Procrastination drives me mad, and yet I continue to do so; hence the huge gap since my last entry. It seems at times that life just gets in the way; but isn't that just an excuse? If we want to do something, we should just get on and do it. And yet how easy is it to put things off? To say, "I'll do it later," "tomorrow" etc., and then it doesn't get done, or it just piles up along with all the other things that still need to be done.
Over the last 3 months (is it really that long?!) I've often thought about writing on here, I've had lots of ideas of things to discuss, and yet I've not done it!? I tell myself, "I'm too busy," "I haven't got time," "I'll do it later," etc. etc.. But aren't they just excuses? What's stopped me just doing it?
I know I'm not the only person who procrastinates; my clients reassure me of that. But what is it that drives us to do it . . . or not do it as the case may be? Because aren't we just putting off life? Holding back from doing the things we want to do? Preventing ourselves from doing those things we allegedly want to do?
I remember a friend telling me once about a 'catchphrase,' summed up in a mmenomic he always tried to remember when he was putting things off & I try to remind myself of it at times.... "JFDI" ("Just F*****g Do It"). It can be a useful little device to remind yourself to just get on & do it. Even those things that are difficult to do; those things we deliberately put off because we know they're going to be difficult, painful, hurtful, etc. Procrastination at those times is a way of attempting to protect ourselves from those uncomfortable feelings, but ultimately it doesn't really work. We still have to confront those things - & all we've succeeded in doing is causing ourselves more anxiety by putting them off & worrying about them. So 'JFDI' & get it out of the way!
Procrastinating just holds us back. But sometimes standing still, not doing stuff, can be easier, safer. We make all kinds of excuses as to why we "can't" do something....how many of us have cleaned the house instead of sitting down to write a university assignment? We can all be so creative when we need to be!
How much more effective could we humans be if we could elimate procrastination? How much time & energy gets wasted whilst we contemplate NOT doing things? If we just got on & did it immediately, we'd all end up with so much more time on our hands - to fill with positive, fun things instead of wasting it at the beginning filling it with putting things off?!
