PROCRASTINATION OR GERMINATION?

Posted on August 18, 2012 by Sheryl Westergreen, One of Thousands of Performance Coaches on Noomii.

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Procrastination or Germination?
You would like to make some changes in your life. Perhaps you would like to take your business or career to the next level, or introduce a new product. Maybe you’ve been thinking about the possibility of a new career or returning to school. If you are involved in the creative arts, it may be time to start a new body of work. Some other possibilities could be completing goals related to physical fitness, finances, improved relationships, or other projects.
How do you discern the difference between procrastinating and the right timing or germination? The difference is in how you FEEL. Sometimes, giving yourself the gift of creative contemplation or preparation can mobilize your inner resources in such a way that, when you do take action, it will seem almost effortless. The pressure in our society to be continuously in action is enormous, and there is a price to pay when you are not attending to your internal rhythms. When you are in the state of creative contemplation, there is a sense of movement, even if you are not taking any external action. You may have some fear or anxiety around extending yourself, but along with the fear, there is an accompanying sense of anticipation.
At the other end of the spectrum is procrastination. The feeling states associated with procrastination are fear, anxiety, guilt, and resentment. Remaining in these emotional states for an extended period may become habitual and can keep you mired in a field of “gunk” that saps your energy.
Choose something that you would like to make some progress toward in the next 30 days. When you think about it, how do you feel? Based on the quality of the feeling state, determine if you are procrastinating or germinating.
If you decide that you are germinating, try the following exercise: Set aside 20 minutes each day, marking it on your calendar, and make a date with yourself to “float” with your idea. You might combine this with taking a walk, working in the garden, riding a stationary bike, or working out on a treadmill. Sometimes a physical activity has the effect of relaxing your thinking process. Allow the luxury of imposing no external deadline to give your ideas freedom to develop fully. At some point, you will know automatically that it’s time to externalize your plan.
The heavy feeling you experience when thinking about your chosen area determines that you are in procrastination mode. Here are some suggestions: Maybe this is something that you truly do not want or have no intention of changing. Be completely honest with yourself or others, if that’s the case. Give it up. Cross it off your list. Chuck it. This can be incredibly liberating. If it is something you want to change, set a date a few weeks from now and try the “floating” exercise described above, but with the intention that you will take appropriate action on your designated date. Allow a plan to formulate, and use the time to prepare to implement it.
Good luck!

Sheryl Westergreen, MA, LMHC, PCC
VisionACT: Business and life coaching to accelerate achievement in work and personal life.
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