One of the greatest sources of anxiety for us procrastinators comes from beating ourselves up about all the stuff we feel we are procrastinating on. The problem is that we can only do one thing at a time. Consequently, when we are paying the bills, for instance, we are *not* making our phone calls, doing the shopping, working on our writing projects, finding a plumber, scheduling an appointment with our daughter’s teacher, taking steps on our true and deepest dreams, etc. And we have a tendency to beat ourselves up about slacking on all these things even as we are actually working on something productive.

Anxiety can become overwhelming and debilitating. Here is the way out. Let’s try putting our emPHAsis on what we *are* doing! I *am* writing in my blog. Sure, it should be pretty easy for me to feel good about doing this. But do you know, even as I write, I am thinking about the business cards in my purse from the Chamber of Commerce mixer last night that I have done anything about? But it does no good to beat myself up that I am not doing that right now. Even if all I can say is, “I am resting,” it still does no good for me to feel bad. The only sane choice is to either go do that other thing or feel OK about the thing I am doing.

If I treat myself like a disciplinarian, I will resist my own discipline. Call it internalized oppositional defiance.

Now, I could say, “I am resting and I choose to feel good about it”.  Or, “I am writing in my blog which is one of my most important goals.” Or even, “I am feeling anxious about all the things I am not doing and I am doing anxiety with the greatest skill.” Why not? We are always doing something. And there will always be a bunch of other really important things we are not doing.

Whatever you are doing right now consider it an accomplishment. Oh, you just read my blog post! Well, that *is* an accomplishment!

Just yesterday at my Chamber of Commerce meeting, I wanted to make a quirky but bold announcement about a discount promotion for Chamber members. While I feel comfortable about telling them about my 3rd Thursday Free Seminars, I felt very uncomfortable speaking up about my special offer. I could tell that I might decide not to say anything about it ”on the fly” as it where.

So you know what I did? I told a woman about my announcement while in the lunch line. Now I was truly committed. And, yes. My palms got sweaty as my blood ran cold. I was fully terrified! I have learned to love that feeling. I have learned that it means I am really moving forward.

And this is how you thumb screw yourself. (Well that came out wrong, but you know what I mean.)

Procrastination is a behavior which is characterized by deferment of actions or tasks to a later time. [Why do today what we can put off until tomorrow?] Psychologists often cite procrastination as a mechanism for coping with the anxiety associated with starting or completing any task or decision. [Sometimes it is more of a matter of waiting for there to be enough anxiety to motivate us to action.] Psychology researchers also have three criteria they use to categorize procrastination. For a behavior to be classified as procrastination, it must be counterproductive, needless, and delaying. [I think this lets a lot of us off the hook! I procrastinate by doing productive things like sitting around feeling sorry for myself. It *produces* a sense of failure.]

For an individual, procrastination may result in stress, a sense of guilt, the loss of personal productivity, the creation of crisis and disapproval from others for not fulfilling one’s responsibilities or commitments. [Did they put a camera in my house?] These combined feelings can promote further procrastination. While it is normal for people to procrastinate to some degree, it becomes a problem when it impedes normal functioning. [What's that word again? Nnnnor-mmmmaaaal? What is that?!] Chronic procrastination may be a sign of an underlying psychological or physiological disorder. [Mine is not underlying. My disorders are quite obvious!]

Well, anyway… I feel like I have a whole new handle on what procrastination is. However, I am left with the question: How does *defining* it help one *overcome* it? What stands out in this article to me is the role of anxiety. I do experience anxiety before starting a project. There is a sort of overwhelm that sets in. There are too many steps. My sparkly brain is just too good at imagining all those steps at one time and falling into exhaustion. I feel like I have to take some time to gather strength before I start the project.

This pause to gather strength looks like my waiting to be in the “right mood” to do something. This mood sometimes never comes. One way I have discovered to trick myself into starting a project is to set a timer and promise myself that I will only work fifteen minutes on my taxes, say. How can I have an anxiety attack about working for fifteen minutes? Often times, I choose to work longer just to get back at myself for trying to trick me. Whatever works!

Notice, then, what I haven’t done. I haven’t guilted myself into doing my taxes. I haven’t beat myself up or waited for the last minute. The bulk of the anxiety happens just prior to starting. Once the starting wall has been reduced to a threshold, I can usually connect with my flow and actually have fun! I love doing my taxes. I just hate starting them.

Please enjoy using my timer technique for your next project. Just fifteen minutes is all you need to commit to.