Written by: Lauren Hirsch Williams, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
The word 'procrastination' is always surrounded by negative connotations. If someone procrastinates, it means they delayed doing something 'they were supposed to have done earlier'… something 'that was put off in exchange for something more desirable,' or "laziness" (you said that, not me).
Whenever the word is said out loud, it's with disdain or is whispered as a taboo concept or thought. No one wants to be associated with that word. Procrastination is attached to failure or lack of discipline. It's such a modern put-down, especially when so many business and efficiency experts condemn the concept and write books on how to avoid it.
I am here to tell you about a wonderful new definition of procrastination. (Lazy? HAH! Phooey!)
Is procrastination a terrible thing? Should it be thrown into a bin with words like 'failed,' or 'overdue,' or 'pathetic'? Is the negativity attributed to this concept all it's cracked up to be?
Let’s look at the "P" word with a new lens because I, personally, am one to procrastinate. Often, I feel embarrassment or guilt when I don't get a task or project done in the timeframe I originally wanted – or was required of me. If I don't adhere to a deadline ‒ whether set by someone else or myself ‒ I can hear the wheels of negative internal chatter fill every crevice of my mind. I chastise myself… yet again… for having delayed the inevitable. Getting done of something on my never-ending list of things to do.
Oh, why do I keep procrastinating, I lament. Is it a psychological failing, a personality defect, too much TV, or too much social media?
Instead of assigning anything as the root cause, I have a new approach in mind. Let's now call it 'marinating.'
Here's how that keen perspective works:
I have a project or task that needs to be completed. I'm not talking about brushing my teeth. That's a lifelong daily habit that requires no thought. It’s not a task on a to-do list. I have a deadline for something – let's say it's next Tuesday and today is Thursday. My logical, previously trained mind will tell me to get on top of it today. As in RIGHT NOW! Get going… take the first steps. Maybe it's writing this article. I want (or need) it done by Tuesday. So, if I start today, on Thursday, I'll write up some notes or an outline. Then, tomorrow I can write the first full draft. By Monday, I'll have edited it a few times to clean it up.
With that thinking, my brain is in the traditional mode of thinking. Don't put off today what needs to be done by tomorrow, right? And yet things get in the way – everything seems to get in my way.
It's now Friday, and I didn't bother thinking about the article's contents yesterday. That's one day of delay, right? Or maybe that's not? All I did yesterday was stir up the negativity in my mind and berate myself for being lazy. And then…
Ooh, it's Saturday. I have some thoughts on the article’s topic that are triggered by a phone call, but I still haven't drafted an outline or taken any notes. And it's such a beautiful day outside. I'm beckoned to leave my house for fresh air. Out the door, I prance without a care in the world. So much for writing an article or editing one that 'should' already be in place.
In the blink of an eye, it is now Monday (where did Sunday go?). I have back-to-back meetings all day—no time for an outline or writing. And yet… somehow the concept of the article is buzzing around just below the surface of my mind. Maybe not ‘top’ of mind but I can feel it’s floating around in there, nonetheless.
Stomachache – it's Tuesday! My eyes pop open at 7 am, and I realize that five days have gone by since today’s deadline was set, and not a single word has been put on paper or screen. I jump on the computer and start tapping away on the keys at top speed. Done! Phew, I finished in the nick of time.
So, am I a hopeless procrastinator?
On the surface, it would seem so. But let's go deeper than the surface. That's what should be done when discussing this topic. The surface never tells us much other than what was purposely put out to represent that surface. Huh? Stick with me… (or learn more about 'surfaces' on people in my bestselling book ONE SENSE AHEAD)
Underneath the surface of my procrastination has been a marinating of thoughts, concepts, and words. These are specific to the article I was planning to write in the first place. My mind was focused on the idea of procrastination so much during those five days that I realized I NEEDED to have that time.
Organic thinking if you will.
To think.
To formulate.
To try a new approach.
To discard wasted ideas.
To understand that the negativity around my 'procrastination' was just a product of the opinions and mores of society. That the so-called 'bad' part of delaying my work on this project, this article, was coming from the outside. From what other people think.
My mind likes to percolate with an idea.
The tiny seed sits inside my brain and needs the time to be nurtured and caressed until it starts to take root.
This article might have had a different outcome had I started writing it the minute it was on my list. (You may wonder how that article would have turned out, but I don't because I know it would have been half-baked).
Ultimately, it took me about 30 minutes to write the entire article. A couple of edits, and it was complete. If I had started on Thursday, I probably would have spent at least 6 or 7 hours more getting it ready to send out (and that includes all my subconscious ‘marinating’ time).
The writing of this article is no different from any other task you have in your business. I'm an Aries and a Type-A personality. I was born to have knee-jerk reactions and immediately jump onto something and plow through the obstacle course of completion as quickly as possible.
And yet…
When I don't, I realize that my brain needed time to pause. To think. To marinate.
In other words, to procrastinate.
But isn't that a wonderful thing after all? I hope you agree that this article was worth your reading. To be worth helping you to change your perspective on one of the awful, tormenting thoughts we shower upon ourselves simply because the term procrastination is on the list of negative psychobabble.
Think about how the fabulous process of procrastination can help build your business and grow your bottom line. If you have a lot riding on a decision, proposal, or task, isn't it better to sometimes force yourself to procrastinate and thereby marinate? Allow yourself and your brain the time to properly let intelligence and common-sense blend until the most effective and valuable outcome is created? YES, I say!
My new motto will be "I LOVE TO PROCRASTINATE."
What a great concept it is, after all. One that can produce far more excellent results than might have come about had we pushed and locked ourselves into a flawed process. Once an action is taken, it can steamroll and pick up speed and finality. Sometimes it can't be stopped, and we're stuck with the wrong solution.
I challenge every one of you reading this article to make sure you procrastinate on something important each week. And connect with me to let me know how much more powerful your results were.
Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info!
Lauren Hirsch Williams, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Lauren Hirsch Williams is a Business Relevance Strategist, Pitch Stylist, International Bestselling Author, and Award-Winning Screenwriter. With decades of experience, which includes Worldwide Director of Advertising at PepsiCo, Founder of MovieHatch, and Creator of the new MyTurn TV Network for empowering women, she’s been on all sides of the “table”. She teaches others to find their inner strength by using their senses in an uncommon way. Her recent bestseller, ONE SENSE AHEAD, explains the protocol to start that process.
