Every year people put bulbs in the ground during the fall and the following spring, flowers appear. People plant seeds to grow their own food and have fresh vegetables all summer long. When we plant seeds, they of course yield or produce something. Usually we get what we want because of the conscious effort that goes into the planting.
You also yield results when you put forth an unconscious effort, with the results being not necessarily what you want. The same is so when it comes to procrastination. Just as trees yield fruit, procrastination also brings forth “fruit”. There are things that show up when you procrastinate that negatively impact your environment.
When you think of a tree you think about its roots, branches and its leaves and the fruit that it bears. There are a number of symptoms when it comes to procrastination, and they represent the roots of the tree. The most common symptoms are being disorganized, more interesting tasks getting your attention, taking on more than you can accomplish and getting a rush when finishing things at the last minute. Chronic procrastinators usually find that one or more of these symptoms are present for them. If you’re a chronic procrastinator, meaning that procrastination is prevalent in your life, you can probably relate to these symptoms.
When you look at the things you put off, you can see the impact. The impact, or what procrastination brings into play in your life are what I call the branches and the fruit of your procrastination. Not good fruit, but fruit nonetheless. It shows up as missed deadlines, causing a project to be delayed and can even lead to the loss of a client and a not so good reputation.
When you look at the impact you see that procrastination can be a pretty potent. I think that you will agree with me when I say that everything that obstructive procrastination yields is bad fruit.
The majority of clients that I’ve coached through this process found that they are completely disorganized. Their office or work space was a total mess and their computer files and calendars looked the same way. Many have had the overwhelm conversation going on and found themselves distracted by the bright shiny objects when the tasks they didn’t want to complete came up. Needless to say, they experienced the loss of clients, other opportunities and loss of income.
What does your procrastination tree™ look like? Think about what’s at the roots and the fruit your procrastination is bringing forth. Think about who it’s showing up in your life. Are you losing clients, future business as a result of delivering late? How much money are you losing every day because you’re putting things off? Answer these questions for yourself and you’ll begin to see the impact that your procrastination is having on your business and your life.