Banishing Procrastination Forever!
by Vanessa Wesley
first published on Feb 25, 2008
Do you procrastinate? If you are like most people, you do, at least sometimes. And if you are like I was, you procrastinate most of the time.
What if you could eliminate that “dirty P word” entirely from your vocabulary? Can you feel the lightness of that already? I don’t procrastinate anymore. Hold on now, I am not saying I don’t wait for the right time to work on a project, or delay finishing something, or even decide I no longer want to do a scheduled activity. I am saying I don’t procrastinate anymore, and you can eliminate it too.
First let’s take a look at what procrastination means. Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines it as to put off intentionally and habitually the doing of something that should be done.
What sticks out to you when you read the above definition? What pops out for me is the phrase “should be done.” Ever since taking on the project of authoring and writing Your Essential Whisper with LaRue “shoulds” have crept in very often, almost daily in fact.
Here’s what they sound like: I should get a chapter done today; I should develop a marketing plan this week; I should write an article this morning; I should spend more time with my daughter; and the list goes on and on. Do you have one of those lists?
Good, because right now you are going to take a look at it. Before going any further write out a few items on your “things to do list.” Today, what do you have on your list of activities you’d like to get done? What would you like to get done this week? Write out at least ten items before reading any further.
With your list in front of you go through it and put an X next to any item that is a high priority, something that absolutely has to get done. Next circle the items you are looking forward to doing. I remember when I had done this years ago I didn’t have anything circled!!! I wasn’t looking forward to anything on my list – no wonder I procrastinated.
Next go through your list and place an * next to any item that you don’t want to do but think you must do, they aren’t high priority but need to get done, such as grocery shopping, or the laundry.
Years ago when I first met LaRue, I had studied kinesiology at her home for an entire month. I noticed how she would “do the day” and teach the class. One day I asked her how she managed to write the course daily, keep up with her house, and take care of her son who was only eleven or twelve at the time. She answered, “I follow my energy.”
What did that mean! I was intrigued. One day at Starbucks she and I were engaged in an animated and lively discussion. We laughed, talked, drank coffee and chatted up a storm. Then, almost suddenly it stopped. I looked at her, she looked at me and said, “The energy has left, it’s time to go.” I felt it too, BUT! I wanted the “good time” to continue. I remember feeling the need to want to keep the energy alive, even after it had left.
Then there’s another Snapshot. It’s the day I came to her front door and noticed spider webs around the eaves and the window frames. I had noticed these on several previous occasions as well, and wondered why she hadn’t swept them off. So, I asked her and she said, “Vanessa, I hadn’t even noticed them.” She continued, “I’ve learned to clean my house by doing what I notice, and what pulls my attention.”
That’s not how it always was though. Like so many of us, LaRue had a list too of all the things she should do. She’d become stressed when they didn’t get done or she put them off to do later. She simply noticed that when she did what she was energized to do everything that needed to get done did get done. I couldn’t wait to try that out!
It works! Eleven years later, I still do it that way and the only time I get into “trouble” is when I felt the energy to do something, an urge, or an inspiration and I ignored it. The other day there was a pile of clean clothes taken from the dryer heaped onto the kitchen table. Sitting on a purple sofa I have in my kitchen, I sipped coffee and gazed at the clothing. I had the thought, “I’ve got to fold those clothes.” But, I noticed I continued sitting curled up on the sofa sipping coffee. Another thought, “Then I’ve got to finish the laundry.” Still no movement. Sip. As I looked at the clothing heaped in an artistic interweaving of socks, bras, towels, jeans, the colors swirling and mixing into each other, the hills and valleys of the pile, I was in awe. What beauty! The laundry was a work of art and I created it! Just then my daughter bounced in excited she got a part in a play and was now looking for a pair of jeans. I jumped up to help dig through the pile as we began to fold clothes. She shared her good news and we folded clothes. How did that happen? I don’t remember “deciding” to fold clothes!
Following the inner sensations of guidance is just that easy. You flow to what “needs” to be done effortlessly. Your Whisper leaves nothing undone. You follow your energy. So let’s get back to your list.
–> Take a few deep breaths.
–> Read your list.
–> Ignoring how you marked each item go through each one and wait.
–> Notice which item (if any) pulls your attention and energy.
–> Ask your Whisper, which of these do I do now?
–> Do you feel energy to do something not on the list? Pay attention.
You do not have to “decide” anything. The decision shows up as your body moves you to the very next thing to do. Notice if you have a mental argument with your energy, “But I really MUST do this!” Take this on as an experiment. Of course do what you think you must if it feels stressful not to. Just notice. See if you can do this all day today.
Then tonight take your list out and compare how you were guided to the list of “shoulds” you had. Did everything get done? Is your energy high? Which items really needed to get done? What you’ll find is, the ones really needing to get done, they do! The Whisper always guides you in the present moment. “Shoulds” guide you in the future. When you follow your energy, your inner sensations, you banish procrastination, forever.
