Weapons of mass procrastination

Most people deliberately wait for the pressure of a deadline to sharpen their thinking.

They heighten the tension around a project by setting the amount of time between vision and current reality. And the pull of gravity helps thrust them to completion.

Unfortunately, I don’t work that way. Deadlines are not how my brain operates. Ever since I was a kid, I was always more of a reverse procrastinator. The student who finished the project the day it was assigned, and then spent the next two weeks screwing around or working on something else.

What’s interesting is, as an adult, those tendencies haven’t changed. Execution is a non issue for me. I’m wired for volume and velocity.

And so, since I know that any elusive deadlines I set for myself would be too easily revised or abandoned anyway, I don’t even bother.

Instead, I focus on routines and priorities and systems and habits. Because I know that those holy rhythmic forces are the organizing principles guaranteed to make my work happen.

Every day. Irrespective of available time and resources. Regardless of some arbitrary date on a calendar.

If you’re the kind of person who believes that it’s a great discipline never to be too far away from a deadline, more power to you.

But if you’re more like me, someone whose drive to excel exceeds their capacity to procrastinate, move matters to a higher ground.

Focus on continuity, consistency and commitment.

And it won’t even matter what day of the week it is.

ave you ever asked yourself why you procrastinate?