Still procrastinating?

Procrastination is a dream-crusher.

You’ll never write that book, make that album, start that business if you don’t ever work on it. You already know that, of course. Yet you still don’t do the things you say you want to do.

Fear gets in the way (fear of failing, of not being good enough, of embarrassing yourself, of rejection). And you often feel overwhelmed by how huge the task ahead seems, so you don’t begin at all.

Procrastination is also a kill-joy.

When you procrastinate with endless scrolling, by playing pointless games on your computer or phone, by watching the news 24/7, getting lost in daytime TV, or making just one more coffee/snack before you begin, you’re not just avoiding doing the thing you say you want or need to do.

You’re also denying yourself real pleasure. You’re losing the chance to relax without guilt and to enjoy the things that really inspire you, fill you up, bring you joy. Which is very rarely the numbing activities that fill your time when you’re procrastinating.

Procrastination can be a message.

It might be your subconscious telling you that you don’t have the information you need, that the task is just too big and overwhelming, that you’re afraid, or that you don’t really want to do this thing at all.

We don’t all need a spotless home, a gym-bunny body, a $100k business, 250k followers on TikTok or Instagram. Indeed, if you want to finish the projects that are really important to you, you might have tough decisions to make about what ambitions and goals to focus on. You might have to decide to neglect some other things — at least for a while.

Whatever your reasons, if you’re stuck in the procrastination cycle, these questions can help.

Still procrastinating? Some questions to ask

• Is this thing I’m procrastinating on really important?
• Am I tired? Do I need a break?
• When did I last take a proper day off?
• Do I need to get outside and go for a walk, to think about how to do this, or what my next moves are?
• Am I getting my basic needs met for rest, play, exercise, food, water, sleep, connection? If not, how could I work those in?
• Is this task really mine to do, or could someone else do it?
• Do I need help? Who could I ask?
• Am I missing some key information? If so, where can I find it?
• Do I really want to do the task I’m procrastinating on? What difference will it make if I don’t do it?
• What will the cost of not doing it be, in a month, year, five years?
• What will be the advantages of having done it, in a month, year, five years?
• Am I just trying to do too much? What would I say to someone I loved, if they showed me a similar to-do list?
• What can I cut from my list? What can I put on the back-burner for now?
• Am I trying to achieve something that is someone else’s ambition or expectation for me?
• What will happen if I don’t do this thing I’m putting off? (Try to be honest here, and use your own judgement, not what others might think of you.)
• What’s the one thing I could do today, that will make everything else easier or unnecessary? (This is from The One Thing, a useful book for procrastinators. Read more about it here.)
• Do I have a fear of failure? If so, what will I regret more in 20 years’ time? Doing this thing and failing? Or not trying at all?

• What would I do if I knew I couldn’t fail? What would be my next step if I truly believed in myself?
• What would Beyonce/Neil Gaiman/Eddie Izzard/Margaret Atwood do? [Use your own hero, role model, or definition of courage here]
• Is perfectionism getting in my way? What will move me forward fastest: getting this done, or making it perfect?
• What stories am I telling myself about this task? Are they true?
• How could this be less complicated? What’s the easiest possible version of the task I’m putting off?
• How could it be more fun?
• How can I reward myself for completing this?
• What’s the very first baby step I could do now, just to start?
• What could I do in the next 15 minutes to progress this?

You might find this is all you need.

But if you’re still procrastinating, I’ve written a longer piece with 17 strategies to try. One of these is bound to get you back into action!

If it does, let me know what worked for you – and how it feels to be back in motion, and getting the important stuff done.

***

Sheryl Garratt is a writer, and a coach helping experienced creatives of all kinds get the success they want, making work they truly love. Get The Creative Companion, my bi-weekly email packed with articles, links and resources for creative professionals. (Or those who want to be.) It's free!