Procrastinator's Corner 2

Bad joke! I really do have a problem with procrastination. For almost 20 years I worked in the advertising industry and often left tasks until the last minute. To some degree, it seemed to heighten the adrenaline and I seemed to function better in terms of creativity (or at least I thought so). In shifting over to teaching, things altered considerably. Expectations shifted and work was required  in more finished forms with a lot less tap-dancing to explain what was happening, and all to very tight schedules. So having got into a habit of procrastinating ("Where would advertising people be without the last minute?" a client once asked me), I now had to shift. Easier said than done!

I knew I had to change somehow, so I tried the usual things - TNT: Today not Tomorrow; Endless lists (which I ignored); 7 habits which worked for a few weeks but died eventually with its relentless paperwork. Finally I read Neil Fiore's book "The NOW Habit" which talked about the major problem I possess which is the fear of failure. Procrastination is a learned protective reaction to my fear of failure, pressures and feelings of being overwhelmed by situations. So for me its a process of self-talk and recognition of language where I replace my inner dialogues and shift my beliefs about my own abilities and self-worth.

Fiore has recently written another book which I haven't read: The Now Habit at Work. I'd recommend his first volume to anyone. Recently I discovered my 82 year old father-in-law reading my copy, acknowledging it had been one of his failings and the book helped him better understand himself. Neil Fiore - worth looking at.

Burn brightly, Pete