To Do or Not to Do; The Pain of Tomorrow and the Pleasure of Today...
Greetings, Steemians!
Today we are going to discuss the evil of procrastination and how each and every one of us is afflicted with it one way or another. Bear with me as I make my case against this monster!
If I came to you one day and asked you to give me a friend’s phone number within six days, when would you actually give me the number? Most people would wait for five days and then do the deed, whereas a clever person would do it as soon as it is humanly possible.
Procrastination is the single greatest enemy of brilliant minds and the greatest deception ever conceived of by mankind.
Imagine that you had to study a 600-page book for your exam and you had 6 days to do it. The reasonable choice would be to divide the book into 6 parts, each 100 pages long, and each an assignment for a single day. In this scenario, you decide to study 100 pages every day. But when the first day arrives, you decide that you don’t quite feel like studying the book today.
So, instead of achieving your predetermined goal, you search other places for instant gratification. Your argument here would be, “Well, I can read 120 pages every day from tomorrow and still get it done in time!”
Trust me, that tomorrow when you actually get on with what you have to do never arrives. The next day, you will decide to read 150 pages in 4 days to get it done.
The day after that you suddenly come to this brilliant realization that 20% of the book is pictures and diagrams, which will inadvertently reduce your workload. Eventually, you will find that you are merely 24 hours away from your deadline with a whole 600 pages of studying to cover.
That has happened to us time and time again. The Wall Street Journal indicates in one of its reports that procrastination is an emotional response to stress and anxiety. The idea of postponing the things that you have to do, and this senseless strategy and tendency that has grown in our society like a festering wound, has given cause to many mental health, economic, social, and personal relationship problems.
But what is the psychological reason behind procrastination?
Some psychologists have come to the conclusion that most people procrastinate because of the false perceptions and assessments that they hold in their minds regarding the reality around them. The sensibility of their thought faculty is undermined by the anxiety of having to actually do things rather than think about them.
For instance, a lot of procrastinators might think that they procrastinate because of their aspirations to do their job as flawless as they possibly can, but this tendency has nothing to do with perfectionism, but rather a strong desire to start doing things in an instant or bring them to a swift conclusion. It is as if our minds are hardwired against the idea of consistency and perseverance.
It then becomes clear that the main problem with most humans is the lack of tolerance and patience to accept and bring discipline into their lives.
So, whether it is fear, doubt, or any other misguided illusion of perfectionism or excuse to procrastinate, this tendency has been the true villain behind every defeat and senselessness that has crippled the life of man; this unwillingness to get a move on and do the things that we must is what destroys a lot of lives before their time comes.
People forsake their dreams, lose their jobs, break apart relationships and marriages, and fall into all sorts of mental illnesses and depressions as the pillars of their life collapse all around them in the whirlwind of anxiety and despair.
But if you have ever been a procrastinator, you already know what you are dealing with, so what is the solution?
What is the golden method with which you can shake off this horrid tendency and bring balance and principle to your life? Well, I am here to tell you that there is no single solid method that would do the trick and work wonders for your little condition!
What I want you to understand is that not everything has a blueprint in life. Sometimes, all you need to do or all you can really do is sit down and think about your afflictions and how they are ruining your life. Sometimes, all you can or need to do is to muster that will, that strongest resolve and determination, to slowly make a change and work your way towards a different way to live.
