“I woke up late. I know it was the weekend, but I still had something I wanted to do. Instead I slept longer. Eventually, I did get up, but I still didn't get to what I wanted to work on. I puttered and tinkered and sort of did other things and, before I knew it, it was midnight…”
These were the words of a frustrated client this week. I’m sure you can relate. We have all had those days… or weeks… or months…
We have all procrastinated.
Procrastination. What does that word mean to you?
I hear that word a lot in my role as a Coach. And usually it is dripping with judgment.
It is equated to being lazy, being bad at time management, being incapable, or just inherently flawed in some horrible way.
We tend to be hard on ourselves when we procrastinate on the things we don’t want to do, but we REALLY beat up on ourselves when we procrastinate on the things we want to do.
“I know I would feel joyful if I could just get into it! What’s wrong with me?! Why don’t I have any motivation?”
These kind of statements are usually followed with the idea that one has to muster up the willpower and force themselves to do it. And, if you can’t, you are a failure.
But what if this isn’t what procrastination is all about? What if force isn’t the way through it?
There is a lot of emerging research that shows procrastination has way more to do with our emotions than our willpower and motivation. Doesn’t that just change everything?
What if, the next time you are procrastinating, you check in with your emotional self?
My client checked in with her emotional self during our session and reflected on the past weekend. She was emotionally drained from a stressful few days and she hadn’t had any time to just relax in a while. She also had some anxiety around the thing she wanted to work on that day.
Together we created a plan for rest and dove into her anxiety. With the insight we discovered there, we created a strategy for her anxiety as well. She felt more confident and less resistant already.
Turns out, she is not lazy. She does know how to manage her time. She is more than capable. She is not inherently flawed. And she most certainly is NOT a failure.
She just had emotions blocking her motivation. And, when we addressed them, the motivation, once again, ran freely.
What are you procrastinating on? What do you notice if you check in with your emotional self? What new strategies can you come up with when you know what is really going on beneath the surface?
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Doodling can be a great way to check in and get some fresh perspective! Join us for our next Doodle-Shop on May 18th by registering here.