Procrastination

Procrastination is not only the thief of time; it is also the thief of ideas. As the fourth quarter of 2008 approached, I started thinking about what to write in the last issue of the RH Business Support newsletter, Business Briefs et Cetera, to wrap up 2008. I thought I would title the issue “Home Stretch.” A few weeks later, I was watching CNN and saw that they were referring to their segment with the presidential campaign as the “Home Stretch.” There went my idea. So, I decided on “The Last Leg.”

As a virtual assistant, I operate as a “solopreneur” with a few associates to call on when needed. This is the case with almost all sole proprietorship. Hence, we spend most of our time making sure our clients’ needs are met, while our own operational tasks get pushed back. Some of these tasks are often very mundane but absolutely necessary for the business to function successfully. Therefore, in order to remain in business and serve my clients effectively, I have scheduled time each day to perform my own business functions. This helps me better manage my customers and my business at the same time.

Of course, there are times when it is just impossible to stick to the schedule. When this happens, I have to make a decision based on value and/or priority. Always, my clients come first.

Now, I am learning to manage procrastination or “structured procrastination” when it comes to my mundane tasks by acting into a feeling. When I must complete these tasks and would really rather do something more exciting or creative, I just start acting out the steps… go through the routine, as they say. Eventually, I develop the feeling for the task and soon it’s over in less time than I had anticipated. Also, when I have a creative idea, I take steps as soon as possible to research and develop it. How many times have you seen a new invention or service and remember that you had written down that same idea a few years ago?

So let’s not defer our ideas and important tasks to a different time… or year or decade.
Let’s not procrastinate in 2008… I mean 2009. If that fails, try “structured procrastination”.

Check out the Psychology Today blog and this essay by John Perry .