All you need to do is acknowledge the fact that you indeed have this monstrous tendency and work on your inclination to put an end to it. Important Note! I have been working very hard on this blog since the beginning. I have a very busy life but I am giving my best and believe me I have shared experiences that I have been coaching thousands of people and I know that the change of the Mindset should be daily. I am already grateful to see you giving upvotes to each other and you can see this with the fact that many already have 8, 9, 10 upvotes. But I'm sure that with the effort of all of us we will see a community with, 40, 50, 80 upvotes and for that everyone should get engaged so we can make it come true. I believe and we can! Resteem... ***Remember Community: Please, if you commented and upvote on a new post I did, please always go back to the previous one because if someone in the community commented lastly because of time zone differences it will be without your upvote and that would not be fair. You all know the goal! We can reach: 50+ Upvotes each others! Attention!!! I'm reading all the meaningful comments from the posts. I am here making a list of all of you who have helped build this community by voting for each other who write meaningful comments and soon I will respond to everyone with comment and thank you all because I can already see this spirit being built in this Positive Mindset community and help between all of you. You will receive my upvote in all material and brief comments I will do this in all the posts I am following very closely and I can see what the people who are generous and contribute to this legacy that I am trying to build with all of you can become reality in a short time. AND First of all, I would like to thank all of you, who are the most active and proactive in this community, showing your generosity and always with meaningful comments. From now on I will always make a list of these incredible people who have helped to expand our goal of growing ever more. And if you are not on this list, please, after making your comment, write in that comment: Include my profile in the list, because I do or want to be part of all this with all of you! But I ask that if you are new around here you read many of the previous posts because they make it clear that we are building a community with respect among all, generosity and this blog is for those who really want to start moving their Mindset to positive and moreover be part of the growth of all of us who contribute to this blog. Please do not ask to include you in the list if you are just wanting votes or speculating because we want here people genuinely attuned to growth and good attitudes and as I have always said with Respect as the basis of all, generosity and positivity! Remember the rules. First leave your comment meaningful and then leave your message that you want to be included in this comment. Everyone is welcome and I hope this list grows exponentially because this will be a reflection of everyone's growth. I really do not want to be able to update the list of so many people that can be included in it. Let's go together towards the 50+ upvotes to recognize the efforts of those who dedicate their time so that we can become stronger and leave a legacy of growth in our lives and in the lives of others! ABOUT OUR LIST!!! I'm not going to put this list in all the posts because I do not quite understand why, but some people did not like me to tag them even though this list is a list of acknowledgment and thanks from the people I've observed being the ones who write meaningful comments , are generous voting for each other and contribute more to this family we are building here. So stay tuned to the text below and in the next posts. @juanmanuellopez1 @moghul @coolguy222 @newageinv @gowealth @blessed-girl @cruis @lexymaine @alokkumar121 @aceandnotes @darlenys01 @rafique1953 @marvyinnovation @wems @ajks @alaisguineasis @amnlive @kimmysomelove42 @praditya @tommyl33 @samryan @vickykarma @brightsun @oppongk @kryp70kn1gh7 @hobo.media @theticket @royer94 @mentalhealthguru @bradley028 @nummulshrma @steemmatt @maxijgcomm @maikelblogo @mrblu @nancymj @petervi @mcoinz79 @missabigail @saludoalalma @mcnestler @moarafatshow @gargi @luis402 @rem-steem @shahzadeh @sumon-ar-vines @naijauser @yantrax @josema.saborido @khan.dayyanz @shapescooper @aceofhearts @marcocosta @rvag5 @fusroj @cashlane @borrowedearth @michaeljn @kchitrah @mitchhunter @nataliaeline @cherlianny @unknownphoton @unclefz @gardengranny @bettyamv @ghostwriter9 @wandrnrose7 @nancybriti @missladybug @shirophantomhive @rvag5 @ankitjnv @marvyinnovation @tommyl33 @gowealth @ustaadonline @daio @brightsun @mzubairch @lightestofideas @amit1995 @starapple @treodecimo @edinhazard @maxijgcomm @wasito @mariita52 @maroni55 @nataliaeline @ajtech2596 @keithf @wesleyvanderstel @grainsofsand @mariita52 @naijauser Thanks All of You!!!!
A BIG HUG! AND HAVE A AMAZING WEEK!
Alas, I am guilty of this. I picture time wasted as a child sifting sand through fingers. I try, but don't always succeed, at priorities and getting "distasteful" chores done first thing each morning. Lists are wonderful, as are calandar reminder apps. I swear by them. On November 8th I had hip orthoscopic surgery. My boyfriend paid out of pocket for me to get a device called a CPM. It stands for continuous positive motion device. This device was not covered under my insurance but it was recommended by my surgeon because it insured a quicker healing. You are sent home with the machine as soon as surgery is done and you immediately use this device for two weeks everyday for 4 to 6 hours. I was an overachiever and used the device even more often as I lay in bed lamenting that I was stuck in bed. On week 2, I started physical therapy and my therapist was thrilled with my range of motion. As of Friday I have been permitted to stop using my crutches except for when outside on uneven ground.
Procrastination in healing means a much longer and more painful healing. And the good news is, I can go back to work on the 10th of December. Sometimes priorities give us what we need quickly. Thanks for the article advice.
