by Dan Goodwin
It slowly slips inside you, takes you over and kills your creativity before you even realise it’s struck, disappearing again with as little commotion as when it arrived.
It’s because of this ability to do so much damage silently that procrastination is so dangerous.
Here are 7 of the favourite disguises of procrastination and how they manifest themselves inside you:
1. Housemaid: Suddenly you feel compelled to hoover, dust, polish and wipe down anything that needs it in your home. And a few things that don’t, just for good measure. Even though you did the same thing when you came to create yesterday.
2. Librarian: Many creative people have a great love of books. Procrastination Librarian says that this week they must be reorganised into the order you purchased them. Next week they’ll need to be reorganised by colour and the week after that by publisher. Just so you know they’re in order.
3. Champion Research Assistant: The internet is amazing, there’s so much information it’s mindblowing. That perfect article/ book/ website on how to be more creative – that secret you’ve been looking for for so long – could be the next website you visit. So keep researching!
4. TV Addict: Your favourite soap opera is on tonight. There’s only another 17 episodes this season though, then you’ll spend that time creating. Oh once that OTHER home improvement show had finished. And after you’ve watched your 42 DVD box set of your all time favourite comedy drama again. Then you can create.
5. Gardener: Ooh that front lawn hasn’t been cut for at least 3 days. And there are all those leaves to pick up that are strewn across the paths. Some of your tomato plants aren’t quite growing around their canes properly either. None of this can wait another moment!
6. Record Collector Nerd: Those CDs of yours won’t organise themselves you know. You’ve got to get them in order so you can go straight to the one you need in an instant. Hmmm, but should you organise by artist, album title, genre or year of release? Maybe alternate through each way over the next few weeks and see what works best.
7. Personal Shopper: Your wardrobe’s looking a bit tired and there’s a new season coming up. Maybe it’s time you bought another pair of those comfy trousers you like so much? Oh and that new shoe shop in the mall has an opening sale today, you can’t miss that. Creating can wait!
Ok, so some of these are a little bit tongue in cheek.
But the point is a very serious one. That is, procrastination uses all its devious means and ways to convince us that something else – anything else – is suddenly more important than the creative work we courageously showed up to do.
Just recognising this, and how often it happens in your life, is the first step on your way to overcoming procrastination.
For more on recognising and overcoming the kind of things that stop you being more creative, I invite you to download your free copy of the powerful and practical "Explode Your Creativity!" Action Workbook at http://www.CoachCreative.com
It slowly slips inside you, takes you over and kills your creativity before you even realise it’s struck, disappearing again with as little commotion as when it arrived.
It’s because of this ability to do so much damage silently that procrastination is so dangerous.
Here are 7 of the favourite disguises of procrastination and how they manifest themselves inside you:
1. Housemaid: Suddenly you feel compelled to hoover, dust, polish and wipe down anything that needs it in your home. And a few things that don’t, just for good measure. Even though you did the same thing when you came to create yesterday.
2. Librarian: Many creative people have a great love of books. Procrastination Librarian says that this week they must be reorganised into the order you purchased them. Next week they’ll need to be reorganised by colour and the week after that by publisher. Just so you know they’re in order.
3. Champion Research Assistant: The internet is amazing, there’s so much information it’s mindblowing. That perfect article/ book/ website on how to be more creative – that secret you’ve been looking for for so long – could be the next website you visit. So keep researching!
4. TV Addict: Your favourite soap opera is on tonight. There’s only another 17 episodes this season though, then you’ll spend that time creating. Oh once that OTHER home improvement show had finished. And after you’ve watched your 42 DVD box set of your all time favourite comedy drama again. Then you can create.
5. Gardener: Ooh that front lawn hasn’t been cut for at least 3 days. And there are all those leaves to pick up that are strewn across the paths. Some of your tomato plants aren’t quite growing around their canes properly either. None of this can wait another moment!
6. Record Collector Nerd: Those CDs of yours won’t organise themselves you know. You’ve got to get them in order so you can go straight to the one you need in an instant. Hmmm, but should you organise by artist, album title, genre or year of release? Maybe alternate through each way over the next few weeks and see what works best.
7. Personal Shopper: Your wardrobe’s looking a bit tired and there’s a new season coming up. Maybe it’s time you bought another pair of those comfy trousers you like so much? Oh and that new shoe shop in the mall has an opening sale today, you can’t miss that. Creating can wait!
Ok, so some of these are a little bit tongue in cheek.
But the point is a very serious one. That is, procrastination uses all its devious means and ways to convince us that something else – anything else – is suddenly more important than the creative work we courageously showed up to do.
Just recognising this, and how often it happens in your life, is the first step on your way to overcoming procrastination.
For more on recognising and overcoming the kind of things that stop you being more creative, I invite you to download your free copy of the powerful and practical "Explode Your Creativity!" Action Workbook at http://www.CoachCreative.com
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