One Super Simple Way to Keep Yourself from Staying Stuck
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I’m not a textbook procrastinator.
I’ve got a “Get It DONE!” personality … and the lists to prove it!
You won’t catch me putting things off until later.
Nope, not me.
I just wait until I’m ready to do certain tasks.
You know, the kind that take weeks until I’m ready.
Or even months before I’m ready.
Sometimes years go by … but I’m still not quite ready.
(Ahem!)
Turns out I can get super-duper stuck in unintentional procrastination … without ever realizing it.
Recognizing Unintentional Procrastination in Hindsight
I can’t tell you how many projects I’ve started with great gusto, certain I’ll “finish them in no time,” only to have them drag out ad infinitum.
The one that finally forced me to recognize that I am an unintentional procrastinator was my MA degree. I started it in 2005 and should have easily graduated in 2007. But I didn’t get my diploma until 2013.
Why eight years?
For the longest time, I had a laundry list of reasons:
- The big move from southern California to the central California coast.
- The new job teaching ESL, which I’d never done before.
- Both kids becoming teenagers.
- Launching my speaking ministry. Blogging.
- Mother’s decline into Alzheimer’s Disease.
- And so on.
- And so forth.
But in writing You Don’t Have to Try So Hard, I recognized the real reason I failed to make progress for so many years:
I didn’t know what to do next.
I feel foolish admitting this.
But the only thing more foolish than admitting it seems to be … well … not admitting it.
This sense of I don’t know what to do next paralyzes me.
It’s fear, of course. But instead of the typical fight or flight?
I freeze.
And stay stuck … for days, weeks, years … waiting until “I’m ready.”
The Problem With Putting Projects Aside
Here’s the thing: when I’m in the midst of a project, I do know my next steps.
But then life happens, and I have to set it aside for a few days (or weeks or … you know the drill!)
By the time I go to pick it back up again, I’ve forgotten where I was in the process. So, I have to spend hours and hours getting back into the flow before I can make an iota of progress …
… and then life happens again …
… which means that the next time I have time, I’m going to have to spend hours and hours, again, figuring out where I was, only to make another miniscule iota of progress.
And I do not have that kind of patience.
I want to do things once and move on. I can’t keep doing the same things over and over again.
I have to see progress.
One Super Simple Way
Right now, I’ve got multiple projects “in process.”
To keep myself from stalling out on any of them, I’m doing something super simple.
When I’m done working on any particular project “for now” — and don’t know for sure when I’ll be able to pull it out next — here’s what I do:
I grab a Post-It Note and write out my next 3-5 detailed steps.
Then I tape it to the spine of the project binder.
- on the spine so I can see it.
- with tape so the Post-It doesn’t fall off and get lost. (That lesson was learned the hard way!)
If I need more detail, I can always type up my thoughts/ideas/whatever, print them out, and tuck that sheet inside the binder. AND tape a Post-It on the spine that says “1. Read notes in binder”
I’ve been doing this for several years now, and … <muffled drum roll> …
It’s still working!
It doesn’t cure all the world’s ills, but it’s sure been a “cure” for unintentional procrastination.
And it’s one super simple way to keep yourself from getting — or staying — stuck!
Your Turn:
What helps you avoiding getting — or staying — stuck?
Love this, Cheri! My “I’m sure I’ll remember what I was doing here” thoughts have been proven wrong too many times….
This SO me! industrious, organized, getter done, perpetual motion, list maker me. Until it’s not…and I get stuck. My husband asked me yesterday if I forgot to pay last month’s electric and dental insurance bills? Huh! OH NO! 🤦🏻♀️ What’s really funny is how I’m so otherwise engaged this morning that I just said to myself “oh I’m totally reading this more thoughtfully and all your reader comments later”. 😂🤣😂 obviously I need help.
I know exactly what you mean. Most of my projects are pretty involved. I generally need a clear table to do them, but inevitably I’m a couple of days from finishing, and someone discovers that they have some new thing that absolutely requires the table. That project pretty much always gets pushed out of the way, and then just sort of gets stuck. I’m very territorial about any space that’s been labeled as mine because of this.