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Dear @wandrnrose7, I'm glad to see people like you around here. You are becoming one of the best in commenting. In your specific case I understand your anguish but the most important thing is that when we have a health problem we must have a different communication to program our Mindset unless it is a problem in our brain of course. Think about it, what I'm going to tell you here is very powerful.
When we have any kind of illness remember that we have the machine that commands everything that is the brain and even if you were in an anguish when you were in bed unconsciously your brain worked because you sent a command at all times to him that did not wanted to stay in bed and this automatically helped in his speedy recovery.
If it was unconscious I do not know but from today remember that you have not procrastinated with your brain and this is the important thing to understand.
If you understand this every day you will better program your positive and proactive Mindset and I assure you that you will see how powerful this is. Work on it every day and I hope you are 100% recovered with your health!
Regards!
Thank you my friend for your kind comment. I do appreciate the advice and will take it to heart. I am not young but I retain a young at heart Spirit. The whole reason behind this hip surgery was to keep me much more mobile for at least the next 10 years. I could have put off the surgery because it is unpleasant, but I have dreams and places to go and things to do. The ongoing pain from the condition which sparked the surgery is what finally caused me to give in and just get this done.
Your explanation makes sense, and I do appreciate you breaking it down to me so simply. Have a wonderful day and thank you again!
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love you
In my opinion, procrastination also stems from a lack of awareness of the consequences. Take the example of studying a 600 page book. When it's 24 hours from the test and you haven't started yet, the consequences finally dawn on you as a result of stress accumulation. Up until that point, it was not seen as the most vital of objectives to complete. When the deadline closes on you, you start to feel the pressure of it. This is why we live in a society of 'late do-ers' riddled with people who have bouts of deadline anxiety. Finishing small portions of a task a day creates a sense of accomplishment as well the motivation to continue. But as humans, it is our nature to realize facts to late and subconsciously take the hard way out of everything. It's what makes life what it is. Great post, looking forward to more.
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@reverseacid, Your comment is so good that I honestly have nothing to add just my upvote. Have a great week.
You too, bud!
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Procrastination is a coping mechanism that helps you and hurts you at the same time. Stress and anxiety seems to reduce when we procrastinate, but we are actually building up that stress and anxiety the more we procrastinate on something. Procrastination can be an addiction. When you tell people that you procrastinated on something, they may see you as lazy and unwilling to complete your tasks, duties, and responsibilities. There are people that manage procrastination well, so their perspective on it might be that it's easy to manage, and the inability to understand why it's difficult or a problem for others. Pushing yourself to do something that you really did not want to do in the first place tends to end up in procrastination since it becomes strengthened with negative emotions and thoughts. Procrastination can happen before you do something, while you're doing something, and even right before you finish doing something. I believe it will require a positive change in your perspective and definitely discipline to manage it. I find it interesting that there are lots of help for managing stress and anxiety, but not much for managing procrastination. Procrastination, just like stress, is something we can't get rid of, but something we can surely manage and reduce. I was actually procrastinating on writing on SteemIt today until I saw this post. Thank you for writing this article.
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Thank you for great comment! I appreciate It!
Dear @chbartist sir!
In the work that is to be done, start from today instead of yesterday because no one knows when the cataclysm will arrive. Avoiding the work for the second day is not a habit of human nature but is the most negative side. Due to delaying someone due to delay, work can also lead to errors. I myself am a victim of this negativity. Sometimes due to lack of time I sometimes delay due to idleness. There is also the direct and indirect benefits of working from time to time.We are free from the burden of mental depression and work
The probability of errors is also low.
Your articles are related to practical life and practical knowledge that help us overcome our psychic disorders.
Regards
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Hi @certain, I'm glad for you see my articles with this optics. Regards
Thanks @chbartist sir! Such a kind words.
This is the effect of your inspiration that I delays but not missing you and your blog.there is a lot of positive aspect to learn & apply in our lives, in your articles.so there is no chance to miss it.Have a prosperous week.
Thank you!
Very imortant topic to discuss and keep in mind, especially in this platform where as we interact and build communities we adquire more responsibilities than we can handle. If on top of that we tend to procrastinate, then we are in trouble.
