Cat Procrastination! Padding the road to change.

Padding the road to change!

You need to read this entire post now. Saying you will do it later will just prove my point.

Do you want this Sassy Cat to be right? I didn’t think so.

We talked about saying “NO” in a previous post.

We even talked about the word “should” in a post too!  Well, this post is about when your “no” and “should” have wrecked havoc on your life. The “yes” has got up and went and the “maybe” is soon to follow.

I am talking about YOU, my Cat Paw Procrastinator… Trouble cat and I can relate.

Procrastinating is when we put off things off that we “should” do now and instead we do something else more comfortable. For procrastinators we chronically avoid difficult tasks and deliberately look for distractions. There is a huge space between what we intend to do and what we actually do, or in our case, what we don’t do.

For the procrastinating cat, this gap gets harder to jump over. The cycle continues with the excuses that we can’t make the leap.

As Trouble Cat likes to remind me…I put off writing this blog to work on other things then I wrote the other things instead of my book. THAT is KT Cat Paw procrastination at it fullest!

 Why do we do this….

• A form of delaying gratification. We view our outcome based on what we think will happen. We keep it in the distance, because of  “what might happen if it didn’t work out or nothing changed?” We end up sabotaging ourselves because we “worry” if the end results will be “worth” it or make a difference.
• Perfectionism. Our creativity is important and not ‘getting’ it right sometimes means not doing it at all.  In the end we replace regret with the outcome.

All of this short term thinking and over-analyzing IS procrastination.

• Another big cause of procrastination is having poor decision making skills. Tuna or chicken flavor? This has nothing to do with smarts, just a lack of priority in the here and now. Not being able to see the future value of completion. Not making that tuna decision may mean you will get dry food instead.
• Some will use procrastination as an excuse for an acceptable behavior. Example is the proverbial “I work well under pressure.” This is all about control. We are trying to control the scenario and make decisions yet we are being indecisive at the same time. How is that working out for your future?
• One of the biggest reasons for procrastination is the fear of failure or success. No one wants to look silly and that is a huge fear in many people. As for success, any outcome in the future will create change and change is scary for a cat. The funny thing is that even if you did nothing, life will still change.

So being a procrastinator has nothing to do with smarts, cuteness, or what type of cat you are.  It also has no reflection on laziness either.

What happens in our cat mind is that we get overwhelmed by the process, so we look for distractions to alleviate the anxiety of the situation.  Oh look…bird!

Time to stop. Well, actually, it’s time to start to get things completed.

• Stop thinking about thinking. In the struggle between should versus want, you need to realize that the feeling of  “want “ will never goes away. So, forget wanting for your future or worrying about should.  Do what you have to do to get done for today’s sake, not tomorrows.  See should post
• This present moment is all you have and all you need.  Do now in the present moment and before you know it, you will be in tomorrow.  Well, actually you will still be in the now, but we can go with that.
• Use your cat essence of determination. This can give you some positive motivation. Become more inquisitive and excited instead of feeling dread or fear. Fear is an expectation based in the future. The future is not real, it is only perceived by you. Which is still not real.
• Hypnosis is wonderful. I had a friend have a session and it helped her get motivated and stay that way!  It bypasses the rational excuse-making mind and allows you to just focus.
• Start real simple. Break things up in the smallest dose possible. There is a method called the “kaizen way” and it is based on “continuous slow improvement.” It has been used as a strategy to create change in large corporations as well as help people develop positive changes in their behavior and motivation. Book: The kaizen way by Robert Maurer, PhD
• Appreciate being a kitten. Take time now to appreciate the small steps you have made. Do so with wide-eye delight! This makes it about the process instead of the completion.
• Accept change as it really is. Not what you think it is, or what you want it to be. Look around you and notice all the changes in your situation. Over time even people in your life and your thoughts change. Meditate on the “flow” of change; the cycle of life.
• Work on your perfection identity. Cats are almost perfect, but humans are not. Placing a high expectation on yourself with a sprinkled of perfect can stop you from ever starting. Even a perfect cat will miss the cat-box once or twice in it’s life. It is ok.

Hugs, Peace and Motivation!  KT

 

Get OFF the computer and get something done!