The Procrastinating Me

There is a poster that depicts a huge polar bear lying flat on the ice.  The caption reads: "When I get the feeling to do something, I lie down until the feeling goes away".  This is the sign of the resigned procrastinator: broken by frustration, unable to catch up, chained by depression and sustained by the simple apathetic response, "I don't care anymore".  Well, I cannot say I’m that bad but my procrastination really gets on my nerves sometime.  I find myself having arguments with myself, saying “you know you need to do this or that” or “if you don’t get started now you’re not going to be able to finish on time.”  It’s maddening.  I know procrastination must be an ACOA trait because it seems to go hand in hand with my propensity to avoid situations that I find uncomfortable or tasks the dread undertaking.  When I do prod myself to work on whatever job I’d been putting off, I find that it’s so easy for me to get distracted.  I can be researching something on the Internet for a school project then find myself checking my Facebook page.  During my continued research in ACOA characteristics, I learned that in fear-motivated procrastination, you have to try to identify the fear.  For example, as a Trinity University student, I may drag my feet in completing a class project because of a fear of obtaining a poor grade.  An accounts analyst may find it a chore to complete even one assignment towards his or her CGA certification because of fear of the material itself.  This example may in fact have to do with the persons’ lack of aptitude in his or her chosen field.  In a nutshell, both the fear and the sources of that fear must be confronted before the behaviors expressed by procrastination can be addressed.  I’m trying to get to the source of my fear so I can start dealing with my problems head on and quit procrastinating.  One day at a time.

 Hi, I’m Liz Hawkins and I’m an Adult Child of an Alcoholic.