On the path to greatness, there will be 100 overcomings.
I will chronicle my attempts to overcome procrastination. My technique is to start small, really small.
My favorite post in the series is #3 Dealing with a Bunch of Crap.
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Since I have started paying taxes, I do not believe I have ever paid them this late.
If the taxes get as far as spring break, I usually end up dealing with it during the break. This year we went on a vacation to New York on spring break, so that pushed takes all the way into April.
If my papers and other affairs were in any way organized this probably would not be much of a problem. As it was, the fear of the papers grew in my mind. And dread works best when it is ill-defined. So . . . What was I afraid of? Missing the paper on how much interest I've paid on the rental? Having to have my W-2 reprinted in the administrative center? Being audited and thrown in jail? Looking like an idiot to my wife at the tax place? I had not really thought through what I was afraid of or even that I was afraid. It just moved out of my mind quickly, but grew stronger with every time I realized that "Oh shoot, we need to do our taxes."
I imagine that everyone has a kind of force field that makes it hard to get tasks done that they have already procrastinated, and the rub is that with each time the task comes to mind and yet doesn't get done . . . the force field . . . just . . .gets . . . stronger. (This conception of a force field is based on Aaron Swartz's essay on productivity.)
So my force field was strong and after staying up late to avoid the task, sleeping in to avoid the task, making eggs to avoid the task and even doing the dishes to avoid the task, I turned to the task near panic, promising myself that I would get cream soda later in the day (much better if I had some pre-warding materials on hand, but, alas, we were low). I set a timer for 20 minutes, just picturing my entire day wasted looking through papers, and then -- oh gosh -- I'd never get to all the other things I needed to do . . . and some of those things flooded my mind.
With the timer going, I made a few hesitant steps, setting up different piles for what I was going through, clearing the space on a tv tray to make room for one pile, pacing a bit in another room for a bit because it was too much for me. I couldn't believe I had set up an appointment with the accountant for 2:00 pm. I just knew I wasn,t going to be ready by then, or if I ended up being ready, it would be nothing but a day of torture.
Of course by the end of 20 minutes I had found all the papers I needed. The rest of the day went smoothly and I got many things done.
