I have to laugh at myself. This post heading was in my journal for almost two months without a single word written. A few paragraphs and a few months later, I decided it was time to buckle down and finish. But as usual, life got busy, and I set it aside. This post has been about 6 months in the making! In the case of this post, my “later” didn’t turn into a “never”, but like most of us, I constantly battle procrastination and the guilt that can come with it. But recently, I’ve been adjusting the way I think about procrastination.
The Art of Procrastination
Sometimes it feels like I have a million and one things going on at any one time. Between work, home life, friends, and the other responsibilities on my plate, it’s difficult to get everything done, let alone carve time out for myself and creative pursuits. If procrastinating is an act of mini rebellion (choosing to avoid the “should”), what happens when you procrastinate on purpose?
I recently came across the idea of proactive procrastination, sometimes called productive procrastination. There are all sorts of various definitions and opinions as to whether it’s beneficial or not. But the part that caught my attention was the idea that it’s done on purpose. It’s really just a fancy way of justifying the way you prioritize things. Sometimes you have to replace a “should” with a “can” or a “want-to”, and as long as you don’t get carried away with it, the world won’t fall apart. One way to use procrastination without it getting out of hand is to apply it to your time management method of choice.
Time Management ~ Making Lists
I’m a list person. I might ignore or lose that list, but it feels darn good to make it. And even better to cross things off of it. For me, the key to an effective list (besides not losing it) is to break it up into categories. Because I’ve got a lot going on in different areas of my life, list categories help me keep things organized. It’s kind of like a chest of drawers–each drawer has something specific. When you are looking for a sweater, you open the sweater drawer. Imagine if every piece of clothing you own was all in one giant drawer! Unless you are a minimalist, that would be a nightmare! It’s the same thing with lists! Your categories will probably look different than mine, but you get the idea.
Planner Organization Tips
It took me a while to figure out how to use a planner in a way that works for me. I do also use reminders on my phone for important appointments and things I am afraid I will forget (like a weekly reminder on Mondays to water my plants – here’s why I need that reminder Confessions of a Houseplant Serial Killer.)
My top tips for keeping my planner organized:
Use the day spots only for appointments and work calls that have a specific time associated with them. Keeping the area clean allows me to see at a glance what parts of my day are completely scheduled.
Make each category list on a separate sticky note. This allows my lists to be moved from one week to the next in my planner if I didn’t complete everything. It saves me time not having to rewrite the list in the next week’s space and is especially handy if my lists include things that don’t need to be done right away but still need to stay on my radar.
Use pencil. I’ll pencil that in… I just started using pencil rather than pen in my planner, and I have noticed some interesting changes. First, my handwriting is a little better–I have no idea why. Second, it’s so much less bossy to write things in pencil. It can be erased or rewritten if things change.
Be encouraging. I’ve started writing myself little notes of encouragement and scriptures that I want to think about for the week. Note to future self: you’ve got this!
It’s worth it to find a planner (or app if you organize your life electronically) that is a joy to use. This applies to the insides and how it’s broken up as well as how attractive you find the outside. If it’s not a pleasure to use, I just won’t use it.
Planners are your safe space – the place to keep your mind organized. These are just a few things that help me get the most out of my planner. I love being inspired by others, so feel free to share what works for you in the comments below!
Prioritizing Tasks ~ "Have-to's" & "Want-to's"
Performing task triage is very useful, especially if I have too many things on my plate. Each category list gets the once over, and any hard and fast deadlines are marked. Then, tasks get put into one of these categories:
- Have-to (by x date) – paying bills, work deadlines
- Should – A necessary task but some flexibility as to when it needs to be done
- Can – Not a super high priority, but if I have time
- Want-to – the stuff I want to do (and what usually falls to the bottom of the pile)
Sometimes task triage is quick and more of a mental note rather than a formal designation. But it goes a long way to helping me decide which things come first. This is where active procrastination comes in. Once I have a pretty good handle on what I have to do, I can make some decisions about what I will put off until later. And because I am not blindly procrastinating, I don’t have to feel guilty. I am choosing my little act of mini rebellion in a way that won’t come back to bite me.
Getting It All Done ~ Not!
This notion of getting it all done is the equally toxic friend of “having it all.” Lists are a great way to keep track of things we have to and want to do in our lives. Being productive and accomplishing tasks is also a good thing. But when our burdens (sometimes self-inflicted, sometimes beyond our control) become a heavy weight and we are comparing our lives to those around us, it might be time to shift attitudes and make some changes. Keeping a healthy balance between have-to’s and want-to’s is the true secret of managing time wisely. I haven’t figured out exactly how to accomplish that yet, but I’m working on it!
Sometimes my “laters” become “nevers”, and that’s okay too!
2 Comments
Selah
Thanks for the amazing post! I loved you idea about the sticky notes on a planner, I should definitely adopt that organizational method. Currently I use what I call a ‘list of importance’ which is basically a big list of all the stuff I have to do in a week. It helps me stay organized and aware of everything going on, but I’m always open to suggestions! 😃
Susan Miller
Ooo love the suggestions!! Also love it when you post! I’ve got my huge planner that I use for absolutly everything, and I’m always stressing about “getting it all done.” But you’re right, it shouldn’t be all about that if it starts to take over your life… thats definitely something I have to start working on.😀