Confidence Builders International, Inc.

I’ve been going steady with Procrastination for years. You might even say we were engaged. It’s true that we never made a formal announcement of the engagement. To tell the truth, ours has been a secret affair. I didn’t want to introduce Procrastination to my friends and family because I knew not one of them would approve.

I met up with P when I was barely into my teens. It all started with a paper that was due in my English Lit class. The teacher, Mrs. Henry, told us at the very beginning of the semester that we’d have to turn in a 750-word paper. She even gave us the deadline date of November 30. That’s when I met Procrastination for the first time. The attraction was immediate.

Although I had a three month window to complete the assignment, and even though I was actually interested in the subject, I put off doing the actual work until the last possible moment. Procrastination seduced me totally and completely. Yes, I did think about the paper from time to time. Every time I’d begin to get serious about the task, P appeared and convinced me that I still had plenty of time. It would be a lot more fun to spend time hanging out with my friends or meeting them at the movies. I could just pick up a novel and spend an hour reading. Procrastination became my constant companion. This was no one night stand.

Many years have passed since I first met Procrastination and I’ve been true blue through it all. In college, I became acquainted with late night cramming for exams. The funny thing is, even with P by my side I was still able to pull A’s and B’s. That is one of Procrastination’s charms—being a deadliner doesn’t necessarily lead to failure. I found I could still get by most of the time. P knew that about me and used that information almost on a daily basis.

When I landed a job, my secret lover was right there with me as I flirted with deadline after deadline. I wanted to break up and leave Procrastination. I tried. Many times. I really did. I started reading books about how to avoid getting into that kind of relationship, how to be truly productive. Later, I printed out articles about Procrastination on the web. All good advice, but I couldn’t let go. I was hooked.

And even though this bizarre romance has had a long, long run in my life, I’ve managed to write two books. Both books took much, much longer than they should have. I was constantly wooed by my addiction to Procrastination. So instead of getting down to the job at hand, I found delight in making the bed, doing the dishes, surfing the internet or most of the time, just taking a nap.

So what made me finally leave Procrastination? Was it some magical intervention? A brilliant insight on my part? Some words of wisdom that came to me in a meditative state? None of the above.

Here’s what happened: I simply fell out of love with Procrastination. One day I looked up from the computer screen and realized I actually hated living with this dumb ox. Suddenly I saw all the flaws. You know how it is. Once you decide you don’t like your relationship, it becomes really easy to start picking on it. In my case, everything my P did got on my nerves

For example, one day I decided to try one more time to work on my new book (it’s been hiding in my file cabinet for seven months). Procrastination tried hard to seduce me.
“Let’s call Sally. We haven’t had a good chat with her for weeks.”

“No. I think I want to write.” I said.

“Okay, then, here’s a better idea---you know you’ve been wanting to take a little vacation. How about surfing the net for some hot vacation spots?” P knew I loved to do research on everything.

I actually sneered at P. “Later. Now I want to write.”

“Whoa! Think about it, you know you’re on the wrong track with that book. What made you think you could write it anyway…who do you think you are?” Procrastination hissed.

I paused, but only for a second. I thought, ‘That one was a little below the belt’. I spun around and screamed, “I hate you. You don’t even know me. You never listen. You never cared about me.”

I was so angry I wanted to say a lot more. Nasty things. But, I decided the most hurtful thing I could do to P was to go to work. So I got out my skinny little manuscript and I turned on the computer and began to write. The words flew out and I felt good for the first time in a long time.

That day I began divorce proceedings of a sort. All I asked was that P leave town immediately. I had no interest in a settlement and I certainly wasn’t looking for an amicable divorce. I wanted to be free. To tell the truth, I wasn’t able to make a clean getaway. Like so many people who find themselves in lousy relationships, I often slipped back into mine. What I found though, was that each time I returned to Procrastination, I felt more and more repulsed and less and less inclined to stay. After a while, I actually stopped calling for P. I started to forget about the strong relationship we’d had. I forgot to take naps instead of working on my project. I even finished a couple of writing assignments early. With Procrastination gone, I had plenty of time to do the things that matter to me.

So, if you’re in a relationship with Procrastination, take a look at what’s in it for you. There’s no love there. No kindness. Only guilt and wasted time. No future. What kind of relationship is that? Think about it. The next time you’re sitting there wondering if you should get to work or listen to P and goof off, just stop and think for a minute. What’s in your best interest? Send old P packing. Just think of the money you’ll save on all those books about procrastination.

Life without Procrastination is sweet. I’m actually having a life. Wow, there’s a lot to see and hear and enjoy. I’m in charge now and I decide for myself how to spend my time. If you’re just in the flirtation stage, run now while you can. If you’re in a long-term relationship and wondering how to get out, look closely at what it’s costing you. Break up. Do it today. You’ll get your life back.