When is Procrastination a Good Thing?

Do you tend to procrastinate? Is this a trait that you have honed to perfection? The word is mostly used to describe a failure to accomplish something in a timely manner. If procrastination is some thing that you are really good at, then you are also well aware that it has a negative side. Stress, anxiety, fear & dread. The more a person procrastinates, the greater the anxiety and stress build up. If you don’t address the negative feelings, it becomes this huge weight that you carry around. It is the elephant in the room. But Wait!!!

Maybe that reluctance to dive into the project and get it out of the way, is your way of working out the issues.  Perhaps procrastination is really not all that bad. We are the first ones to beat up on ourselves over our faults. But perhaps we should take a new view of things. Think through the project. If it is huge, then break it up. Disagreeable work, then stage the work load, create a timetable and just start to get it done–slowly, no rush. Rushing or pushing yourself through a project can cause more harm than good.

I hear artists complain about not getting to that painting or just not spending time in the studio because they procrastinate, they find that they have to clean the house, go to the grocery store, do the bills…and then there is no time or energy left in day to get into the studio. But all of this diversion that keeps you  from working in the studio may be a symptom of a bigger issue that is not fully appreciated. Sometimes when I find that I am procrastinating, it is because I haven’t fully worked out the issues. If I force myself to work in the studio when my heart is not in it, the outcome is never good. I am much better off if I will sit down and do my journal work first. I use my journal to force my self to come to grips with my fears and dreads and to formulate a path to my vision.  I find that journalling is a great asset to me. When I am worried about something, I am not always clear with myself about exactly what it is that is bothering me. I start making a list of concerns and a list of things that I want to accomplish. It is amazing what this simple task can reveal about what is going on in the back of your mind. If someone picked up my journal they would find it full of thoughts that seem unconnected and not good reading, but to me my journal is pure gold.

So next time that you are beating yourself up over procrastinating about doing something, stop, and work through the issues that are holding you back. Give yourself credit for your reluctance, turn it around and use it as the signal that it is. Maybe you are not a procrastinator at all!