Dealing with Procrastination Rochester Democrat & Chronicle Take a look at an interesting article we found.
One Heck of a Pastime Evening Observer Take a look at an interesting article we found.
Tax Procrastinators Live West of the Mississippi Louisville Courier-Journal Take a look at an interesting article we found.
 by Capt Neptune |
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 by Holly |
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 by Matt |
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April 09, 2008
I’ve been meaning to get around to this topic for a while, and have decided not to put it off any longer.
First off, procrastination comes from the Latin “pro,” meaning “forward, forth, or in favor of,” and “crastinus,” meaning “of tomorrow.”
Contrary to popular belief, it is not a product of the Industrial Age. Obviously, it’s been around since the human race has faced anything that they didn't want to do.
In fact, as far back as 44 B.C., Marcus Tullius Cicero, in a series of speeches denouncing Mark Anthony, states, “…In the conduct of almost every affair slowness and procrastination are hateful.”
Not limited to Western civilization, in the Bhagavad-Gita, written in 500 B.C., Krishna, its speaker, states that those who procrastinate are undisciplined, vulgar, stubborn, wicked, malicious, lazy, depressed. And, paraphrasing an old joke, those are the good things.
The Reverend Walker, in a 17th-Century sermon copied from the microfilms held at the University of Ottawa, cut to the chase, stating that to procrastinate is to sin.
It was Philip Stanhope, the Fourth Earl of Chesterfield, that put procrastination right on the aphorism list by these words of wisdom: "Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.”
A recent poll showed about 60% of the population said they procrastinate, and about 6% indicated they often procrastinate. I would expect it all to be much higher, since the worst procrastinators probably put off participating in the survey.
So the question becomes, since most of us are afflicted to some extent and are all sinners, in varying degrees, what do we do about it?
There are all sorts of people willing to take your money and help you rid yourself of this sin. They usually draw you in with lead ins like, how many times have you said, “I’m definitely going to start that diet" or, “This will definitely be my last cigarette.” Or "When are you going to finish that novel?" Then prescribe a course of action that teaches us prioritizing, breaking big complicated tasks into smaller pieces, cleaning your work area, and minimizing distractions like checking voice mail and email every five minutes.
Sometimes I think the cure may be worse than the disease. You start to feel guilty if you read a book, or do something for yourself. And you become a workaholic, with the only known cure being -- you guessed it -- procrastination.
On the bright side, there’s an interesting slant on the subject in an essay called "Structured Procrastination." It concludes that procrastination can work for you. The reasoning goes like this: when you put off something big, you substitute it by doing a lot of things to avoid the big thing, which can be even more productive.
Or is that one big rationalization?
Clearly, procrastination is a complicated subject.
Have you found any answers? Are you looking for any answers?
Are you late finding the answers?
Share the Eye:
Ten Things to Know Psychology Today Take a look at an interesting article we found.
Structured Procrastination structuredprocrastination.com Take a look at an interesting article we found.
Procrastination Cal Poly Study Skills Center Take a look at an interesting article we found.
A complicated subject, indeed, but I would add that the act of procrastination is a personal choi...
Apr. 09, 2008 3:27 PM
What kind of procrastinator are you?
8% 42% 42% 8%
Never do today what you can do tomorrow.
By the time I found the answers I'd forgot the questions.
The only time I plan to procrastinate is the day I'm supposed to die. I'd like to put that off till the next day......as to death, it comes sooner or later and "later" does sound better.
The procrastinator's prayer is: "God grant that we don't have to make any decisions today (or tomorrow)."
A bumper sticker I saw the other day is perfect for a procrastinator. It said: "Jesus is coming! Look busy!"
I've often thought that procrastinators are perfectionists who are so worried about failing they never get started on anything.
Of course, you realize I've been putting off what I really meant to say. It can wait till tomorrow
Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.
Don Marquis
US humorist (1878 - 1937)
I'll write more later.....
To La Donna:
I'm interested in what you plan to write later.....but can I read it tomorrow? I have to catch up on what people wrote yesterday.
I think the best way to deal with procrastination is to break the problem into smaller pieces. For example, a huge programming project by itself is a daunting task, but if you break it up into writing separate classes, an algorithm here and there, and some methods, it begins to look a lot more do-able. Or, another example is building a house. Looking at 12 pages or architectural plans can make your head swim, but contractors do it... framing one wall at a time. Working on the individual pieces can make the problem feel more manageable and it helps with reducing procrastination. You just have to force yourself to sit down and work on those pieces... :)
Shannon said...
A complicated subject, indeed, but I would add that the act of procrastination is a personal choice, motivated in my case, by fear.
Procrastination is quite deliberate delay, contrary to what those of us who do it tell ourselves to justify yet another day of precious life having slipped into the past without much accomplishment to measure it by.
On too many occasions we elect to put off the action that we know would move us, measurably, closer to achieving what we dream of.
I am guilty of this this despite my claim that I am one who does what I say I will and I can blame only myself, and my detestable fear of failure for the time I have lost.
If we "sin" through our inaction, it is only against ourselves by denying an opportunity to grow out of fear of an unrealized outcome.
When one thinks of procrastination as a choice, I humbly suggest that it is not nearly so easy to justify.
And as for failure, I'm learning that one who fears it sees an end shrouded in shame, where one with imagination sees only the promise of obstacles.
I offer one of Goethe's couplets ~ "whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic to it."
more on the honor rollTo ExPat:
I'll put it on my daily to-do list!
Spinner said...
Through the years I have come to realize that whether we procrastinate or not is a basic function of our personality. We either jump right to a chore we see that needs to be done or we don't and find all sorts of excuses to put it off until "later". It is just who we are and I don't think we can do a lot about changing that even with all sorts of self-help books, advice, and clever homilies.
In college, I was considered really weird because I did my homework and studied for exams as soon as I got the assignment. I always figured that I better get going on that term paper now because I didn't know if I would get sick or have some other problem that would prevent me from getting it done the night before it was due. This has been a problem with students for generations and when my husband taught at the college level, he would assign dates for term papers as the LAST date the paper would be accepted. Many times kids in my dorm gave me a rough time for being such a nerd but through the years since, there have been many, many instances where this trait of doing things when I saw they needed doing has payed off in spades. Just yesterday, in fact. I had the day off and my husband was out of town. I figured that I would be too tired after work today to make the welcome home supper I had planned, so I made it yesterday. He came home a day early. No problem!
Thanks for a lively forum. I put off telling you all this as long as possible.