To put off intentionally doing something that needs doing is procrastination. Want to hear the irony here? I am writing this newsletter at almost the last minute because everything else seemed to be more of a priority.
Was I procrastinating or waiting for divine timing? It is both. I like to have the newsletters done in plenty of time for Enrique to create the week's post and get it ready to send to you. I time them to come out on the same day as the podcast episode.
This week the time I had set aside to do it had a kerfuffle in it with a change of schedule with A LOT of driving time which was meant to be writing time. When I returned from all that driving, I said, “I will do the newsletter tomorrow between clients.” Complete procrastinating, as I know, I don’t have enough time between people to write this and prepare for each session.
Then…it gets better and more ironic. I was complete with sessions, about to sit down and write it when I felt the urge to go to the store to get an essential ingredient for a recipe I wanted to try. I knew what was going on; procrastination!
“So…what did you do?”
Well, obviously, I went to the store. I couldn't ignore a good procrastination example for you. What kind of coach would that make me? I am willing to demonstrate so that you don't have to do it yourself. By the way, blueberries are on sale. You’re welcome.
Store trip accomplished, ingredient purchased, and back to the house I go. Well, by then, it was 5:30, and the cats were STARVING, or so they said, each weighing in over ten pounds, so clearly, that was true. I fed them, don’t worry.
“So now it must be time to write the newsletter, correct?”
You would think so, but then the cats were so intrigued by the screen doors in the new house allowing air in and a view out at their level, that I had to video the antics as the wind whipped up the leaves outside of the home that sent them into fits of chasing bliss. (See social media posts for proof!)
You see where I am going with this, correct? This is obviously the waiting for divine intervention to happen, and it has! This was going to be a boring newsletter about procrastinating and how it can be helpful for you to understand where it comes from, why you do it, and how it could positively influence your life, but I don’t need to do that now.
Why? Well, because you have read this far to see that it is much more entertaining and compelling when we stay in the flow and don’t judge ourselves for putting something off because the inspiration is just not there yet. You may not have even realized you were reading a newsletter because my story was so enthralling! I’m not delusional. I’m using hyperbole because, just like overstating the obvious, procrastination is not always a bad thing. It can be for your (or your readers) benefit.
If you’d like real-life examples and successful coaching advice about procrastination, you can listen to this week’s podcast, where I give helpful information. I promise, but wasn’t this fun, too?
The takeaway here is to judge yourself less for procrastinating, get curious about why you are doing it, and occasionally, see the gift in putting off as it makes for a better copy!
I’m off to make that recipe! (Which may show up on social media too. Are you following me over there yet?)
P.S. If you'd like a transcript of the podcast, head over to This Youtube Video for an exclusive visualizer and subtitles.
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