Procrastinators Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from chronic procrastination.
Trying to do too much.
I had a very successful day yesterday, and am feeling even better today. This seems to create a new problem for me. I'm feeling so motivated today, that I want to get everything done at once. So here I am, feeling pretty good, looking forward to the day, and stressing as bad as ever because I don't know where to begin. I guess that's where routines are important. Maybe I'll establish some (and stick to them this time.) But then I can't get some of the other things done...because I'm setting up routines...but routines are important...but...
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where to begin?
> So here I am, feeling pretty good, looking forward to the day, and stressing as bad as ever because I don't know where to begin.
That's the story of my life. I can't tell you how many times I've stalled because I couldn't decide which task to begin with since all were late and high priority.
I'm reading a very intense book called "Too Perfect". This morning I read the chapter about how people with obsessive-compulsive personalities have trouble making decisions because they are over-invested in it being the "right" decision. They have a phobia of making errors, and think they somehow shouldn't ever make errors. This (as with so many other things in the book) hit home for me. I think I often have trouble making decisions and committing to things for this reason.
In the end, it doesn't matter if it's the perfect action - it just matters that I take an action, any action. ;)
Productivity Principle no. 89
I have this posted on the wall in front of my desk, it's from David Allen's newsletter, it has struck closer to home for me than any other "quote" ever has:
"Perfection and productivity are mutually exclusive. One of the most powerful forces promoting procrastination is not necessarily the desire for perfection, but it's evil twin: the fear of inperfection. If you don't engage with something, you maintain the illusion that your capable of its flawless execution...If it must be faultless before you get involved, you will become a master of avoidence..."
That's me! I finally understand what they really mean by "fear of success." It's really fear of imperfect success.
Fear of success
Fear of imperfect success is just one manifestation of fear of success. Another is that if I'm successful I may just get asked/feel obliged to do something else even bigger. I once had a dream of having a yoga studio, but never really got started on it, and I realised that I really didn't want the responsibility of running a successful business that would require so much dedication to business and marketing.
perfectionism
I have a big red sign on my desk that says: "Most jobs require completion, not perfection." :)