Do you procrastinate, hesitate or indulge in your fair share of both?
Tuning into a bundle of audio's this past week, this topic really peaked my interest.
For starters, I'd never given any thought to both of these words in the same instance. However both words have an impact on my life and yours too. The person speaking to these two words spoke to her method of counting to five to move out of hesitation...stay tuned :)
Searching for the Meaning
So I asked my best friend google...what's the difference between procrastinate and hesitate. I love seeking the distinctions between words that appear to be close.
Procrastinate is to put off, to delay taking action - to wait until later while to hesitate is to stop or pause respecting a decision or action, to be in suspense or uncertainty.
Going a little Deeper
Procrastination is the avoidance of doing a task which needs to be accomplished. It is the practice of doing more pleasurable things in place of less pleasurable ones, or carrying out less urgent tasks instead of more urgent ones, putting off impending tasks to a later time.
Sometimes, procrastination takes place until the "last minute" before a deadline. Procrastination can take hold on any aspect of life from the menial to major life decisions. Here's a few - putting off cleaning the windows, replying to that email, the annual check up with doctor or dentist, submitting a job report or an assignment or broaching a stressful issue with a partner.
Procrastination can lead to feelings of guilt, inadequacy, depression and self-doubt.
Hesitation happens when you we feel uncertainty or doubt. It can be a pause in speech, a faltering moment before we act, or a silent second of indecision. The Latin root of hesitation is haesitationem, which means irresolution or uncertainty.
“Enjoy the little things in life...for one day you’ll back and realise they were the big things. ”
Get over It
I mentioned earlier I would share with you the speakers tip on getting over hesitation. The example she used was when the alarm goes off - for me it's 4.15am and the temptation can be to hit the snooze button.
The reason for an early call is because I have a bunch of things I want to achieve before my working day starts. Yes I have great reasons and a BIG WHY.
So the tip on the audio is to count to five then spring out of bed. Give it a go...you know when that call is due to be made and you're considering putting it off, same thing, count to five and do it. You know it's simple and it works.
Not now, Later...
Procrastination is something else and I want to share with you a wonderful perspective I learnt form my mentor and coach. And that's how to use procrastination for good purpose.
Have you ever had that situation that takes over your life for a time? Whatever it is, it permeates your every thought during the awake hours. I can recall one time in particular when a situation took over my mind and what seemed like my life.
The Moment has Passed
The game changer on procrastination was when I learnt to make it my friend. And how did I do that? I simply put off the thoughts until later.
It goes like this...situation comes up, I acknowledge it then say 'ok I'll come to it later'. Then it comes up again, ok I heard you, I'll get to you later. Repeat this as often as needed to push the thought out to later and later never comes.
This little mind game continues until I either get to it or it simple becomes unimportant, slipping off into the distance. And I did get to the point where I thought I haven't give this a thought today - wow.
This has been such a freeing approach and so valuable. Procrastination has become my friend. How refreshing to put a new perspective on a word to make it serve us for good purpose.
And the mornings.... 1,2,3,4,5 is fun, I mean it :)
Till next week, make what you're doing matter :)