I have been a procrastinator at several stages in my life and i have always wonder why.
that possible explanation makes sense to me, but does not bring comfort :)
I agree with you that
It's like alcoholism or any other addiction. If we don't acknowledge the problem first it is very unlikely that we'll do anything about it.
I do acknowledge my problem and at time fight it very well, so well people complain about what they perceive as compulsive disorder: you give me an assignment and 6 days to do it and I will have it done by the next day.
But it does not always work like that. For me, personally, that level of efficiency and enthusiasm is connected to other emotional factors. When those other factors are in misbalance, then my efficiency goes to hell.
As a grad students in the States I was very thankful at their educational system because they provide people with all one needs, including all kinds of tips and guidance. Sometimes they overdo it. But that helps a lot. It helps create good habits.
As a professor, I used to email my syllabi to my students with anticipation, along with reading time suggestions. For the fall semester (starting late September), I'd send the reading assignments by July and a page count divided by the number of days in between. That way, students would see how easily they would cover most of, if not all, the readings by the time the semester started.
Nobody ever followed that suggestion. And it was very hard to get my students read anything in time during the semester. You might call it a cultural thing. People say Latinos are irresponsible and terrible at being punctual.
I think we can make a difference at the individual level and if everybody is on the same page, then the difference extends unto the whole group. Yet, some parameters have to be imposed and some follow up done so that we feel the pressure to deliver.
You and your great comments! Thank you friend for your words!
Reading this post feels like you are talking about me, though I was not familiar with the specific word ' procrastination'. Every single point of you is very true coz i'm one of them.
Your example about 'reading' may not fit with me, coz I was a brilliant student. But I got a different scenario in my real life.
I was so full in doubt and thinking about the upcoming that I made delay in the 'Notice period of resignation' in my first job. I got salary cut of 8 days. Can you imagine how terrible I was?
I searched for solution around to get rid of this attitude. And I found that if I stay confident and talk/show confidence in my work, its helping me to get rid of -what you saying ' procrastination'. People like me can also follow the rule.
Thanks for the acknowledgement.
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Hi @rem-steem, I understand, but the most important thing is that you already understand. Procrastination is for me one of the top 10 flaws that we can commit because remember that procrastinating is playing around with the time you have to accomplish things in this short passage of ours that we have to use the word: life! Regards
Yeah, the advantage is we can find a way to control it. But as you said, most important is to realize that it's hampering our life. People don't even mark it as such and behave like it is normal human nature. That is much more harmful.
Thanks again.
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“Do not leave for tomorrow what can be done today!”. An early learning from my grandparents as they always said that we tend to give less importance and focus to the tasks we leave at the last minute and it will results in not being the best quality or incomplete. It also liberates you to focusing the tasks that require more attention.
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Exactly @newageinv!
Hi @chbartist thank you for your post. I am a big procrastinator myself and sometimes I wish I would start right from the beginning. Although, you do something else and not the task you are suppoed to do you do not feel that great. Taking homework as an example when you first chill with your friends and come home late at night and can not finish it you go to bed with a bad feeling. I always had a guilty conscience and did not enjoy my time that much.
But on the other hand, procrastinating creates creativity. When you know that you aint gonna make the deadline, you come up with a different approach to solve the problem. Sometimes this innovation might be even better than the normal task. Pressure and stress can lead to disruptive ideas but might not be good for your health.
Have a nice day guys
M
Your comment is great. Procrastinating does not mean standing still. If your brain is working you will certainly solve the logistics of your tasks much more easily. Regards
Interesting reflection as always, @chbartist. As a teacher I have to tell you that this is one of the great evils of students: to leave things to do one day before handing them over. Many of these students hand out half-done or regular tasks just for the sake of leaving everything for the last minute. Normally I tell them: can you imagine the quality of work that you would have delivered if you had done it on time? Or can you imagine how excellent they would have been on an exam if they hadn't studied last night? Many of them justify themselves with the expression that they work better under pressure, or that time flies by and they are busy with other things. One day a student said to me, "Teacher, even God gave up the work of making man for the last minute! When it comes to making excuses, the procastinators have a list of justifications. Thank you for being in that group of people who daily follow you and comment. A hug
Hi @nacybriti, this is exactly what you said: "When it comes to making excuses, the procastinators have a list of justifications"
Thanks for your comment.
You have an education and kindness in your words and I really appreciate.