Is it Organized Procrastination or Laziness?

Looking at the title, I am sure you are wondering, what? How is procrastination organized? If we look at each word and define them, we will understand how. Organization is defined as arranged systematically. In contrast, procrastination is an active process. Do you see that? Those two words are system and process, which is why you can organizationally procrastinate. You have built a thought system in your mind that has become an automatic response where there is work to do. You have implemented this into your consciousness via a strategic process. However, if you shift that energy and practice it in a better way, 10 minutes per day, you will see that you are no longer falling into the organized procrastination trap. 

Now that I have explained that let’s jump into why procrastination and laziness are not the same. I have heard individuals say this as if they are, but they are far different. As alluded to above, procrastination is an ACTIVE process in which you choose to do something else instead of what you should be doing. If you have children, then you know what I mean. My daughter conveniently wants to draw when it’s time to do the dishes. Laziness, however, is INACTIVITY and an unwillingness to act. It’s that “all talk and no action” person. The one who has the goals yet sleeps the day away. Big difference! Both are traps, but a BIG DIFFERENCE. 

We do things that take up hours, leaving no time to do what we need. This busy work or distractions has sent some of us on an unproductive spiral, which I call organized procrastination. We allow distractions when we do not want to do what we need to. I see people post about folding clothes all the time. They say they can wash in one day, but it takes 7-10 business days to fold. The mindset formed here is because we have conditioned ourselves with such procrastination. We will sit on Facebook for 3 hours to avoid folding laundry. We will go mop to avoid folding laundry; we will do anything because the root of it is, “I have washed, and I just do not feel like folding, too.” I would suggest this be a task for early morning to get it out of the way because it will only worsen the more you stare at all the unfolded laundry. If multiple people are in the home, delegating tasks may help, too. What you do not like someone else may be okay doing. A quick family meeting will assist with coordinating a chore chart where everyone is involved. If you live alone, you should not have as much laundry to do anyway, so why are you complaining. 

Research shows that 95% of people procrastinate to some degree. Understand, it said to some degree, so if you briefly delay a task genuinely for a good reason, it is not necessarily procrastinating. Individuals who blatantly ignore unpleasant tasks in favor of more enjoyable ones make up that significant number. I was organizing the closets one afternoon, and what I thought would be a joint effort became a one-woman show when I had to do so alone because suddenly, the car needed to be washed. That was a classic case of procrastination. We may not see it as such, but it is. It may work because something else is getting done, but no. Avoiding unpleasant tasks such as washing a car is procrastination. Minor episodes of procrastination can reduce productivity and cause us to miss out on achieving our goals. The choice to procrastinate over long periods causes us to become demotivated, leading to depression in extreme cases. 

 

 

 

 

Tips for Overcoming

 

1. Recognize that you procrastinate. Acknowledgment is powerful because only then will you feel there is an issue to be helped. 

 

2. Get to the root and understand why you are procrastinating. As stated earlier, you may not like folding clothes. That is no reason to keep putting it off, but now you understand yourself better and can create a system to get it done to have a more productive day. 

3. Adopt a strategy: Commit to the task, reward yourself, minimize distractions, and have an accountability partner in place. I have found that doing those things I’m not particularly eager to do early in the morning before my workday helps me. I feel more upbeat, productive, and excited about other walls I can climb. #MOTIVATION

 

 

Thanks for reading; please share on your platforms spreading the organizational health. Tune in weekly to my podcast as I discuss mentally, spiritually, and physically immune-boosting topics.

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