I’m a high functioning person with the capacity to get a lot done in a limited amount of time. However, when I have a lot of projects on my plate (which is pretty much always, between Boston Mamas, Posh Peacock, and my other freelance writing and editing gigs), sometimes I just feel utterly overwhelmed; every task on my list seems too large to tackle, and I procrastinate.
And the thing is, lately I’ve become a little disgusted by the ways in which I tend to procrastinate, particularly given the constant state of disorganization I feel mired in, my overflowing inbox, the lovely bird greeting card collection that has been half-designed for about 6 months, and the fact that Laurel’s closet is filled with clothes that are 1-2 years too small for her. The list goes on.
I queried on Twitter about people’s worst forms of procrastination and they involved things such as TV (@vpzdesigns, @that_danielle), web surfing (@allisonpeltz, @wbgookin, @loveyoga), food (@kidmuseumnh: I loved their response, “either eating food or talking about food if no actual food is available”), or forms of procrastination that actually are productive, such as laundry (@k_patterson).
There are some similarities, but my list also includes a few more ludicrous items. So my hope is that by confessing to the absurdity of my worst procrastination tendencies, I can shed them. I want to make better use of my time. And if I do find myself with a few minutes to kill between meetings or whatever, I’d like to spend them better.
So, here are the worst ways I tend to procrastinate, followed by related, more meaningful replacement behaviors. I’d love to hear your confessions too.
August 14th, 2009 at 9:27 am
For several years running now, I’ve made a New Year’s Resolution to spend 15 minutes a week putting baby photos in albums. Yet I have spent a total of 0 minutes doing this. What, I can’t find 15 minutes a WEEK? Nope, apparently not. My baby photo albums end when Steph was 3, Pete was 1, and Julie was not even yet a glimmer in her Daddy’s eye.
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August 14th, 2009 at 9:43 am
LOL am procrastinating RIGHT NOW…am faced with a task that I’m not actually sure I can complete without information not available til monday, and yet have a deadline of 230 today to present SOMETHING…so, I check facebook, think about getting tim’s, and watch iTunes genius create playlists out of one song.
call me if you are refreshing twitter…
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August 14th, 2009 at 9:50 am
I’m a procrastinator from way back… I have a domain name, ThatLazyMom.com that I’ve been too lazy to do anything with… and I’ve got a book called Procrastination, all about tackling that tricky subject, that is two days overdue at the library and I haven’t even opened, yet…
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August 14th, 2009 at 10:14 am
In the early 90’s I bought some self-help tapes on time management and productivity. They seemed to be great except the segment on procrastination was on side two…
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August 14th, 2009 at 10:44 am
You know I am reading this as a way to procrastinate about doing the housekeeping, grocery shopping, cleaning, and organizing my office. Baby photos?! Mine are not even organized. Poor kid.
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August 14th, 2009 at 11:10 am
I love your last example–of devoting time and attention to your current relationship instead of trying to re-live the past. What’s the point, really?
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August 14th, 2009 at 11:15 am
I’m having a big party at my house this weekend for my daughter’s birthday and here I am reading and commenting when I have a list a mile long that needs to be done before the party. Being overwhelmed absolutely puts me in procrastination mode. But when is a work-at-home business-owner and mother of 3 in the midst of school vacation not overwhelmed?
The best/worst thing about my procrastinating over this party? Party design is my business!
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August 14th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
I’m just as bad, honest. For organizing, I can’t suggest the books by Julia Morgenstern enough - she really looks at WHY we clutter, not just how to get out of it!
Besides - your ways of procrastinating are at least about reality and relationships; my husband just plays computer games!
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August 14th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
this is hilarious!
i do not procrastinate by using facebook or twitter as I don’t have those accounts (too risky - do NOT want clients to be able to find me that easily, eesh.), however, i check email obsessively, do crossword puzzles until my eyes cross, and read house porn.
I think you should concentrate on getting some of that swag out! not that i have anything to gain by that…lol.
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August 14th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
and by house porn i mean decorating magazines…you knew that right?
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August 15th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
I’m procrastinating by reading your blog!
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August 16th, 2009 at 8:50 pm
I blame my lack of achievement (I refuse to actually label it procrastination) on my cat. She leads by example, and her example is to lounge on a thrown of pillows 23 hours a day, in some activity resembling sleep. I work hard to emulate her.
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August 18th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
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