WRA’s Seven Procrastination Busters [Meme]
Have you ever wondered where memes begin? The idea of writing a review today brought fourth nothing but procrastination so I thought I’d do something cheeky and creative instead. I thought I’d be the origin of a meme. So, without further ado I give you:
WRA’s Seven Procrastination Busters [Meme]
Tip 1: Get Out, Work Out.
Get out of the house. In a way this might be giving in, but the idea is to work the blood through your body and stimulate your mind and senses with a new environment and a little sun, cloud, or night sky.
Tip 2: Stubborn Determination
Sit there staring at the empty page and allow the anger, resentment, and frustration to build. Fight against your inner instincts; a war of the mind. Let the part of you that is resolved to accomplishing the task give the tantrum throwing toddler voice inside you a firm, “Now.”
Tip 3: Progression Elsewhere
When procrastination drags it is a great time to get everything ‘else’ done. You’ll feel productive, accomplished, and energized for the rest of the day’s tasks.
Tip 4: This Computer That Computer
Change your medium. If you have a second computer it can sometimes help to switch. If not then the good old fashioned pen to paper or typewriter is as great an option. The change of medium and location can free the mind and motivate your senses.
Tip 5: Change Your Focus
Try changing your tactic. Look at your task, rethink your idea, and look at alternative ways to accomplish your goals. There may be a better option that will fire up your motivation and get you moving forward.
Tip 6: A Melody to Sooth the Beast
Dig out your headset and slam watts of music into your ears. Do you have select play lists set up that key you into writing? Often just hearing the opening track will put you in the mood and get the words flowing.
Tip 7: Conscious State Change
If the above failed it’s time for the big guns. You need to call on your inner self to create a state change. Procrastination of this sort is often blocked by an emotional factor that holds you back. Do you feel the task is daunting, boring, intensive, or time consuming? Even if you know that you will enjoy working once you begin it can be hard to get past that insipient voice.
It is all in your head and you need to change your state. Stand, close your eyes, listen to your music and consciously bring yourself into the moment. Absorb your surroundings, feel the ground under you, the air and clothes on your skin, hear the music pulsing through your body, and just come to be.
In this state of complete presence there is no anxiety, fear, or frustration. You simply are, and that is completely beautiful. When you have found that place of calm, you will find your focus. Draw on that sense of self as you proceed and follow your heart.
I Tag You!
With seven tips I’m going to tag seven blogging friends. If you really don’t want to participate, don’t feel you have to. If I don’t tag you specifically you’re still tagged if you’d like to join in. If you don’t want to join the meme but have some procrastination busters of your own to add please leave a comment. Leave a comment even if you don’t have any busters to add, tell us about your own struggles with procrastination, can you resonate with any of the tips above?
- Michele L. Tune of Writing The Cyber Highway. You’re TAGGED!
- Melissa Donovan of Writing Forward. You’re TAGGED!
- Sharon Hurley Hall of Get Paid To Write Online. You’re TAGGED!
- Amy Derby of Write-From-Home. You’re TAGGED!
- James Chartrand of JCM Enterprises. You’re TAGGED!
- Christina Katz of Writer Mama. You’re TAGGED!
- Ben Cook of Blogging Experiment. You’re TAGGED!






James Chartrand - Web Content Writer Tips says:
Oh cripes, you HAD to pick procrastination, eh?
*groans*
Seven tips comin’ up. Can’t resist a challenge
plaidearthworm says:
Think you’re finished with memes? Bwa-hah-ha! I tag you with the Roar for Powerful Writing Award. And I enjoyed your procrastination tips. Now, if I could just get around to trying them…..
Hope Wilbanks says:
Love these tips…very useful!
(EMP) E-Marketing Performance » : » Team Reading List 1.23.08 says:
[…] WRA’s Seven Procrastination Busters […]
mikster says:
Just wanted to pop in and say welcome to entrecard.
Rebecca Laffar-Smith says:
@ James: Of course, it’s a terrible condition I’m sure all writers suffer to some degree so it would be great to find out how others attempt to combat the beast. I’m looking forward to reading your procrastination busters.
@ PlaidEarthworm: Wow, thanks for the Roar Award. I’ll have to write up that meme today.
@ Hope: I’m glad you’ve enjoyed these tips Hope. Do you have any procrastination buster tips of your own you could add?
@ Mikster: Thank you for the welcome! I feel like I’m flooded under the incredible results of Entrecard. It’s a lot of fun and the amazing blogs to explore are great. I’m saving my credits and looking forward to advertising elsewhere.
Grandy says:
YIKES!! PlaidEarthworm beat me to it? I hadn’t gotten to the comments on this yet. Sorry!! You DO deserve it times TWO though.
Rebecca Taunton says:
Some great tips, they’re very useful (especially to someone like me who spends much of the day procrastinating).
Michele says:
I know exactly what you mean about procrastination, Rebecca, I think I’m the worst at putting things off until “later.”
Thanks for the tag! I’ll get to it soon. What? Promise! I won’t keep procrastinating - um… for too long.
Honest, I’ll be back to let you know when I’ve written my post!
Smiles,
Michele
Michele says:
Oh, I love your tips by the way. I have no clue how I’ll write anything that compares to this!
*thinking*
Smiles,
Michele
Michele says:
Ok, here’s my tips:
Procrastination Roadblocks: How to Get Around Them
Thanks for the tag!
