Procrastinators, Read This Later

Some of us procrastinate some of the time, and some of us procrastinate much of the time. I have not met many people who never ever procrastinate, but I suppose that they may exist somewhere. Sometimes there is a reason behind why we drag our feet, such as not liking the task that you are supposed to do. Sometimes, though, procrastination happens for no reason at all. For example, you suddenly find yourself doing something instead of what you know you should be doing yet you cannot come up with any reason why. The other day I realized that I was tidying up the house before sitting down to work, even though the kids got to bed later than usual. I usually clean up after I do my work, because I get tired and while I can clean on autopilot, I produce better work when I am less tired. Fortunately, I caught myself in the act and put down the dish sponge. I went to the table and turned on the computer, and did what I needed to do. The dishes got done later, but I was tired because it was late.

Procrastination can interfere with the work of even the most dedicated home-based professional from time to time. It turns out that there are other reasons why people procrastinate, aside from simply dreading (or bring dreadfully bored by) the task at hand. Some people enjoy the adrenaline rush of waiting until the last minute and then voila, they get it done just in the nick of time. While I have never really thought of myself as a thrill seeker, I have done this more often than I care to admit. It makes me feel like I’m getting away with something, which we all know that I’m not. Kind of twisted, actually, but it happens.

By the way, I realize that it is possible that you are reading this right now instead of doing something else that is more important. You are so totally busted. Since I care about you, here’s a gentle reminder to walk away from the computer or smartphone (unless it’s another task on the computer or smartphone) and do it now.