Procrastination Nation.

Dear Internet,

I'm baaaaaaaaack!

Yes, it's been a while since I last posted, and that has to do with one major theme I'm dealing with in my life right now: procrastination. We're all guilty of it from time to time, but I find myself to be especially guilty recently. Maybe this is because I'm going back to school in a week, and I don't want to admit to myself that I'm running out of the luxurious time I have to relax at home. Or maybe it's because I'm convinced that I have much more time to do all of these things than I actually do. Whatever the reason, it's not that I don't want to do my work, it's just that I don't want to get out of my vacation mindset and step back into the world of work quite yet.

So how do we deal with procrastination when it hits us so hard? I have a few ideas.

Procrastinate Effectively
If you're deciding to procrastinate, do so as effectively as possible. What does this mean? Well--procrastinate your work by doing other work. Don't want to pay your bills? Prep tomorrow's dinner instead. Don't feel like prepping dinner? Maybe turn up the music on your speakers and sweep the house and fold the laundry! You'll avoid doing that thing you don't feel like doing, but in the meantime you'll get other important things done. It's going to feel great, and eventually you'll get around to doing that thing you were avoiding all along.

Take it in Steps
Break down the thing you don't feel like doing into steps to help it feel like it's not such a big thing to tackle. Do you have a big book to read like I do? Put tabs in parts of the book to help you figure out where you want to be by when, and then you don't have the whole book to read in one day. Just make sure you stick to your steps so you don't get slammed with work at the last minute--which is a big trap we can all fall into.

Just Do It!
This seems like the most obvious one, but try just going for the thing you're avoiding and doing it with full force! It may not be the most fun option, but it actually may be the most effective. You may find that what you've been avoiding doing is actually quite easy to complete--or if not, it's at least enjoyable. Make a cup of coffee, get a snack, sit down, and just do it!

You can do this, internet. I believe in you.

Now I have to go. I have things I'm procrastinating on.

-mk.