How To Shift Our Negative Self-Talk Around Procrastination

Ah, procrastination.  Who among us doesn’t have some aspect of their day where procrastination rears its head? Which of us doesn’t know at least one friend or family member who either IS a procrastinator or calls themselves one?

 I’m beginning to wonder if procrastination is truly the “bad guy” we so often label it to be… or if what’s more damaging is our own self- talk around our procrastination?

 I mean, if we are not in the business of landing airplanes, or brain surgery, maybe procrastination isn’t the end of the world….  So I invite you to re-think how we view our procrastination.

 What I’ve learned by coaching lots of folks is this: 

 It’s less about procrastinating and more about feeling badly about procrastinating that creates the problem.  So how to manage that negative self-talk?

 I’ve got three “A” words to offer up.   Awareness/ Acceptance/ Allowing

 Awareness that the behavior pattern we are noticing may well be procrastination.

 Acceptance that this is part of how we have chosen to act, for now.

 Allowing yourself to be OK with whatever comes up next… in your mind, in your actions…

 Call it a form of mindfulness.  An act of self-kindness.  A recognition of the not happy place that “resistance” gets us.  Call it whatever you wish.

 But maybe, just maybe, it’s time to be more aware, to accept and allow the parts of us (and of others) that may not be perfect….that may well be procrastination.  In the end, what do we have to lose?