We are all procrastinators to some degree. We postpone or delay until some future time something we have already decided to do. There are a variety of reasons why we procrastinate.
- To escape an overwhelming or unpleasant task.
- To excuse poor quality work.
- To gain sympathy.
- To get someone else to do the job.
- To protect a weak self-image.
- To avoid change.
- To avoid the realization that the task or opportunity is no longer appropriate to our needs.
But we pay an enormous price for the ‘luxury’ of putting it off. Perhaps the greatest price is putting off living in the present, which in turn blocks our sense of fulfillment. Other costs of procrastinating include the boredom of inactivity, the anxiety of working under extreme deadline pressures, the emptiness of “safe” but impotent goals, the constant frustration of unresolved problems, and poor interpersonal relationship which result from our crippled approach to life.
When procrastinating, we are at rest, and the hardest part is getting started. Once in motion, our momentum tends to keep us going.
Don’t quit ~ get the job done!
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