Chapter One

By the time of that incident, procrastination had already ingrained itself into my life so thoroughly that it hadn’t occurred to me that my job wasn’t just about taking care of things, like contracts, which I hadn’t done: it was more about taking care of my employer’s needs. It almost goes without saying that my job lived up to its name—”temporary,” and ended just a few days later.

Another time, a lawyer, whom I was assisting, complained that I spent too much time trying to figure out how to “do” something, rather than just “doing it.” Once again, I was only able to see the situation from my perspective, which left me wondering how one is supposed to simply “do.” At other moments, supervisors griped that although I did my work, it took me too long to get things done. While I strove to keep my emotions in check, I focused on the basics of my job, cringing whenever a superior suggested that I undertake a new responsibility. Here are some other comments I received in the workplace:

• When faced with a task, I made “mountains out of molehills.”
• One supervisor told me she suspected that I was “avoiding work.”
• Another supervisor complained that I “thought too much.”

Indeed, many fellow procrastinators have told me that they’ve stared in amazement at co-workers who not only juggle the demands of a full-time job, but also take care of several children at home before and after work. It’s people like that for whom the adage, “If you want something done, give it to the busy person,” not just applies, but makes so much sense.

Procrastinating at Home

Not all procrastinators are the same. Some complain that while they have no problem with procrastination in the workplace, they find themselves immobilized by some of the simplest home-based tasks. They often say things like, “I do whatever is asked of me at work by my superiors. Anything they ask, and I do it. So you’d think I would do for myself at home, now wouldn’t you? I mean, if they told me to stand on my head for ten minutes, I’d do it, if I could—so long as they paid me for my time. Still, my home is a mess and sometimes I worry that a co-worker might invite me over for a party at his or her place, especially around the holidays—and that I’d feel obligated to return the favor. What would I do then?”