Procrastination is a behavior which is characterized by deferment of actions or tasks to a later time. Psychologists often cite procrastination as a mechanism for coping with the anxiety associated with starting or completing any task or decision. 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.

Procrastination Tales Of Mere Existence

Counterproductive, needless and delaying ways I spent my time today – instead of getting my “stuff done.”

1. Spent two hours on Twitter reading any semi-interesting article someone tweeted about. Did you know it is National Prayer Day?

2. Posted two such articles on my facebook page. Worlds oldest dog turns 21 today. He is a senior wiener!

3. Checked e-mail.

4. Decided my hair was bugging me so went into the bathroom to put it in a ponytail. How did my bathroom sink get so unorganized?

5. Straighten bathroom.

6. Checked e-mail. Oooo good deal on T.V.’s at Costco.

7. Kicked the ball around the house a bit with Finley. Noticed he sheds a lot when playing ball.

8. Vacuumed.

9. Really! No one has e-mailed me in the last 15 minutes?

10. Changed the tags for Fibromyalgia Haven blog description on facebook. No longer a blog about “Fibromyalgia,” “inspiration,” and “writing.” Now a blog about “Fibromyalgia,” “chronic illness,” and “personal essay.” That’s better!

11. Took my hair out of ponytail.

12. Checked e-mail.

13. Pondered my new tags. Not sure if all really represent my blog. Maybe use tags like “musings,” or “thought provoking” or “needs therapy.”

14. Googled the word “procrastination.” Found the awesomely funny video above. Discovered there are 23 videos on You Tube by the same person….

15. Watched videos on You Tube.

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I love my blog. So why would I avoid it? Well mostly because my brain and my body have not been cooperating with my desire to be productive, so instead of writing more fluff posts, I decided not to write anything at all. I recently read somewhere that Perfectionism is the biggest enemy of Productivity. How true is that! So what, if I can’t write a post that I am totally and completely satisfied with, then I am not going to write at all? Can I still call myself a writer if I am not writing? Am I the first and only person to write in less than ideal circumstances?  Am I the first person with a chronic illness to write? Uh, no.

Sometimes I just need a kick in the butt! Well I am giving myself a kick in the butt. No more avoidance, no more procrastination. I am giving myself a writing assignment to write a post a day for 30 days – 30 in 30. I need the structure and I need the challenge. I love writing. I want to write. I need to stop getting in my own way and just do it. I have a tendency for self-sabotage (now there is a great post topic), but I think if I approach this as an assignment I will be successful. I have notebooks, and notepads, and scratch papers full of ideas and topics to write on. Time to sit down, review them, and pick a subject for tomorrow.

Besides procrastination, (and feeling lousy because of Fibromyalgia and the concussion) the thing I have struggled most with lately is creating a routine and sticking with it. My ideal schedule would look something like this:

Monday

9am-1pm  Write

2pm-4pm  Read/Research

4pm-5pm  Answer emails, etc.

Tuesday

9am-10am  Yoga

11am-2pm  Write

2pm-4pm  Read/Research

4pm-5pm  Answer emails, etc.

Wednesday – Repeat Monday

Thursday – Repeat Tuesday

Friday

9am-11am  Write

noon-2pm  Lunch with sis

2pm-4pm  Errands & Appointments

4pm  Answer emails, etc.

Now that is ideal, and doesn’t allow for any out of the ordinary circumstances, but like my goal of 3 posts a week, I don’t think I have ever come close to that schedule. I no longer want to be a writer who only writes occasionally because she has Fibromyalgia. I want to be a writer who just happens to have Fibromyalgia. And for my writing not related to this blog, I simply want to be a prolific writer, and that is what I am going to be!

So I am counting today as day one. One down, 29 to go. And when this assignment is over, and I have strengthened my writing muscles and given them the endurance they have been lacking, I am going to take on a new assignment. Perfectionism & Procrastination be gone! Productivity is my new thing!

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