I just looked up the meaning of "procrastinate". That is P-R-O-C-R-A-S-T-I-N-A-T-E. It means "Postpone or delay needlessly", "Postpone doing what one should be doing", "dilly dally" "shilly shally". I like those last two definitions.
I'm back now. I just went to get a cup of tea. : )
Everyone procrastinates at certain times. Generally I think it's a good thing. I think it's your brain telling your body to slow down and that it's not ready to start working yet. But sometimes procrastinating can get us in trouble and behind in our work, and that's not so good. The main problem with procrastination is the consequences. I procrastinated over sowing some of our seeds this year and the consequence will be that our rosellas and eggplant will be planted about three weeks late. It's not a major catastrophe but if I was relying on that food to survive, I'd be in big trouble.
I've got a clever trick that helps me when I procrastinate, which, I'm pleased to say I rarely do nowadays. I get my timer and I make myself do whatever it is I should be doing, but I only have to do it until the timer goes off. I usually set the timer for 15 minutes. I've found you can generally do anything, even things you don't like doing, for 15 minutes. When the time is up, I go back to slacking off, but within the next hour, I set my timer again for another 15 minutes. I generally get to a point when I can see the end of the job in sight and just keep going until it's done. Then I pat myself on the back for being so focused. LOL!!
I reckon I'm not the only one who procrastinates, so if you do too, try the 15 minute trick and see if it works for you. And when you finish the job you don't want to do, silently congratulate for being such a hard worker. : ) You deserve it.
I will be contacting swappers this afternoon about the swap and postal addresses. Stand by, I'll start my timer soon.
I'm back now. I just went to get a cup of tea. : )
Everyone procrastinates at certain times. Generally I think it's a good thing. I think it's your brain telling your body to slow down and that it's not ready to start working yet. But sometimes procrastinating can get us in trouble and behind in our work, and that's not so good. The main problem with procrastination is the consequences. I procrastinated over sowing some of our seeds this year and the consequence will be that our rosellas and eggplant will be planted about three weeks late. It's not a major catastrophe but if I was relying on that food to survive, I'd be in big trouble.
I've got a clever trick that helps me when I procrastinate, which, I'm pleased to say I rarely do nowadays. I get my timer and I make myself do whatever it is I should be doing, but I only have to do it until the timer goes off. I usually set the timer for 15 minutes. I've found you can generally do anything, even things you don't like doing, for 15 minutes. When the time is up, I go back to slacking off, but within the next hour, I set my timer again for another 15 minutes. I generally get to a point when I can see the end of the job in sight and just keep going until it's done. Then I pat myself on the back for being so focused. LOL!!
I reckon I'm not the only one who procrastinates, so if you do too, try the 15 minute trick and see if it works for you. And when you finish the job you don't want to do, silently congratulate for being such a hard worker. : ) You deserve it.
I will be contacting swappers this afternoon about the swap and postal addresses. Stand by, I'll start my timer soon.
Oh you are so Right Rhonda! When I actually had whole days off, I would set my timer per the wash cycle;45 minutes until a load of wash was done and needed to be hung out. That allowed me to mop, vacuum, clean something, etc. I was surprised what I could get done in between wash cycles. It really does work.
ReplyDeleteI procrastinate all the time! In fact I left a message on a friends answer machine yesterday asking why she wasn't home as I was procrastinating and need a chat to fill in the time!LOL
ReplyDeleteI just realised I'm doing it now...
ReplyDeleteBut the number of lemons in that box doesn't seem to be diminishing ...whimper... I'm a terrible procrastinator at times as well. My best trick is to reward myself. If I do X (what I don't want to do) for a certain amount of time then I can do Y (what I do want to do) after that. By alternating the two the work does get done and doesn't seem such drudgery.
ReplyDeletesusan, I did laugh when I read about your lemons. It make me remember when I had about 50 lemons on the back verandah after we pruned our lemon tree. I'm happy to say most of that lemon juice is in the frezer now. How is your juicing going?
ReplyDeleteRhonda, thank you for the encouragement in this helpful post. I'm going to start using your 15-min. timer tip for clearing the papers off my desk and dining room table. Desert Lady in Phoenix
ReplyDeleteI'm a procrastinator too :)
ReplyDeleteNow after I've had my morning cup of tea and read through everyone's blogs I TURN OFF the computer so I don't sit here all day long!!
hee hee, when I was little my mum used to say "STOP FLIP FLOPPING AROUND and do your .........!"
ReplyDeleteNOw that I am a grown up, I call it "mooching" which is allowable, "mulling" which is good too, and "processing" which is much better than acting before thinking everything out first, and well, as you can see, I rock at this!
duckie.
That fiftheen minute trick was a smart one =D I'll try it today. Even if it's Sunday, I have things that simply have to be done. But of course I don't feel like doing them. But thabk you, I'll really try; I'll tell you if it works =P
ReplyDeleteGod bless you and take care of you,
åslaug
I'm a master of procastrination :) And I also greatly benefit from the 15 minutes tip (FlyLady, right? She rocks!).
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I love the word 'dillydally' and use it all the time. Sometimes people are sure it's something I invented, now I can prove it's not :)
"I reckon I'm not the only one who procrastinates" LOL!!!
ReplyDeleteMy Mom is an expert dilly-dallier and lollygagger -- those are teasingly my pet names for her... I claim not to be, don't want to be, BUT, you see it is in my genes...
So, whenever I find myself at a loss for motivation, I tell myself "Just do 10 things!" and it works for me. However, I might try your 15 minute trick and see how it works too! Thanks.
(Wildside)
You must be a FlyBaby! "You can do anything in 15 minutes!"
ReplyDelete