Web Content Writer Tips from JCM Enterprises » Blog Archive » Seven Tips for Beating Procrastination says:
[…] from Writers Roundabout tagged me to come up with Seven Procrastination Busters. (She just had to pick the topic I struggle with daily.) Without further ado, here are my seven […]
Rebecca Laffar-Smith says:
*chuckles* Actually, I’ve been giving the ROAR award three times over now. I’d crow about it but that would show off my big head.
You know, if you want to get recognition be slow to follow up on these things. Because I hadn’t done an official ROAR award post three wonderful friends gifted me this fabulous award and the recognition does wonders for my writer’s soul.
@ Rebecca: I’m glad to know I’m not the only writer struggling with the evils of procrastination.
@ Michele: I love your procrastination busters, Michele! Thanks for joining in.
@ James: Fantastic follow up, James! Thank you for taking part. I’ll remember your eagerness for challenges when I have to tag people in the future.
Writing Forward says:
[…] She’s the one who started all this crazy talk about procrastination with her post, “WRA’s Seven Procrastination Busters.” That’s right, if you suddenly find yourself on task, you can blame it all on her! She […]
CatherineL says:
Hi Rebecca, I’m ashamed to say I do procrastinate on some things. If you have an awful project that really needs doing, sometimes you’ve just got to put it to the top of your list and not allow yourself to do another thing until it’s done.
Also, make sure you have everything right in front of you that you’ll need before you begin - that way there’s no excuses.
Rebecca Laffar-Smith says:
It is wonderful to know I’m not alone when it comes to procrastination. In the end you really do just have to get it done. If only there were some easy ways to get past the procrastination and encourage action.
Thanks for sharing your great, “Be Ready” tip. Being organized is very important. Of course, being unprepared is another procrastination technique my sneaky mind likes to use. Is it a no-win situation sometimes?
Barbara says:
Hello Rebecca,
My biggest procrastination comes in the form of filing office paperwork. As much as I try to stay caught up on it, it multiplies like a wild fire. Like Catherine mentioned, I literally prepare for filing..both mentally and physically.
I also find that I create self induced pressures. Even though I know when deadlines are, I love to wait until the last minute, and then get it all done at once. I don’t know if this comes from working in the corporate world, in high pressure jobs (which I loved), or what, but I do function better under pressure.
So, if I can create a “pressure cooker” of sorts that motivates me to get my filing done, before I know it, all of the papers vanish.
I ask myself, what’s that all about?
My friends and I laugh. We say, if you want to get your house clean fast, plan a party. Amazing how quickly we get it done, when we have the right motivation.
Rebecca Laffar-Smith says:
I’m a “pressure cooker” kind of person too but I can’t use the “working in corporate” as my excuse.
You are SOOOO right about the best way to get your house clean fast. I’ve just decided to move house. I have a real estate agent coming through tomorrow and my house is a nightmare. Wow! I’m motivated to spend all night and tomorrow morning before she gets here scrubbing floors, washing walls and windows, folding laundry and pulling weeds.
Beth says:
These are great Rebecca! I’ve just done this meme as well and hope to have your blog up on my blogroll shortly!
Linky Love Friday, January 25th says:
[…] WRA’s Seven Procrastination Busters - This is a simple, yet profound post. Rebecca lists some really great tips for getting rid of procrastination. […]
Melissa Donovan says:
Okay! Mine’s up. But you knew that already. I’m late to the party as far as submitting my entry… well I was busy procrastinating! Thanks for the tag, Rebecca. I had fun writing this one
Melissa
Rebecca Laffar-Smith says:
I love your entries Beth and Melissa! Great tips and creative procrastination busters! Thanks for joining in!
Nez says:
My tip: Stop surfing the web, and get to work NOW!
Well, all right, ten more minutes, and not a minute more!
Actually, I got an idea: If every single blogger can post a topic called “Stop Reading and Get Back to Work!” on the exact same day, imagine the effect of that.
I can see it now. It’ll be talked about on the local news, at the end of the show, with something about “No Email Friday” as a segue way into the segment. Of course, blogs won’t be able to report on it, because they will all have that message. Think it’ll work?
Nah.
Rebecca Laffar-Smith says:
*chuckles* Now we could ALL put that tip to good use, Nez. I know in the past I’ve spent SOOOOO much time online when I could be putting it to much better use. The past two weeks have felt full of accomplishments. Not business accomplishments of course but I’ve still felt very busy while having very little time online.
Even last night I found I worked harder in 1 hour on the laptop (no internet there) than I’ve done some full days when I have internet access. Of course, deadline looming helps too.
Your idea, while interesting is doomed. Everyone will be too busy going about reading everyone’s “get back to work” blog entries and not actually GET BACK TO WORK!!! lol I wonder if I can set up a blinking message that pops up every ten minutes if I’ve been reading emails or surfing the web that says, “Get back to work!” lol Perhaps I should design it and patent the idea. It could be greater than google. Then again, perhaps not, odds are people would do what I would do and turn it off or ignore it.
Men with Pens Web Content Writers and Freelance Writing Services says:
[…] from Writers Roundabout tagged me to come up with Seven Procrastination Busters. (She just had to pick the topic I struggle with daily.) Without further ado, here are my seven […]