So What Does Procrastination Mean? Procrastination Definition: Not to be too technical but in Human terms, Putting it off isn’t that being lazy?
But officially Procrastination Definition according to Wikipedia
Scenario 1:
Do you remember your school day exams, where you also have parties coming up close to the exams as well?
Now you have outings which require your attendance, shopping for clothes or shoes for that party you need to go to.
Or maybe you have that camping and fishing trip coming up just before the exams.
You do need to get that organized first, as well don’t you?
No good going camping without a tent, some food, drinks, sleeping bag, don’t forget to pack the fishing rods after it’s all on the list you made for that all-important weekend event.
What about the other events? Do you know that the exams that are coming up?
Don’t you need to do some study or revision at least?
Don’t give me that four-letter word!
EXAM!
What are you talking about?
I’ve got time, the weekend is coming up plus once that’s done it’s still three days before my exams I can do it later maybe the night before so I won’t forget what I learned.
Besides, it will still be fresh in my mind if I study the night before. (that sounds familiar).
Moving forward the day before the exams.
The day before the exam you keep your word you are motivated to study only because you have no choice.
The exams are tomorrow so you begin at 11 pm that night and the only reason you started that late is because there was a good movie on and you didn’t want to miss it.
Meanwhile, it’s 4 am in the morning on the day of the exams and your head is resting on the book with your eyes closed, probably snoring away.
Still, on the same page, you had when you started.
Must have been the excitement of the movie that got you exhausted.
Someone wakes you up because you forgot to set the alarm so the person lets you know you have an hour or so to get ready and get to school to do your exams.
You look at the book and think Gee I didn’t get much done I should have done some revision when I had a chance a few weeks ago.
Oh well, I will just wing it and hope for the best.
That could be a form of procrastination don’t you think? Is that lazy too?
Let’s get closer to home.
Scenario 2:
You need to create a page on your website and maybe even do a blog.
Your mind has a thousand and one ideas but none want to come forward and volunteer in order to be the first idea to be typed about on your word processor.
We know it won’t be on paper because you couldn’t be bothered to get a pen and write it out only to re-typed it on the computer later.
Is that a form of procrastination as well? Or just thinking ahead?
Gee, it’s bad enough to procrastinate yourself but now your mind is following your footsteps LOL.
So what are you going to do?
Well first of all. Don’t think that is being just lazy because there are other reasons that may cause procrastination.
Sometimes to avoid negative emotions, or even in delaying a stressful task can occur this is also known as the pleasure principle.
Just for the record the pleasure principle is the instinctual seeking of pleasure and avoiding pain in order to satisfy biological and psychological needs according to Freudian Psychology.
This is a type of coping mechanism that comes with the anxiety of starting or completing a task or decision.
This can go more in-depth but I am not going to go further into Psychology, after all, we are doing a blog here, not Psychology analysis although studying some of these aspects could also help.
Think about it how many marketers and entrepreneurs talk about motivational speaking doesn’t this also come from psychological analysis at one point in time?
That’s a form of motivational speaking short as it may be it doesn’t have to be a lecture at a convention.
Now you have to go to my blog and read it if you haven’t before.
So how to fix this issue?
Well, you know what?
Here is a great link you can find on Wikipedia with how to overcome procrastination by using self-talk.
Question?
I would love to know what methods you have used in dealing with procrastination.
How did you overcome this and how has it helped you?
Leave your comments below as your ideas and support could help others go forward in life.
I would love to connect with you at other places I regularly visit.
Here is where you can find me.
Wealthy Affiliate
Not to mention it is one of the best community places around, Wealthy Affiliate.
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Ask yourself?
Do I want to go forward in life and become a successful positive person or would I prefer to just exist and be doing work for others for the rest of my life?
Your Choice for the Journey begins with you.
Hi Heather
Thank you so much for commenting on What Does Procrastination Mean, I truly appreciate and value your thoughts and views which are spot on.
When one is dealing with any form of creative growth (which could be physical, mental or spiritual) for many can create this feeling of failure in particular when they feel what they want to achieve in life doesn’t happen as quick as they would wish.
For example; writer’s wanting to publish a book or a blogger creating posts on their website for many, much emphasis is placed on having that quick success be if for financial gain or otherwise. For many this may not appear as early as originally hoped.
This can result in a feeling of failure that can easily (if not realized) create that lack of interest and motivation along the way as you have pointed out.
Some may ask “What am I doing wrong” but when they can acknowledge and learn to accept that there are times that true growth of any nature may need a bit more time than anticipated.
This is why many in particular bloggers fail quickly as the Ego is in a rush for that quick fix which most often results in lack of progress and unwanted results.
When we can take some time to step back and reflect on the issue at hand, more answers than questions will present itself which can only assist in one going forward in life.
For some, in the case of blogging doing more research and learning techniques such as the ones here at Wealthy Affiliate which can only enhance your skill sets.
For those who may be on a more spiritual pathway, using this quite gestation period can be of great advantage as it could be the opportune time for some form of reflection such as meditation, Tai Chi, going for walks are some wonderful techniques that will certainly enhance and improve the creativity and bring any form of creative growth up a notch.
Always know that progress is always being made regardless of which pathway one chooses.
So rather than feeling bad, irritated or even lost, allow this quiet time to reflect and acknowledge that the natural process will materialize and many will know that the result then will be much greater than the one originally thought of earlier.
When this happens procrastination will be a thing of a past we have learnt from.
Thank you so much Heather
Strive to succeed and you will achieve
Andre
Hi Andre,
I enjoyed reading your post, What Does Procrastination Mean.
Procrastination can be a dream killer for sure, and I liked your examples of the exams and trying to start a new blog post. So true!
There is another reason for procrastination (or what appears to be procrastination to others) that I wanted to mention, and that is when new creative territory is being birthed from within.
This dormant period has its own timeframe and it can appear that one has lost all interest and motivation in getting anything done, especially creatively.
What I have discovered along the way, is rather than feeling bad about this idle, and seemingly unproductive period we are going through is to be gentle with ourselves and allow this ‘underground’ growth period to take its course.
For sure, others may question this unproductive period and may even call it procrastinating, but sometimes we are simply creatively dormant, experiencing a quiet gestation period, as we grow into the next level of our creativity.
I just wanted to add these thoughts to your valuable post on this topic of procrastination.
Blessings,
Heather
Hi Russell Yes thank you for your comment appreciate.
Procrastination can undo many of us at times yes the best remedy is just to go forward stay with a positive attitude and simply be proactive in all we do.
Thank you once again for your comment and the visit much appreciated.
Take care be well
Andre
Well you haven’t being procrastinating, great article Andre.