Comments on: Exploring procrastination

By: Mary

Mary — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:01:00 +0000

I fall into all three areas at times, but I think I have the most trouble with decisions. Of course, the idea of having to make decisions makes me want to avoid doing it.

By: Diana

Diana — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:42:13 +0000

I think it’s much easier to tackle tasks when I have at least a semi-clear image of what it will take. I’m a white-collar worker (researcher/designer) 2 years out of professional grad school, working in a field that’s complex and that I’m still learning the skills to do effectively. Thus, sometimes I’ll have to do an analysis of how to improve a piece of software and I’m hazy about where/how to begin. I have incomplete knowledge that it isn’t always clear how to break through, I’m concerned that the project team expects me to bring clarity, etc. I’m slowly learning that part of my job is to set up meetings and brainstorms where I can unearth all the knowledge that the team has, so that I can then begin my work. Since I’m new to leading such meetings, I sometimes put them off or don’t identify when they would be most needed. But the solution is often facilitation rather than organization.

I did find a book called “Time Management for Architects and Designers” that seems to hit on some of the difficult aspects of certain kinds of work. I haven’t done all the exercises, so I don’t know how helpful it is, but I definitely see a difference between work stuff I procrastinate and, say, fixing my bike at home — the latter is something I know has an endpoint and is accomplishable, and that I can find answers in a straightforward way.

In my work situation, I think mentorship — the ability to air what I’m thinking with a knowledgeable person I can trust — could really help in getting me through feeling “stuck” and moving to the facilitation phase.

By: Christian

Christian — Mon, 05 May 2008 04:51:37 +0000

Hey! I’m an arousal procrastinator. I always thought I was just crazy..

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:38:43 +0000

Geralin’s tips are, as usual, spot on! My wife and I are avoidance procrastinators. Personally I have to be psychologically in the mood and mentally prepared to take on certain, undesireable tasks. There are certain days when I have the faculties to take on certain challenges. As a Software Engineer I have to agree whole-heartedly with Geralin, that breaking large complex tasks into smaller more achievable ones is the only rationale way to accomplish complex problems. This Software design technique translates perfectly to the real-world as well.

By: kadavy

kadavy — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:32:45 +0000

I might be an arousal procrastinator, because sometimes I’m up all hours of the night, thinking about my projects; but then I avoid doing those projects, so I might be an avoidance procrastinator. I can’t decide

By: Colin

Colin — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:02:16 +0000

Guilty of all three, much to my wife’s dismay. However, the longer I work in consulting and get hammered because of client procrastination, the less appealing it becomes – at the risk of triggering content sniffers, being the agent of someone else’s arousal procrastination is not arousing at all… even if it does get repeat business, so to speak.

By: Lorie Marrero

Lorie Marrero — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:02:00 +0000

I am an Avoidance procrastinator, but what typically happens is that I am actually PERCEIVING the activity to be hard but it really isn’t. Sometimes I even enjoy the activity! And it usually doesn’t take as long as I thought. We recommend to our Clutter Diet members to time yourself doing tasks you dread… so that knowing the true amount of time it takes can make it easier to get started. For example, folding a load of laundry really takes only about 3 minutes. Knowing this makes it easier to tackle.

Thanks, Geralin, your tips were right on!

- Lorie Marrero

By: gthomas@metropolitanorganizing.com

gthomas@metropolitanorganizing.com — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:55:04 +0000

@ all,

I’m thrilled to see such interest in procrastination as a topic of discussion; your comments are greatly appreciated.

I’m enjoying this e-versation because I’m starting to see a few patterns evolve.

Anyone interested in the topic may want to Google the term, “Delay Discounting.” The term is generally used when discussing additive behaviors/rewards & pleasure/impulse controls, etc.

Researchers are using delay discounting data for treating procrastination…rewarding oneself, more often, studies show, tend to motivate procrastinators.

@ Lori–if it comforts you at all, most people DREAD the laundry and the final step, putting the clothes away seems to be the most procrastinated chore of all (not sure if I just made up the word, “procrastinated”)

@ Patty–you are right; Dr. Frost has a ton of great information about this topic. His lectures are wonderful!

@ Ruth–what you mention is called, “paralysis by analysis” meaning you tend to overanalyze things and do nothing for fear of doing it incorrectly.

Thanks again for the feedback everyone!

By: Katie

Katie — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 01:39:58 +0000

As a professional organizer I’d like to think I don’t procrastinate, but I believe that I am the victim of avoidance procrastination. I don’t mind helping other people with their hard or boring tasks, but when it comes to my own it seems those things linger on my to do list. Geralin’s insight has brought this back into the light for me and thus will (hopefully) cause me to be more aware and use her tips to conquer my procrastinating ways!

