Why, Yes I Am
Procrastinating, that is. What is it with these life lessons that we think we’ve learned? And somehow haven’t?

A Client Mentioned
the 80/20 Rule. He spends 80% of the time procrastinating; 20% of the time doing the actual work he spent so much time avoiding. I relate.

If All Behavior Is Learned
including our thought patterns, then theoretically we should be able to change the patterns. Look at what’s going on, recognize it, understand it and decide on doing it differently. Preferably for a Very Good Reason, to get you going.

Love It; Don’t Love It
As I’m wrapping up this year, looking at the work I’ve done/not done and how I’ve spent my time, this is what I discovered:

I love my work. Thank you, clients! I love my active leisure time. Thank you, friends, family, exercising, dancing, visiting, reading, dining, laughing, playing, resting.

I don’t love all those guilt-laden, in-between hours. Knowing I have work to do and avoiding it, feeling lousy about it. And letting the choice make me…not happy.

In The Big Picture
I have fewer years and hours ahead of me than behind me. I don’t mind wasting time when I do it with full commitment, kind of like an all-out “LATER.” Go for it! But I’m tired of that guilty halfway feeling. Anyone with me on this?

The Time Is Now
Start the project. Draft the report. Decide on the strategy. Book the appointment. Send the email. Schedule the review. Practice the presentation. Plan the difficult conversation. Make the phone call. Begin the PPT slideshow. Choose an opening sentence. Write the blog post.

If It Needs To Happen
it’s going to happen. The beauty is that we get to decide just how hard we’re going to make it on ourselves in the interim. What do you think? I’d love to hear your strategies.

P.S. For more ideas, here are 3 techniques I shared in a prior post from 3½ years ago, Why Am I Procrastinating? Aha, the more things change, the more they stay the same! And this is translated from the original French phrase: “Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose,” written by Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr, in (are you ready for this?) 1849.

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