Great idea for works in progress, and I can really relate to so much of this post.
My problem right now is that I have SO MANY things that need to be done that I’m overwhelmed with where to start, so I start nothing. Then I feel guilty, lazy, etc and beat myself up for being so paralyzed. I feel like if I try to prioritize this gigantic list, that I’ll make a mistake and prioritize the wrong things, leading to more blame, so I don’t do anything.
You described exactly what happens to me.
I love these ideas, Cheri. I’m going now to label some projects that I have to set aside. What a time saver this will be!
Let me know how it goes, Elaine!!!
Cheri, I am doing this massive clean-out of my sewing/craft supplies.
Actually writing out a plan for the projects I am keeping is such a help to me to leave things in the give-away boxes and actually add to them.
If I can’t write a plan or explain in writing why I want to hold on to things, I’m letting them go.
While I was pretty good at organizing, this step of writing out the plan is just so good for me; thank you so much.
Elaine — This is GREAT input! Thank YOU so much for feedback about how this has worked for you in your process/processing! 🙂
I had another thought on Sunday I can share with you that really has turned off the guilt and shame voices – I’m preparing gifts for others while I’m cleansing my house and soul of what has become clutter instead of art supply/inspiration.
I am so grateful for your insights and help.
Thank you.
Update: We moved.
Knowing I have these notes with my projects has been such a relief. Many things didn’t get done as I planned, but those notes are still there, holding space for me, remembering. Thanks again, Cheri!
I’ve been wanting to write you since you wrote about the persons who unsubscribed from your blog. Your topics make me think and look at my life and I see that sometimes I need to change some things. Maybe it did the same to those who unsubscribed and they didn’t like what they would have to change. Have a wonderful Sabbath!
Love it! I hadn’t recognized this as a form of procrastination, but it is. I have trouble when there are many things to do that all need done. (Or I think they all need to be done anyway.) I just do not know where to start. I do a couple of things. First, at the end of a work session, I write out a list of the three things I need to do next time. Only three. I have found that is a key to my mental health. Only three. And then there’s the silly solution that I hesitate to even mention because it is just so silly. At home, there are a gazillion things that need doing, most of equal importance. I cannot get them all done in a given week. Believe me. I tried. I can’t. (Well, not and still eat, sleep…..) So I wrote each one on a slip of paper and put them in a pretty box. Then when I get stuck, I pull out a slip. To make it more of a game, and thus more fun, some of the slips are for things that are just plain fun…like read or knit or…… I actually get a little frisson of joy when I draw out a slip.
Elisa — Doesn’t sound silly in the least! I have a “laundry list” of things just like that — equal importance (and in my case, pretty much equal avoidance!) LOVE the idea of turning it into a game … AND including the fun stuff!
🙂
You got me. I saw myself in everything you said and if you don’t believe me you can come to my house. Thanks for the insight.
How about I pretend not to believe you so I can still come to your house, Sharon? 😉
Cheri, through your blog I feel like I’ve come to know you as a friend. I wouldn’t invite just anyone over but you can come anytime. I have such a terrible time keeping up with things due to medical problems. Maybe we could have a cleanup party? Have a great weekend.
Holy camoley Cheri!!! It’s like you are sitting inside me brain and seeing my world right now!!!! I am DEFINITELY going to try this IMMEDIATELY!!! My biggest issues are with work items, and since i don’t have “binders” I will adapt and use a OneNote page iny folder to log those “next three steps”! This could so work! So excited! Thanks for being so transparent Cheri. It does help to know I’m not alone and it’s not because I’m a failure! I’m just in progress…
I love it! Definitely gonna give this idea a try with all my projects, too!
Glad it sounds useful for you, Merri! Let me know how it works for you! 🙂
Love this Cheri! What a great tip! I’m a lot like you, so I can really relate to this! Also, it gives me another excuse to buy more post it notes and of course, that is something I am always more than happy to do!
So glad it resonated, Danica! But I’m confused — are you trying to say I need an excuse to buy Post It notes?!? 😉
That depends…. do you need one?
Do I need a Post-It Note or an excuse?!? 😉
Great idea. Will definitely try this.
I like this idea I think I need to use it thanks