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?

Interesting to read that others who are total procrastinators like me are also good in a crisis or "exceptional at situational leadership" (I like that one!) as this is when I really shine, JFDI as long as it has to be done right now!

@Spanielmadness same! Oddly I’m quite good about chasing payments - but will leave tax return until literally the day before (have finally hired someone to do it for me - I used to do my own personal one - have never trusted myself to do the company one!!)

You sound like me op. Queen at procrastination but work great under pressure, probably the reason I procrastinate. I'm calm in emergencies and rational in most circumstances where I have to think quickly.

Nature of the beast I say

My DH did this all the way through school and is incredibly smart. He says that it's because he got paralyzed by his perfectionism.

He still takes forever to make up his mind about house projects and purchases and will research choices for days, weeks, months...!
He'll read the good reviews...and then the bad reviews...and just hits a wall.

I'm very much a make-a-decision-and-pull-the-trigger person. I can move too quickly on a project, so I appreciate that he slows me down a bit.

However, if I get too impatient or the need too compelling, I compile the info., summarize it, and present my case as logically as I can. Usually does the trick.

@Victoria6386 but it isn’t the same for everyone by any means! It’s so odd

I too would love to hear tips on anyone who's managed to change their ways!

I’m good in a crisis too, my brain seems to multi-task and think on different levels at once and I can clearly see what needs doing. Can only presume parts of my brain thrive on high levels of adrenaline.

Other parts of my brain don’t like the adrenaline though, and during the last crisis I dealt with (death of a parent) half of my face started going numb. Had tests which were all clear and the GP concluded it was a stress/grief reaction manifesting in physical symptoms, as it went away after a few weeks. But it does come back when the Panic Monster comes visiting, so now when I do my normal Last Minute Mary flurry of activity for work, I do it with tingly numb cheek and ear. Great.

Bloody hell this is so me! I think I'm a bit of a perfectionist though... For example if I start cleaning the kitchen and I know begins cupboard doors is an unorganised mess it bugs me, so I want to pull everything out and scrub cupboards and organise etc. Which of course I always make much more mess doing and it takes hours, so in my head id rather not go in the kitchen and leave the mucky work surfaces and pile of dishes and rubbish lying. It just doesn't occur to me that keeping on top of daily tasks makes it easier to get to the "under the surface" tasks

It sounds like inattentive ADHD, I'm looking into that myself at the moment and I do procrastinate hugely too!

I'm exactly like this. But I think I put stuff off soo much and then all out of nowhere I'll dive in. I've been meaning to ring a builder for 4 years because my roof seems to be leaking, not in a bad way but it's been 'on my list'. Today I just suddenly had a dog it now!' MO ent. Rang a builder and they're coming on Friday. Why did I put it off?
I also randomly decide I need to paint a wall but instead of planning and deciding which colour I'd like - I go into the shed and find a colour that I probably bought for something else I never got around to doing - and paint it in that colour. 4 weekends later I change my my mind. I infuriate myself.
I function reasonably well at work and I'm organised and tidy but I'm home I'm chaotic. I also constantly move furniture around.

spanielmadness yes, it is like a weird self sabotage. I think I constantly self sabotage.
Are we all the same? Is it as thing? I want like it at school but definitely by 20 I was.

Yes this is also me all through school and uni and into my early jobs.

I have started to make changes and bit by bit I'm sticking to them. Not easy though, it goes against my natural instinct. I think I started to change after watching DH just crack on with things. He would get his 'ugly frog' jobs done then have time to chill or potter in the garden while I was still messing about. I resented my lack of free time. Also, now I have young DC, there is so little time available that I have to get stuff done otherwise it is overwhelming. I think I had TOO much time before.

Things I have realised:

I love a list - now enjoy the feeling of ticking things off (Todoist app is great as it 'rewards' you for gettting things done)

Like you, I am a rebel so setting deadlines doesn't help - I try to think little ways to reward myself in the free time after jobs are done (food, face mask, reading)

I've started to 'chunk' jobs into 15 mins or less so it doesn't feel like I have to put off the whole thing

I'm paying more attention to my mindset and emotions. I neglected myself before and would get mega stressed about work, deadlines and family stuff. Now I prioritise myself more.

It's most definitely a work in progress

I've actually put off work expenses so long that I've missed out on certain days because the year has lapsed.

That's been a new low for me.

It's just different personality preferences. Whether you do the work thing two weeks before the deadline or the night before, the result is the same I.e the work thing is complete.

I've just read about inattentive ADHD. That sounds exactly like me. Exactly.

I was like this all through school and uni. Weirdly, I’ve had two careers and been pretty organised in both and not procrastinated at all.
However, I’m still an awful procrastinator when it comes to life admin/ general jobs.
I’m great under a deadline or in a crisis but I wish I knew how to stop putting off jobs. I always pack very late at night before having to get up early to get to the airport. I find random things that don’t need doing and I just can’t stay on task.

Everyone I know puts off doing their expenses (in our case, mainly lunches that we advance and get paid back). I put it off BUT I just say to myself that for 30 minutes work, I "earn" 2-3k€, much better than my usual rate

I never used to procrastinate but as Ive hot older I do it more - possibly because I have more things to do, possibly cos they're more boring/awkward things (arranging for a painter to come - been meaning to do this since November but its not the calling that is the problem but making an appointment for a time I can be in...very tricky)

I am the same @BoakBackMountain, drives my husband mad as he is just the opposite.

I work better under pressure - well that's my excuse. I am also never ever late.

I disagree that its the same result. If you procrastinate all day then catch up on your work in the evening then in effect you've lost your evening. Im assuming the procrastinating during the day isn't being productive.

Interesting that people are being praised for being hard workers by sending emails in the evening. In Germany you'd be seen as unable to manage your time properly.

That's funny as I've worked in Germany and all my German colleagues sent emails late at night.

I imagine it depends on the type of industry - just like it does here.

Late night e-mails for me - no one bats an eyelid. We are all remote workers and manage our own time. We are also international so sometimes intentionally send emails at odd times in order to catch colleagues on the other side of the world.

That is odd - not my experience of Germany

I do this!

It’s poor executive function, part of the autism/adhd spectrum. Becoming overwhelmed and an inability to prioritise are the norm for this.