Does anyone else do this or do I have issues?

[BoakBackMountain]

I have a very important work "thing" I need to do. The deadline is coming up. I could have done it weeks ago. But I absolutely hate doing it and every day I find an excuse not to do it. I put it off and put it off and put it off and then I know I'll end up scrambling around doing it right at the last minute.

In the meantime I'm plowing through loads of stuff that could wait for weeks. Why am I like this?! Surely I should recognise, at the age of 33, that it is better to do the things I don't want to do quickly, to get them out of the way?!

I feel like I have been like this since I was 12 years old. Anyone else?

I survived school, college and uni like this. God knows how. I think I managed to pull my dissertation together in 3 days!

I just work better under pressure. At least that's what I tell myself, I never started early enough to find out otherwise!

I’m exactly the same - and you know what’s worse? It’s my business! I’ve realised that I am just someone who works better for these types of things under deadline.

At school I was the same - it could have caused my issues as I recall getting predicted grades at C’s due to coursework for some of my GCSE’s. I got A’s but was very much a “turn up on the day” type! If I’d been in school this year I’d have been in trouble!

Yep...the first time I remember this was when I was seven years old. I had weeks to do a project on Louis Pasteur and did got up at six a.m. to do it the day it was due. My whole life has been the same, and I’ve wasted so many opportunities.

Have a read of this...it describes it perfectly.
waitbutwhy.com/2013/10/why-procrastinators-procrastinate.html

Me too. The silver lining is the house gets a good clean before I finally sit down and start whatever I‘ve been avoiding.

I did my uni dissertation in 2 days, genuinely. The hilarious thing is I have a reputation at work for being exceptionally organised

This is me and it is the thing I dislike most about myself..... but I just can't stop. DS9 is exhibiting similar tendancies - I sense many tense arguments in the future over this as it infuriates me to see him put things off full well knowing I am the worst procrastinator there is!

There’s a great ted talk on procrastination that another MNer once recommended.

My greatest boss ever was in my first job and the advice he gave me was ’do it now’. In other words, do the most important thing first. Wise words

I mean I started this thread so I didn't have to do the thing in question 😆

This is me with school reports right now. I HATE this part of the job. Would rather have a parents evening and tell them all about their children. Or 5 parents evenings to be honest. Writing it down, editing it, word count, stupid templates, aaaagh.

I've done it all my life.

As someone whose manager is like this it is infuriating because it causes SO much stress and extra work because she puts off doing anything until the last possible moment. I don't know how you change but for me, personally, that great feeling you get when you've completed a job you don't like to do is just so much better than leaving it hanging over your head for ages. I find it really hard to understand why anyone would choose that approach.

I’d send Former Boss Colin round OP but I think he might be dead now 🤷‍♀️

I find it really hard to understand why anyone would choose that approach.

I could not tell you why!! I really have no idea!

It is strange what motivates it though isn't it? Every single month my manager ignores the command to change her password for over a week, as which point her system locks and she has to call IT to fix it. Every month!! I change my password as soon as I'm prompted and then don't have to think about it again for another month. She finds it stressful herself and I really can't puzzle out why she doesn't change her behaviour what drives it?

I'm the opposite. Get it done then you can relax. I eat the veg first on my plate so I can enjoy the bits I like more in peace too!
JFDI all the way

I am exactly the same with loads of things. Infact I will seek out other tasks to do to make myself feel better about putting of the thing I don't want to do. Usually the thing I don't want to do wouldn't take long and is quite important, and is usually paperwork, but I will start clearing out cupboards or some other unnecessary task.

It is strange what motivates it though isn't it? Every single month my manager ignores the command to change her password for over a week, as which point her system locks and she has to call IT to fix it. Every month!! I change my password as soon as I'm prompted and then don't have to think about it again for another month. She finds it stressful herself and I really can't puzzle out why she doesn't change her behaviour what drives it?

To be fair, I'm definitely not quite as bad as that.

It definitely works for some people and I guess that's the main thing, unless Id means extra stress and work for colleagues as PP said.

Does it make you really stressed being like this OP? Or does it just work for you but you just think it's not productive because procrastination is thought of as a flaw?

If it works, it works!

It's just a way of doing things. I'm the same, school, BA, MA twice. Work. But everything gets done right? I think the task is probably being mulled over in my head, must be as it's a good tactic for me. If it works see it as a life skill.

I think it's something to do with me being determined that I'm not doing something that I know someone else expects me to do.

For example, I could do my tax return now, bit because I have up until the 31st of January, I will put it off until at least the middle of January. I left my last one until the 29th!

Is there anyone who used to be like this and changed? If so would love to hear how

Yes I'm the same, even with my voluntary work, I have had a project to finish for over two years , it isn't difficult, no one will really 'check it' thoroughly, it would take max two hours but I have been putting it off for ages .... I was on furlough for the last 10 weeks, I kept meaning to do it, couldn't be bothered and now I am back at work so it's even less appealing.

This is me too. I don't seem to be able to function without something hanging over my head. It could be replying to an email, sending a birthday card, putting the washing away, anything really. It's like I have to have something to feel guilty about. Bonkers really. Just need to get on with it!

Glad it’s not just me. I procrastinate over the most ridiculous things, I hate this side of myself. Opening post is the worse thing, but there is loads of other stuff. It all works to my disadvantage.

Me too! I just work so much better under pressure!