to go on the swing

Mel