From Where I Sit

This is the third post in a series on overcoming procrastination. The first dealt with not listening to the thought “I can’t be bothered”, the second post tackled tasks by getting started with just five minutes of activity, while this post deals with the “will I – won’t I” trap.

Despite popular beliefs, procrastination is not about laziness, although people who suffer from procrastination will often report themselves to be lazy. Laziness is about not wanting to do things, procrastination is about desire to do things but facing blockages and obstacles on the way to getting things done. Procrastination is the product of thought patterns that work against getting things done. This article will address one particular thought pattern that causes blocks and suggest how to overcome the block.

One of the more common blocks that people suffering with procrastination report is the trap of ‘will I/won’t I’. This is where you get caught up in an internal debate about whether to proceed with an activity or delay, or do it later, or why it shouldn’t be done now, or any other thought that will convince you to procrastinate. “I should go and do the grocery shopping, but I don’t feel like it, – maybe I’ll do it tomorrow.  I need to go because I’m running low on food, – but I can’t be bothered.  I’m not busy now, I could go, – but it’s cold outside, I’ll just stay in and watch tv.

It becomes a trap because for every good reason to proceed with activity there will be an endless supply of distractions and reasons not to go forward; Is it really more important to clean out the bottom shelf of the fridge right now rather than finish the work report due tomorrow?

Once people get caught up in the ‘will I/won’t I’ dialogue, it rarely has a happy ending. This dialogue is stacked in favour of delay and procrastination which is most often the final outcome. Once you find yourself in the territory of ‘will I/won’t I’, you’re probably well on the way to deciding not to do something. It is not really a decision making process so much as a sign that you are on the verge of procrastination.

This whole internal debate is best avoided altogether. If it is clear that something needs to happen, like the grocery shopping or paying a bill, making an important phone call, it is probably more helpful to just do it rather than think about doing it. Over-thinking an issue is playing right into the hands of procrastination, and to be avoided at all costs. Make a decision and stick with it. Procrastination is not inevitable, and is not about your personality, it is about falling prey to particular thought patterns, and these thought patterns can be avoided and/or changed. Change “will I/won’t I?” into “I will” and kiss procrastination goodbye.

permalink