By: Sarah

Sarah — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 19:02:19 +0000

Erin,

Great! Perhaps I should give up my day job, after all.
If I didn’t have an unnatural obsession with unclutterer.com, I’m sure I’d have no idea when to look for new posts. Lucky for me, I’m a junkie.

Sarah

By: Vickie Dellaquila

Vickie Dellaquila — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 14:34:28 +0000

As a professional organizer, I sometimes struggle with procrastination. I would see myself as a avoidance procrastinator. I do not like to do hard or boring tasks and will procarstinate.

Thanks for the great tips Geralin!

By: Elaine Shannon

Elaine Shannon — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 12:37:05 +0000

Hello my name is Elaine….
I am a professional organizer….
And yes I am a procrastinator…..
We are real people who also get caught up. Thanks Geralin for the awesome tips. So many people beat themselves up over this topic.
What I have learned is that I procrastinate about what I hate to do. These are the things that I am a 3 out of 10 at. I will never be a 7 or even a 5. So I have learned that there are people who love to do what I dislike to do. Delegate and do the things that you can be a 10 at.

By: Erin Doland

Erin Doland — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 01:48:42 +0000

@Sarah — Oh, I got that you were joking!! I just thought that it would be fun to let people know that we do actually post on a schedule. I write six or seven posts a week here (two extra on RealSimple.com), Matt writes four, Teri writes one … I wonder if people notice this or not?? We notice it because we live it … so sometimes it’s fun to just drop things into comments.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 17:31:59 +0000

Erin – I was just teasing because it’s a post about procrastination! (Sometimes my sarcasm doesn’t translate in typed form.)

Lori – I have 16-month-old twins, and I work from home. It’s not procrastination when it’s self-preservation!

By: Lori Bruhns

Lori Bruhns — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 12:44:05 +0000

Thanks for the great post & tips Geralin. As a mother of twin 2 year old boys & a woman running her own business I find myself procrastinating on basic daily chores. The mentality “it will be there tomorrow” always pops into my head when I see sippy-cups in the sink & a basket of clothes which need putting away. I am definitely an avoidance procrastinator. I will avoid starting my boring & repetitive tasks until I motivated to tackle them. Luckily it only takes a few hours not days to motivate myself.

By: Erin Doland

Erin Doland — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 02:45:01 +0000

@Sarah — Tomorrow morning

Actually Unclutterer posts are published on a schedule. Every week day there is a post at 7:30 a.m. and a second one at 10:30 a.m. eastern. Sometimes we’ll throw one in at 9:15 (the A Year Ago posts), noon, and 3:00 p.m. … but those are more rare. On Saturday, posts usually go up at 8:30 a.m. Just an fyi …

By: Sarah

Sarah — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 02:08:04 +0000

I’m interested to see how long it will be before the next unclutterer.com post.

By: Mary Beth

Mary Beth — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 01:32:47 +0000

It’s so comforting to know that organized people struggle with procrastination (I thought I was alone)! I too, have avoidance (boring…yawn!) and decisional (perfectionist, that’s me) tendencies, but Geralin’s tips not only nudge away the procrastination, but also make procrastination easier to avoid the next time (pun intended). An interesting issue here is, why are we so paralyzed by having to decide? Who among us makes the right decisions all the time? Some of my “wrong” decisions have helped me grow the most. My Gram always said, ‘Thinking about doing something always takes more time than just doing it.’ I think she had something there.

By: Patty Wolf, CPO-CD®

Patty Wolf, CPO-CD® — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 01:24:31 +0000

Procrastination affects us all. Dr. Randy Frost, Professor of Psychology at Smith College, created the “No Matter What” rule. He says, “It’s easy to find reasons not to do something that will be unpleasant.” He suggests that we set aside a certain amount of time each day to work on something we need to do, and then do it “No Matter What”. His theory is based on spending a certain amount of TIME on the project each day, regardless of how you FEEL.

By: Sheila Delson

Sheila Delson — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 00:49:42 +0000

What a great topic…and e-versation! As a PO, I too struggle with procrastination issues…I think I have a little of all three mentioned. For me it mostly depends on the subject in question. What I’ve learned about myself is that I spend most of my time worrying about why I’m not doing what I “should be” doing. Yet when I do ‘get around to it’ I’ve discovered that it does get done on time, and that the time I’ve chosen to do “it” actually was the right time – for ME! Unfortunately, those watching the process don’t seem to appreciate my ‘uniqueness.’