What Time Is The Right Time? - If you procrastinate, when is your right time?

INTRODUCTION:

Oh yes. Procrastination is real. It is a behavioral trait we all suffer occasionally—however, some more than others. For many, it has turned into a chronic habit. They put off everything. The question is, is that a good thing or a bad thing? Procrastination means we put off doing something for later that we can get done now. For many, the task never gets done or continues to be put off until there is no choice left but to do it.

GOOD OR BAD?:

Procrastination can be good and evil. In many instances, such as anything creative, sometimes it is better to put things off if your creative juices aren't flowing—writing, music, artists, and more are a few examples. When dealing with any creative art, we must be in the proper frame of mind and the right mood to be creative. If we push the envelope, the quality of work can be poor, and in most cases, it has to be redone. However, does that qualify as procrastination?

In most cases, it does not. I will use myself as an example. I have two books written in my new Private Investigator series, "From The Ax Diaries." I am also writing a contemporary romance mystery as well as a sequel to my love story, "When Two Worlds Collide." I'm struggling with the choice of which to publish first. Often, I say to myself, "It's time to make a choice," I find myself putting off thinking about it. Yes, I am procrastinating. I know a choice needs to be made, but I'd rather not struggle with making the option right now, possibly because life is so busy. For me right now. However, it's a bad thing in this case, especially for a writer. Often, we fall into bad habits. Most of us took a break during the pandemic. I chose not to publish books during that period.

Many said it was the best time to publish books because people were stuck at home. On the other hand, people were trying to make ends meet to survive. Was buying books at the top of their priority list compared to binge-watching TV? I chose to take that time to develop my blog better. Also, after publishing nine books in two years, I needed a break. Therefore, I have to get my mind back to a different mode of thinking. My blog does very well, and so do most of my books. Not every book is a success. The market is fierce, and timing the right genre release takes excellent research and luck. Traditionally, besides my blog, my yearly plan is boating and doing Captain work during the summer months and writing and publishing books during the winter months. That was a great plan when I lived in Connecticut, where we separated between summer and winter. Living in Florida now has thrown off my climate clock.

Since the summers are so hot and humid here, and the winters are fantastic, I need to switch gears in my mind and do things differently. I get it; change is difficult, especially when someone has been doing the same for years. Therefore, we tend to procrastinate. Consequently, I feel your pain. Keep this in mind. Many writers and those who write about self-help topics are not immune to them happening to them. Besides education, this is where we get our experience to write about these topics.

My options, and part of this choice, is because I love the concept of the detective series I am writing; I am just not convinced that I feel satisfied with how I have written it. I have sent the drafts to those who pre-reviewed my books for their opinions, and the results are mixed. With creative tasks, sometimes it is wiser to put it off until the degree of comfort comes to you. You will know when it's right. With creative assignments, the thoughts must flow naturally for them to work. You cannot force them. In this case, it is a mixture of good and evil.

However, when this occurs, your worst enemy is time.

Time stands still for no one, and in some cases, you can miss your window of opportunity. Sometimes, it can be about deadlines—when a task must be completed. In almost every case, we all lack the luxury of time.

Time represents our past where we have been. Our present. Where we are now. And most important, the future. Where we want to be.

In today's world, time can be looked at as our enemy because things are changing so rapidly. This stresses us all in all aspects of our lives and planning.

That being said, I am not a procrastinator by nature. Whenever I have a task that needs to be done, I get it done. I find that easier than having to think about it constantly. I'd rather be looking for something to do than catching up on everything that needs to be done. Something always seems to need to be done in my life. I achieve this by completing these things based on their priority. However, as disciplined as I am, I get stuck on things occasionally. That is part of being human.

OTHER FACTORS:

Many outside factors dictate when, where, and how we must finish things. Work, family, home, and career are just a few. How many of you have significant others complaining that they have been asking you to do something for months, and you never get to it? You are procrastinating. However, that is your choice if you want to live with the grief that others will impose on you, remembering that it is always easier for others to complain about things rather than do them themselves. Of course, there are certain cases where they cannot. That's a given.

Some issues are time-sensitive. These are issues that only allow you so much time to get something done. These need to be higher on your list of priorities. Often, they may coincide with specific opportunities. The old saying, "those who hesitate are lost," is true. How many times have you lost that good deal because you were trying to get a better deal, and someone comes along and buys it before you decide? Time waits for no one. Never forget that. I had that happen to me with a larger boat I fell in love with. I kept trying to negotiate for a better deal. When I realized I probably was at the best price I could get it for and decided to buy it, someone had bought it the day before. Salespeople have no loyalty. Their loyalty is to sell and make their commission as it should be. I was very disappointed, but it was a good lesson to learn.

Making or not making choices is part of your daily life. In theory, you should be an expert at it. However, people who procrastinate suffer from that being part of their nature. It is who they are. These people usually do not care if they win or lose that excellent deal. They do not care if something gets done or not.

This becomes an issue when their choice to be a procrastinator affects the lives of others who are part of their life or their work life. Most bosses do not like procrastinators, although they may be one themselves. At best, it is a slippery slope that can be difficult to navigate. Therefore, if you procrastinate, when is the right time not to? What triggers do you need to choose, perform a task, or get something done? How much is it worth to you to eliminate that daily aggravation and stress? A married friend of mine procrastinates about everything. His thoughts are every time he gets something done for his wife; she will find something else she wants to be done. That is a different situation; maybe they need to talk about reality heart-to-heart.

WHY?:

Sometimes, people procrastinate because they overthink something. In their mind, they end up making it worse than what it is. In addition, many times, tasks keep pouring from every angle. Work, relationships, family, etc. All at the same time. This is where good time management skills can get you out of that situation. First, you are not overburdening yourself by choosing the correct order of priorities and allowing the proper time to achieve these goals. This will drastically reduce procrastination behavior. Rome wasn't built in a day, and you can't always get things done. 'You can please some people sometimes, but not all the people all the time.' Therefore, do not try. Others need to be understanding as well.

Anxiety and fear play a role in procrastination. You may become anxious and fearful that you may not be able to meet someone's expectations. Procrastination is a person's way of coping with these issues. I feel honesty is the best policy. If you think you cannot do something, say you can't do it. No one person is a miracle person. We all have our limits. Knowing those limits is what helps us to become successful in life. However, if you can do something, get it done rather than continue putting it off. It now becomes one less thing you need to accomplish.

IN CLOSING:

Procrastination is a behavior trait and, in time, becomes a chronic habit. However, one that can be broken. Before we can fix anything about ourselves, we must realize we have a problem.

Like anything else in life, it's all about you. You will not fix anything about yourself that you do not want to. According to Dr. Joesph Ferrari's research, It is estimated that 20% of adults are chronic procrastinators.

Procrastinating can lead to other feelings, such as stress and anxiety, leading to different behavioral issues and may eventually affect your health.

We can all agree that if you are a procrastinator, it is in your best overall interest to address it, find the root cause, and fix it. Often, this goes back to your younger days. Maybe when you were a student and always put off assignments till the last minute. Many issues we face about ourselves as adults result from bad habits we developed when we were younger.

Yes. It is all about you.

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