The Art of Procrastination by AMANDA WHITBECK
What is it about Procrastination that is so appealing? It’s not that we set out to procrastinate, but while we are doing it, it can feel soothing. And yet, so amazingly stressful. It is fascinating some of the excuses we justify just so that we can continue to procrastinate.
“It won’t take me that long to actually do it, so I can wait a bit longer.”
“I’ll start right after I finish…”
“It’s just not the right time to start yet…”
“I’m just so busy right now…”
My current procrastination project is my Memoir. I’ve worked on this book for two years now. I put off writing it because it was highly emotional, which I admit was some procrastination, but it was also that I really wasn’t ready for people to read my story yet. It took me a month to actually write, thank you NaNoWriMo. I spent 3 months pretending to edit which was me telling myself that I would get to it, but I was too busy with any number of things. A few times I told myself that it would wait because there wasn’t actually a deadline. Then Camp NaNoWriMo came around and I decided that it was time.
Now that I’ve revised it and edited it multiple times, I put off deciding how I wanted to publish. I did a lot of research, but even after I made my mind up, I kept putting off working towards publication. That was about a year. I know exactly what I want to do and how, but even with all the resources out I need, I still keep procrastinating. I’m currently working on:
Making a list of Literary Agents
Writing a query
A last edit polish
Finding Beta Readers
I find myself with prospective beta readers and I still can’t seem to get myself into gear.
Now I’m writing this article about procrastination while I procrastinate… Talk about avoidance. What is it that makes us put off something that is clearly important to ourselves?
It could be that due to the high emotional nature of my memoir, I am just not ready to put it into print. It could be that I’m having some self esteem issues now that I have a beta reader and don’t think my writing is up to par. Maybe I feel that my story isn’t important enough for other people to read. Or better yet, maybe my fear of rejection has stopped me in my tracks and is filling me with excuses. I can’t be rejected if I don’t try… right?
So while I am being honest here, let me admit to what I find myself doing instead of getting my memoir finalized.
Cleaning detailed things that could take a long time
Cooking unnecessary and over-complicated recipes
Over researching pointless or useless information
Starting new writing projects
Reading books
Starting new craft projects
I’m hoping that I will pep talk myself with this article so that I can get myself moving forward.
What have you been putting off lately and why? What tactics and excuses do you use to justify it?
Contributed by Amanda Whitbeck
What is it about Procrastination that is so appealing? It’s not that we set out to procrastinate, but while we are doing it, it can feel soothing. And yet, so amazingly stressful. It is fascinating some of the excuses we justify just so that we can continue to procrastinate.
“It won’t take me that long to actually do it, so I can wait a bit longer.”
“I’ll start right after I finish…”
“It’s just not the right time to start yet…”
“I’m just so busy right now…”
My current procrastination project is my Memoir. I’ve worked on this book for two years now. I put off writing it because it was highly emotional, which I admit was some procrastination, but it was also that I really wasn’t ready for people to read my story yet. It took me a month to actually write, thank you NaNoWriMo. I spent 3 months pretending to edit which was me telling myself that I would get to it, but I was too busy with any number of things. A few times I told myself that it would wait because there wasn’t actually a deadline. Then Camp NaNoWriMo came around and I decided that it was time.
Now that I’ve revised it and edited it multiple times, I put off deciding how I wanted to publish. I did a lot of research, but even after I made my mind up, I kept putting off working towards publication. That was about a year. I know exactly what I want to do and how, but even with all the resources out I need, I still keep procrastinating. I’m currently working on:
Making a list of Literary Agents
Writing a query
A last edit polish
Finding Beta Readers
I find myself with prospective beta readers and I still can’t seem to get myself into gear.
Now I’m writing this article about procrastination while I procrastinate… Talk about avoidance. What is it that makes us put off something that is clearly important to ourselves?
It could be that due to the high emotional nature of my memoir, I am just not ready to put it into print. It could be that I’m having some self esteem issues now that I have a beta reader and don’t think my writing is up to par. Maybe I feel that my story isn’t important enough for other people to read. Or better yet, maybe my fear of rejection has stopped me in my tracks and is filling me with excuses. I can’t be rejected if I don’t try… right?
So while I am being honest here, let me admit to what I find myself doing instead of getting my memoir finalized.
Cleaning detailed things that could take a long time
Cooking unnecessary and over-complicated recipes
Over researching pointless or useless information
Starting new writing projects
Reading books
Starting new craft projects
I’m hoping that I will pep talk myself with this article so that I can get myself moving forward.
What have you been putting off lately and why? What tactics and excuses do you use to justify it?
Contributed by Amanda Whitbeck