Working On Me

I am a natural procrastinator. Often, I won't undertake a task until it is very nearly too late. This isn't usually because of a lack of time or a lack of skill, but a lack of will. Of course, leaving everything to the last moment can be a disastrous way to operate, so I have to curb my natural tendencies as much as I can.

The best way I have found to tackle procrastination is to lie to myself. I first came across the technique in the writing of Mark Forster and it capitalises on the comparative ease with which we can fool our unconscious minds.

You need to say to yourself that you are not going to actually do the job you're putting off, but rather that you are just going to prepare to do it, or start it by taking some very trivial action, and then stopping.

Here are some examples:

• I'm not going to call the customer, but I will look up the number and make a note of it.
• I'm not going to write that article, but I'll just brainstorm to identify the main content and ideas.
• I'm not going to clear the spare room, but I will find some bin bags and boxes that will help me.

The idea is all about creeating momentum. I often find that once I've finished the minor task, I just carry on into the major one. Even if I don't, I have genuinely accomplished something and made the job just a little bit smaller anyway.