Hiding is a pretty critical part of being a Procrastinator. By describing some of the different types of hiding Procrastinators do, I hope to help you figure out your own modus operandi so you can start living without hiding again soon.
Hiding in Plain Sight
Procrastinators who hide in plain sight show up everywhere but don't engage with the action as others do. For instance, they are in meetings, but do not participate in conversation. They may be “working,” but less efficiently than others. They gravitate towards distractions, like the Internet or other people, but don't fully process the actual amount of time they are devoting to their distractions. Because these Procrastinators are in plain sight, their sense of fear is ever-present; they can be caught off-guard at any point because their attention is split between what they are doing and what they need to be doing.
Hiding as Part of Covert Ops
Procrastinators who engage in “covert ops” are those who spend most of their time out of sight, away from other people. Covert Ops Procrastinators tend to show up in key moments to their classes, jobs, and other activities to ensure they are not fully counted out by others. However, they may have already counted themselves out, even when other people are not noticing their lack of participation and involvement. When they are not out in the world, they may spend days at a time sleeping. Others may be awake, but not interacting with any other human beings, again, for days at a time. Covert Ops Procrastinators downplay their problems even when they are severe and chronic. They suffer from acting and feeling invisible. The range of feelings they experience includes feeling numb, feeling indifferent, feeling anxious (without appearing so), and feeling guilty.
Hiding While Silently Screaming
The Silently Screaming Procrastinators tend to be those who get behind on their own work and lives due to getting overly involved in the lives of other people. These Procrastinators tend to be volunteers, doers and over-doers, and they tend to have a radar for other people's needs. The Silent Screamers feel frustrated, angry, and resentful that their own needs are not being attended to. They often lack time to take care of very important things in their own lives. The Silent Screamers often have good communication skills, but fail to use them fully in order to keep peace or to maintain equilibrium in their relationships.
How To Emerge from Hiding
In many ways, all Procrastinators share an element of hiding in their behavior. We tell others and ourselves what we hope our realities are, but then feel hampered when we find ourselves falling short of that hoped-for reality. We squash that feeling of dissonance between what was hoped for and what happened, leading us to venture into all sorts of hide-outs. I encourage you to spend some time thinking about your own style of keeping your own life away from your own self. What are the elements that make you feel afraid? What makes you want to fall silent? Who do you wish would listen to you? Who do you wish would see you? Once you take stock of what your patterns are, you can begin to change your hiding behaviors. Most times, doing the opposite of what you have been doing works. For instance, instead of keeping yourself sequestered alone in your apartment, start to work in the library. Plan one action or comment you can make today which will take you closer to where you would like to be. Good luck on your new journey.
