The Procrastinatory Force Field

Recently, I sat down to get some writing done while my daughter was on the couch, ostensibly finishing up her Spanish homework.  Her notebook lay open on her lap, her pencil discarded on top of it.  Above the pile of intended work she held the book which was decidedly not relevant to the task at hand.

I settled myself down to work, but felt my mind drawn in every direction except toward my notebook.  It had taken me nearly the whole day just to get as far as sitting down with my notebook.  Even as I sat down, committing myself to the activity, it seemed impossible to actually begin.

I flipped open my book and sketched this diagram, which I am calling the procrastinatory force field.

So often, it feels like I’m working against an invisible force field through which I have no hope of passing.  It repels my every approach, shielding the the thing I mean to be doing from my efforts.

As I reflected more on this force field, I realized that its scope is not static.  It weakens or strengthens depending upon conditions.

It grows stronger when:

• I’m tired, cranky, hungry, hot/cold, etc.

• There are other steps I have to take before I can start the core thing I need to do.

• I’ve already given in to procrastination once in relation to this particular thing.

• I’m not sure exactly what I’m meaning to do, but only have vague notions about it.

• There are competing things I could/should be working on. In order to work on any of them, I need to spend some time prioritizing, but I have not.

On the other hand, the force field becomes weaker when:

• I’m rested and feel good in my body.

• I’ve done the thing recently and I remember the positives I felt.

• I know exactly what I mean to be doing and have everything at hand to make it happen.

I suppose I’ll never be able to eradicate the procrastinatory force field from my life.  But, by mapping it out and studying its contours, perhaps I can exploit its weaknesses and slip through the gaps.