I’ll do it later. But later never comes. Putting things off is a form of procrastination I’ve made into an art. I see the end of a quarter, the mid-point in the year, a holiday or other milestone coming up and I push things until after they are passed. I am the master of this.

the tidiest house.

Years ago, when I started studying for my Psychology degree while working two jobs, a colleague who was doing the same told me that her lecturer had told them their house would never be tidier, cakes would be baked, hobbies started, tasks that usually get put off would become ‘essential’. I’ve always remembered this and catch myself when I see myself doing it. But it’s not always easy.

Spotting non-work tasks that ‘need’ to be done is usually straightforward but my internal dialogue can still convince me to do it instead of what I should be doing. What’s harder for me is identifying when non-essential work tasks have become more important as an avoidance tactic for the thing I really need to get done. I still find myself doing the little tasks. This is where I’m a master.

I write my to-do list and pick off the easy tasks, the admin, the quick wins. Then I ‘need’ a break to clear my head before the main task of the day. I’ve tried writing three priorities at the beginning of the day, this works to a point. But I still find myself doing the little tasks. There was a time where ticking things off, any things, felt good. But not now. I’ve done it so often that I don’t feel better about getting something done. I’m aware they aren’t the things that will make a difference, so I feel bad.

myths that stall actions.

In December it’s easy to put off healthy eating or fitness plans until January. There’s no point in making that kind of change in December with all the parties and Christmas getting in the way. At other times of the year, weight loss plans are derailed by birthdays or weddings or events. Plans get pushed down the road.

I’m not too bad with my lifestyle, but I am terrible when it comes to work. I’ll leave a task for a day when I don’t have other things on. I’ll go to the shops on Monday when it’s quiet and work on Saturday instead. By Saturday I’ve said yes to other plans. My clear day with nothing scheduled is a myth I tell myself to get out of doing the task.

When I worked in marketing, August was usually the down month in the year. I never figured out why this was, because I’ve never had a quiet August. The number of times I or my colleagues would push a task to August was crazy. But, because August was never quiet, the tasks didn’t get done as planned and the pressure to get them done started to mount.

an honest conversation.

Do you have a friend or partner who is your biggest supporter, but who also tells you what they think you need to hear? They let you off the hook when you are down on yourself, tell you not to worry, it’s just one day. But you know the truth. It’s not just one day. It’s every day. And yet, they are the first person you seek out when you need to have that conversation.

I’m exhausted with these conversations. I’m exhausted at the end of each day thinking about what I haven’t done. The things I know I needed to do and yet didn’t do them. Every day is the same, the same internal chatter, the same missed deadlines. The days make you feel like you can’t do it. You start to wonder if you are the problem. Why can’t you just do what’s needed? You made your choices, you’re excited by the opportunities. So why isn’t anything happening?

Every day starts afresh. You adopt a positive attitude. Today’s the day. Then you sit down to do the work, and something distracts you or you look at your to-do list and choose something else to do. You tell yourself, ‘I’ll just get a drink and then I’ll get started’. Really you are just looking for ways to delay the harder or bigger task. That’s OK, but when the days turn to weeks turn to months, there’s a bigger problem you need to address. There’s not something wrong with you, but there is something wrong with the way you are working. You know this is true. Every delayed task and unproductive day is telling you something. It’s not that you aren’t capable, but you need to stop and figure out what it is.

moving goalposts.

I hate moving goalposts. They were one of the most frustrating things I encountered at work. And yet now I constantly move my own goalposts. At work I could get my head around it if I understood why, if the result would be better. But when I move my own goalposts, I don’t stop to consider why. They just move. And then they move again.I set goals in my business, but they move.

I’ve started building more reflection time into my days and weeks. When I write my 3 priorities in the morning, I ask myself why I’m doing them. Why they are important and what is relying on them. When I do my evening journal, I take a moment to consider why something hasn’t been done. I make notes and set an end of month review in my diary where I go through my notes and spot patterns.

I’ve just done my May review, and I can see that the questions in the morning are helping, but my morning routine was causing me problems. I was spending too much time working out the best time to run, when I know I love to run first. I was causing myself conflict because I had also told myself my best work time was first thing when I got up. It’s not. So, now I run, get ready to work and start my workday at 7am. That way I have a set worktime that my brain can get used to. This is also my commute time if I’m co-working or going to an event. I like that the decision is made, it makes things much easier. I’m coming up on 2000 days of consecutive running because I changed ‘will I run today’ to ‘when will I run today’. I am learning to apply this thinking to other areas of my life, with similar success.

If putting things off is something you keep doing and can’t work out why, that’s what I help you figure out. Book a free introductory call.