Why I Procrastinate
Hi, my name is Emily. I'm a freelance writer and professional procrastinator.
It's true. And I bet it's true for most other freelance writers out there. We are so good at procrastinating. If procrastinating was a career, I'd give up writing.
In the time it's taken for me to write this post, I've actually:
Made a pot of tea
Fed my dog
Played with my dog
Swept the floor
Made a grocery list
Checked my emails (four times)
Cuddled my dog
Refilled my water bottle
Changed the laundry
But I don't think I'm the only one that's better at procrastinating than I am at almost anything else.
Nowadays, we all procrastinate. But that doesn't mean we all have terrible willpower. Procrastination is much more than that.
Procrastination isn’t just about being distracted. There are several reasons why you might be procrastinating.
Why do we procrastinate?
It turns out, there are actually several reasons why we procrastinate. Experts have actually studied why we procrastinate and found four main reasons.
The first reason we procrastinate is that the task we are avoiding is either challenging, emotionally draining, or just boring. We know something uncomfortable will happen, so we put it off even if we know we have to do it eventually.
The second reason is that we decide to do the task later and have the thrill of the rush. A last-minute deadline can help focus some people. We like the idea of completing the task as quickly as possible, so we wait until we have the time pressure. After all, diamonds are made under pressure, so why start now when you can do it perfectly later? (Yeah, right!)
The third reason for procrastination is a fear of failure. Unlike reason one, this isn't about avoiding the actual task and more about avoiding others' judgement. The job itself might be easy, even enjoyable, but if you are concerned about what people will say, you might put it off as long as possible to avoid disappointing others, failing or being judged.
The final main reason for procrastination is that some people struggle to make a decision. If the task means making more choices or being overwhelmed with lots to do, it's much easier to just never start.
Why do you procrastinate?
Of course, there are plenty of other reasons why you might procrastinate. For example, my partner procrastinates when it comes to laundry because he knows I'll do it if he is busy doing something else. Annoyingly.
Generally, most people don't fall into one category. Each task and every day might come with a new reason to procrastinate. That's the beautiful thing about it; there's always a new reason to justify delaying the task, so your brain genuinely believes that it's a good thing.
Sometimes, we put off tasks that are right in front of us because we are waiting for inspiration to hit.
Why do writers procrastinate?
As I said at the top of this post, I'm a freelance writer and professional procrastinator. But I wasn't always like this. When I worked in house as an employee, I procrastinated less. When I was younger and had other jobs, I didn't procrastinate.
It's the writing. Writers procrastinate. And I think I know why.
We wait for the inspiration. It's like the time pressure but specific to writers. We all know the feeling when you get hit by a moment of genius and the words coming tumbling out in a rush, and you blink, and you've written 1,00 words. It's easy, fun and fast.
So we wait for that. We delay and procrastinate until we feel inspired, forgetting that motivation like that is rare. We put off getting started believing that it's easier to wait for inspiration than commit to just tackling a task. As writers, we often have to take on tasks that we aren't naturally interested in. Waiting for inspiration to strike you when you have to write about bin bags is like waiting for rain in a drought. Utterly useless.
Embracing hard work
In the end, that's what it's all about.; hard work. No matter how long you procrastinate, you'll have to do the work, and it will be hard. If it was easy, you'd already have done it.
I'm getting much better at recognising when I'm procrastinating and asking myself why. If I'm putting off a task because I need the time pressure, I set an alarm, tell my partner what I should have achieved by the time the alarm goes off and then try my best. Usually, I don't want to tell him I failed, so I get it done.
If I'm procrastinating because the task isn't enjoyable, I plan something after that is super fun. I tell myself to finish work early, buy myself a treat or spend time with my dog. The excitement of what comes next is usually enough to get me through.
The next time you find yourself putting something off, try thinking about why. What's the reason you're putting it off, and what could you do to push through. Try it and see for yourself.
Or you can always try it tomorrow.