The Paradox Power of Procrastination for Creatives
Welcome back to another episode of "From Creative Passion to Profit", with me, Mahmood Reza.
In this episode, titled "The Paradox Power of Procrastination for Creatives" we explore the multifaceted world of procrastination.
We often view procrastination as a negative force, linked to laziness and inefficiency.
However, I'd like to challenge this perception by exploring how procrastination, if harnessed correctly, can be a powerful tool for creative individuals.
Mentioned in this episode:
Training
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Transcript
Never put off till tomorrow what may be done the day after tomorrow.
Speaker:Just as well. So said Mark Twain, when describing
Speaker:something that most of us have succumbed to at some point.
Speaker:I'm talking procrastination. Now procrastination is when we
Speaker:act against our better judgment. We delay tasks, we avoid
Speaker:responsibilities and instead we focus on things that aren't
Speaker:in our long term interest. Even when we consciously set those goals
Speaker:for ourselves. Does that sound familiar? I thought so. But wait.
Speaker:Before you start feeling guilty, let's take a different spin. Let's take a different
Speaker:perspective. What would you do if I told you that procrastination isn't
Speaker:always the villain in your story? Now, if you use it correctly,
Speaker:it can actually work in your favor. Now stay with me as I
Speaker:unpack the paradox of procrastination and
Speaker:discover how it sometimes can be a advantage
Speaker:rather than a self destructive hab.
Speaker:Firstly, what is procrastination? Now it's fair to say that
Speaker:we've all been there, caught red handed, delaying important tasks for
Speaker:just that little bit longer. I'm holding my hand up by the way, in
Speaker:acknowledgment. And we've been told that procrastination is a negative thing,
Speaker:right? Well, guilty is charged. It's often linked to
Speaker:laziness or inefficiency. But let's just dig a little bit
Speaker:deeper. Now at its core, procrastination is a self
Speaker:regulation problem. It's not about being lazy, it's about. It's
Speaker:about delaying tasks. Even when we know that doing so will
Speaker:have consequences. And for creatives, procrastination
Speaker:can manifest itself in many unique ways. Now think
Speaker:about it. Have you ever found yourself cleaning your entire
Speaker:workspace instead of starting that new painting? Browsing the
Speaker:Internet for inspiration instead of writing that article? If that sounds
Speaker:like you, well, you're not alone. Why do we
Speaker:procrastinate? Now procrastination isn't random.
Speaker:It often comes from a fear of failure. The pressure to
Speaker:create something amazing can be paralyzing. That rabbit in the
Speaker:headlights feeling. Perfectionism. If it's not perfect, why
Speaker:do we start at all? We might also refer to that as over
Speaker:engineering. Thirdly, there's the idea of overwhelm. Too many
Speaker:ideas, fries our brains, too little time, and where
Speaker:do we even begin? And lastly, there's the
Speaker:lack of motivation. Sometimes we just don't feel it.
Speaker:Does this sound relatable? Well, the good news is once we
Speaker:recognize why we procrastinate, we can start to take control
Speaker:of it. Now how can procrastination be a good thing. Now
Speaker:let's flip the script. Now, believe it or not,
Speaker:procrastination can be useful. And here's how. Well,
Speaker:firstly is the idea of delayed decision making that
Speaker:equals better choices better. By stepping away from a problem,
Speaker:we can allow our subconscious mind to work on in the
Speaker:background. Now, this means when we do take action, we often make
Speaker:smarter, more informed decisions. There's the idea of
Speaker:creative incubation. Now, some of the best ideas we come up with don't
Speaker:come instantly. They need time to simmer, evolve and
Speaker:take shape. Now, when you take breaks, even if they're unintentional,
Speaker:your brain is still working on in the background. Thank you
Speaker:brain. Have you ever had an aha moment while you're in the shower walking
Speaker:outside? Well, that's the magic of delayed thinking at play.
Speaker:Let's consider the idea that procrastination helps you to
Speaker:prioritize. Now, sometimes procrastination is your brain's way
Speaker:of telling you that a task isn't actually important or urgent.
Speaker:By adding that delay, you filter out what really matters. Let's talk
Speaker:about how we overcome unhelpful procrastination.
Speaker:Now, of course, not all procrastination is helpful.
Speaker:Sometimes it just keeps us stuck. And here's some practical ways I want to
Speaker:share with you of how we manage it. Firstly, break it
Speaker:down. Instead of thinking about the entire project, just focus on
Speaker:one small part. Do you have to design a new portfolio? Write a new
Speaker:play? Well, start by choosing a template. Just a small step
Speaker:forward gets that momentum going. Secondly, consider the
Speaker:five minute rule. Tell yourself you'll work on something just for five minutes.
Speaker:A sprint if you wish. Often starting is the hardest
Speaker:part. But once you begin, you will keep going. Thirdly,
Speaker:think about the idea of time blocking. Set specific time slots
Speaker:in your day dedicated to work and breaks. Anyone heard of the
Speaker:Pomodoro technique? And lastly, remove
Speaker:distractions. Put your phone in another room, Lock it away,
Speaker:turn it off. Use apps that block your social media. Turn off your
Speaker:notifications. I promise you, your future self will. Thank
Speaker:you. Now, if procrastination is causing problems in your creative
Speaker:business, there are tools that can help, especially when it comes to the
Speaker:finances. Take a look at Budget Wiz that we've got. It's
Speaker:designed to make your financial planning and your cash flow tracking
Speaker:easy so you can focus on the work you actually love. Why struggle with
Speaker:your finances when a tool can do the heavy lifting? We've got some final
Speaker:thoughts, so let's recap. Procrastination isn't always
Speaker:the enemy it's made out to be, it can actually help with creativity
Speaker:and decision making. Recognize why you procrastinate.
Speaker:Self awareness. Self diagnosis can help and helps you
Speaker:address it. Come up with simple strategies like breaking tasks down,
Speaker:using timers, removing distractions. This will help keep
Speaker:you on track. Now, next time you catch yourself procrastinating,
Speaker:don't panic. Don't give yourself a hard time. Instead, ask
Speaker:yourself, am I avoiding work or am I allowing my
Speaker:brain the space to create? Now, use it wisely and you might
Speaker:just find that procrastination is the unlikely ally
Speaker:you never knew you needed. Until next time, folks. Keep
Speaker:creating. Keep pushing forward. And remember, numbers don't have to be
Speaker:scary. Plan it, do it. Profit.
