It certainly has been a while since I’ve written anything for GTD Times, so long that one might think I’d fallen off the wagon. Not true – somewhat. It’s not as if I’d fallen and couldn’t get up – it was that I was buried and couldn’t dig out.
Like most of you, I have a lot going on. Between my writing and the regular day job (the one that I enjoy a ton and it pays regularly), I’d taken on a couple of speaking engagements and started work on a book. Apparently, I also have a wife and daughter. I found I wasn’t doing my Weekly Review because my weeks seemed to blend into each other. Then when I did sit down to do it, I’d felt shameful because I had made limited progress in several areas, but hadn’t finished anything to completion. That’s when I realized I had fallen into the dangerous realm of “professional crastination” – or procrastination for short.
Procrastination isn’t all bad…but it’s definitely not all good, either. It can be a bit akin to quicksand if you’re not clear in mind because the more you struggle with it, the deeper you sink into it. I’m sure everyone has noticed when you are in the state of “mind like water” it’s easier to make headway, but not so much when it’s anything thicker! So I did the smart thing. I stood still. I did nothing but take time for myself, which I really wasn’t doing – and hadn’t been for some time (probably about knee-deep in quicksand terms). As I did this, I was able to sort out all the stuff that didn’t matter and get to the heart of what did. Then I started moving.
Soon enough, I was out the quicksand and back on solid ground. It’s far easier to take stock when you’re on steady footing than when you’re in uncertain territory. I was back on track and flow had resumed. The very next thing I did was to sit down and write this piece.
We all need certainty and uncertainty in our lives; they are two of our fundamental needs as human beings. Our productivity and – ultimately- our progress are affected by how we manage those times where either of these needs present themselves. GTD can be a valuable tool in that struggle.
Of this I am certain.
Mike Vardy is an accomplished, self-professed productivity and procrastination expert, as well as regular contributor to GTD Times. With his humor and wisdom, we hope you enjoy his perspective on doing things…eventually. Read more from Mike.