Procrastination, as defined in the dictionary app on my laptop, means: the action of delaying or postponing something. So basically what I'm doing right now with the important decisions of my life. But hey, don't judge, most of the population struggles with the procrastination bug at some point in their lives.
We don't set out to procrastinate, it's just something that happens. And like everything else in our lives, it spirals and has certain steps. From step one to step five, procrastination runs it's course in our lives.
Step One: Motivation
You are SO motivated, you will crush this project/paper/workout/life improvement project. It's the Eye of the Tiger baby, and it's all you. You are unbreakable, the picturesque example of success. Nothing can stop you.
Step Two: Negotiate for Freedom
It's been forever since you saw your friends (two hours if you don't count the group messages that are blowing up your phone) and you don't think you can stand it any longer. You've read two pages, or wrote an introduction and if it's a workout you just completed ten sit-ups. You earned this break. You'll do it tomorrow anyway, it's not like you could get distracted after letting yourself loose for one night. You'll have all that built up energy gone by the morning.
Step Three: Finding Better Things To Do
You haven't done laundry in a few days (or weeks), and you really don't remember the last time you saw the bottom of your room. Slowly but surely you end up cleaning and polishing your place instead of working on that important thing. But hey, you have a sparkling castle, at least until tomorrow.
Step Four: Throwing in the Towel and Waiting for the Due Date
Okay you gave it the good ol' college try. Maybe instead of feeling guilty you should set twenty alarms on the due date so you know when it's time to get your life together. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the calm before the storm. You certainly haven't earned it.
Step Five: So many regrets.
You procrastinated. And now you're scrambling while attempting to cram three weeks of work into one single day. You swear you've learned your lesson now and make a promise that you'll never procrastinate ever again. But you know it'd be a heck of an accomplish for you to make it a week without putting important stuff off until later. Until next time fellow procrastinators.
