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.
Odd thought re childhood and why we procrastinate
You know when you're a very, very young child, a toddler, and adults start trying to make you do things? Well, 'trying' is not the operative word. These are HUGE roaring people who are as strong as trees. They are GOING to make you do things. As a small child, you know that when adults say it's bathtime, you're going to be naked in hot water pretty soon, no matter how much you kick and scream. So why do you kick and scream?
Well, you can't stop it, but you can hold it off for as long as possible. That's all you can do. So you do it. It's your first impulse towards autonomy - the first sign that you want to grow up.
I'm wondering if those of us who have serious trouble with procrastination are somehow stuck there. On some level, we think we haven't grown up - we're still helpless, puny little things with huge inescapable forces acting on us. And all we can do is hold it off for as long as possible.
Oh, sure, the little savage gets civilised over time, and kicking and screaming becomes endless hours on the internet, or in bed, or curled up on the floor. But it's the same impulse, isn't it? The impulse to grow up, somehow turned pathetically outside-in. Not realising that WE are now huge roaring people as strong as trees, and that our lives are ours, and that we have a choice.
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Recognizing our own power
Thank you for the insightful comments, Lucky. I think indeed that many people have this type of 'defiance' procrastination. There are many other reasons too that people procrastinate. But I think that, as you imply, when we truly realize our own power, not just consciously, but subconsciously and within every fiber of our being we will be able to overcome procrastination. We use tools and tricks to help us along the way, and gradually inculcate these into a new paradigm. I must hold out hope that it will become part of who I am to powerfully reject the ways and habits that have caused so much heartache over the years. I like the idea of being 'strong as trees'.
(Lucky)
I think there are many childhood "reasons" where procrastination became part of a way to cope . For me , it also had to do with "control" .
I discovered even if I knew evey reson, it did not make me stop, I needed to gived control to hp and rely on a spiritual solution.
reasons why we procrastinate
I agree with Vic, it's good to understand the causes, but you don't need to know why to begin working on changing the behavior. I love your bath story though because, although I responded differently to bathtime, I can see the beginnings of avoidance behavior for me - my mom said I'd go in the bathroom, run water in the tub, then sit on the side of the tub and read a book. I'd splash the water with my foot once in a while to make my mom think I was bathing. All that work just to avoid one task!
'I'm going to put a smile on my face, put forth a good effort, and be better today than I was yesterday.' - Huma