It has struck me lately the irony that procrastinators work too hard.  After all, the common perception of procrastinators is we're not working at all.  But that common perception is really only partially true.  I think all procrastinators know that.  We are hard-core workaholics seriously well-disguised as highly unproductive people.

Procrastinators think our work is so important we:

• sacrifice our social life
• forgo sleep
• tell ourselves we should not do other things
• tell ourselves we should not have fun
• commit all our energies and worries to getting our work done

This is probably the wrong way to go about things.  Firstly, our work is not that important. What I mean is our work stands for itself in its importance for other people and for the world. It does not rely on our self-sacrifice and self-sabotaging behaviors to be important. Secondly, the sheer total imbalance which happens when we focus only on our work creates a block to working.  That's the harder irony to deal with.  And by the time we've lost our sleep, our fun, and our social lives, we've no energy to figure out why our work is not yet done, despite our commitment.

What are some ways to get a handle on this negative cycle?

1. Remember to separate self-harm and self-criticism from your work.  On second thought, try to do away with self-harm and self-criticism altogether.
2. Nurture your mind, your body, and your voice during the working process.
3. Differentiate your periods of working and other periods of your day.  If you do not know what I am talking about when I mention “other periods of your day,” take a real break and redo your approach to working.
4. When you have the inclination to cut something out of your life for your work, take a step back and evaluate what you're reacting to.
5. Dig deep into your work. When you find yourself focusing on how you're not good enough, you're probably trying to run away from the actual work. Do the work.
6. Figure out a way to have fun. Mix it up. Use a green pen. Invite a friend over to work. Invite a friend over for a break. Play some disco music.
7. Remind yourself that your work is not that important. Regain some balance.

My goal in writing this post was to help you have more fun in both your work and your non-work.  I hope my message worked.  Don't work too hard.  Have a great day.