A procrastination cure: all writers want one!

I’ve read many books over the years on this subject, but none better than The Now Habit by Neil Fiore. I’ve worn out a paperback, I listen to my Audible copy of it as a refresher, and recently I bought a set of Now Habit Motivation Cards.

Why? Because I forget what I know!

So I get stuck, feel overwhelmed, blame myself for STILL dealing with procrastination, and then frequently eat a snack and find something on Netflix. That is, I USED to do this, and fairly frequently too.

Trying Something New to Beat Procrastination

Lately I’ve chosen one card from the motivation pack each morning, read it, then reviewed that card several times throughout the day. It reminds me of things I already know (but have temporarily forgotten), especially the practical “fixes” and easy solutions for my fear and feelings of pressure.

For example, here is the card that sat on my desk all day. I put in a long day copyediting, but I still needed to write a short blog and do one other writing task. I felt overwhelmed, even though what I had left to do wouldn’t take more than an hour. Then . . . I spotted the motivational card propped up against my desk lamp. This is what it says:

Generally we are taught that procrastination is the problem, rather than a symptom of other problems. This diagnosis, instead of directing your efforts toward ending the cycle of pressure, fear, and procrastination, unfortunately makes matters worse by blaming you for choosing such an awful habit. A diagnosis without a treatment plan is almost useless. A more helpful diagnosis would point you toward your next action step: Start now. Do something for five minutes.

And that’s what I did. I spent a few minutes creating a title. That’s all it took. Getting started is the tough part. Everything settled down then, I was able to say what I wanted to say, and the blog post got written.

Remind Yourself of What You Already Know

Getting started is always so much harder than continuing. An object in motion stays in motion (says Isaac Newton’s First Law of Motion), but for most writers, getting that object to move in the first place is the real trick! If that’s your challenge too, I urge you to try The Now Habit (in any of its forms.) It will break through the procrastination and get you on your way.