I’M A PROCRASTINATOR. There’s no way to deny it. This was brought home to me the other day, quite literally, when I was trapped in my apartment by a front door failure. For months and months, I had struggled with the 1930s doorknob as it spun and jiggled precariously. Whenever I turned it in a rush on my way out, I’d think to myself, Hmm, I’d better fix that. Luckily, on the day the hardware finally gave out and I was stuck inside with half a doorknob in my hand, my super was home and was able to free me quickly.
As I’ve matured, I’ve realized that procrastination is an undeniable part of my process—especially in creative endeavors. It happens with these editor’s letters. I’ll spend weeks thinking about my next essay—on the subway or in the shower, where all good ideas launch. Finally, on the eve of my due date, I’ll sit down and write it in half an hour. So putting things off is not something I feel I need to completely give up since it doesn’t make me dysfunctional (door hardware notwithstanding). But like for many people, it is something I need to manage.
Being aware of what tasks you’re delaying is key, be it dealing with a pile of pesky financial papers that need to be shredded/filed or straightening up stuff dumped on a dining table. I do find that these piles of undone projects sometimes weigh on me in a low-grade way. So what I try to do is recognize that emotion (guilt? regret? resentment?) and use it as motivation to just get the job done. When I finally do, invariably it takes very little time and I have a huge sense of accomplishment. So why do I wait?
Our sister brand Very well Mind puts procrastinators into six categories: “Perfectionist: Puts off tasks out of the fear of not being able to complete a task perfectly. Dreamer: Puts off tasks because they are not good at paying attention to detail. Defier: Doesn’t believe someone should dictate their time schedule. Worrier: Puts off tasks out of fear of change or leaving the comfort of ‘the known.’ Crisis-maker: Puts off tasks because they like working under pressure. Overdoer: Takes on too much and struggles with finding time to start and complete tasks.” I am both a Defier since I’m a bit rebellious about demands on my time and a Crisis-maker, but only of a mild sort, and I never let it reach full emergency mode. Which one are you? Or maybe you don’t put things off.
In most of my work life, I don’t have the luxury of not being decisive. However, for many of us, home is where procrastination dwells. Even now, when someone asks me if our Cape Cod house renovation is finished, I have to stop and think, Is it?, as I remember the remaining furniture that needs to be chosen and the lighting that isn’t installed. Many of the undone things we have learned to live with over the past six months have started to become invisible. It takes showing a guest around the house for me to truly see, for example, that the IKEA hanging lamp, which was temporarily slung over the French doors a year ago and must be plugged in and unplugged at the wall socket, should not still be dangling there.
I don’t feel too bad about my put-it-off habits. Even before I read recent news stories about the benefits to the creative process of procrastination—turns out the idea of doing it right is often better than getting it done as quickly as possible—I realized that spending time turning concepts over in my mind gives me the best results. I need time and space to think and create in ways that are novel or clever. At least that’s my intention. But you be the judge as you read this—because I put it off until the very last minute.
STEPHEN ORR,
Editor in Chief
instagram @steporr
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