Where do you begin when you don’t know where to begin? Maybe you have found yourself asking that question. Sometimes things just seem so big, even when they’re small like the baseboards in my guest bedroom. They need paint. Their total area is probably less than twenty five square feet but for the life of me I can’t make myself do it. What’s up with that?
Procrastination is a much studied topic in recent years. It’s also a popular theme for many self-improvement books, articles, and podcasts. There is a great deal of data out there to help us understand the thorny, twisted paths we take to avoid certain chores, activities, or appointments. And ironically, that may be part of the problem. Who wants to bother with all that?
I’ve read a few articles here and there; I’ve skimmed a few books on the topic. At psychologytoday.com, Piers Steel, Ph.D. defines procrastination as, “…putting off despite expecting to be worse off.” He explains that delaying something because you think it’s “a good idea” is actually scheduling or prioritizing, not procrastinating.
So, let me rephrase my statement above: I don’t think painting the baseboards in the guest bedroom is a good idea for now. I don’t really know if that makes me dread the task any less, but it does shed some light on the problem. Is it possible that procrastination isn’t really just laziness or lack of character?
Numerous studies and experts say yes. We put things off for a ton of reasons “despite expecting to be worse off.” Sometimes we’re afraid to fail; maybe we’re afraid to succeed (because then people will expect more of us). Perhaps we haven’t prepared (no paint brush or roller, in my case); maybe we’ve given up because we’re doing too much. In fact, that last part rings true with me. The last thing I want to do during my spare time is some chore instead of something fun or easy.
So perhaps the best way to finish this project is to create some “bounded task-plans” as described by adult ADHD expert, professor, and practicing psychologist Russell Ramsay, Ph.D. One way of bounding a task is to have a start and end time. That means I decide to work from 9:30 until 10:30 as opposed to working nonstop until done. Because I so don’t want to work that long. At least not at first.
I can also decide to complete certain portions of the project instead. That means planning to complete specific steps in the job, like gathering supplies or preparing the workspace. The two methods can work together, of course, and I have decided to start that way. Here’s my plan.
Today, I nailed the first part of the project by ordering the supplies and picking them up. Tomorrow, I will work from 9:30 until 10:30 on the boards themselves. Like most procrastinated jobs, this one could take more than one session to finish so I will commit to an extra hour each day at the same time if needed. What Ramsay and others who study procrastinators have found, however, is that most people work past their scheduled stop times; some even plow through to completion in the first session. That could happen for me; it’s happened before.
Regardless of how this project turns out, the important thing is to do something to start. Then continue to do something specific and task bounded regularly until it’s completed. As my favorite blogger, David at raptitude.com says, “…You finish a thing by starting it until it’s finished.” (https://www.raptitude.com/2015/03/how-to-get-yourself-to-do-things/.)
In fact, I think I already feel better. I haven’t finished yet, however, so I guess I should hold off on (procrastinate?) declaring success.
Wish me luck.
UPDATE: I finished the baseboards shortly after this article was written. The entire project took less than two hours from start to finish and I actually completed them in one session. I feel fabulous!