Hi there!
“I’ll do it tomorrow,” I tell myself as I pass the vacuum cleaner that’s been sitting in the corner of the living room for a week. I have good intentions, but the vacuum probably won’t move tomorrow either.
Humans are procrastinators. It’s hardwired into us, but it can be stopped.
I used to be a master of procrastination. I put off everything, especially things tied to my mental health. I didn’t want to deal with my symptoms, so I pretended they weren’t there. Waiting to act was a recipe for disaster, one that almost cost me my life.
When you put things off, you’re only adding more pain to your life. This is especially true if you’re coping with bipolar disorder.
"Procrastination is like a credit card: it's a lot of fun until you get the bill."
- Christopher Parker
Scott Ninneman also publishes the free All Things Bipolar Newsletter (off Substack). The Sunday email features the newest content about bipolar life.
Why you may procrastinate
Procrastinating does nothing but put off the inevitable. So why do you do it? In my experience, there are two main reasons:
The first reason is fear.
You may be afraid of what will happen if you face your problems head-on. You may also be afraid of the unknown. Maybe you tell yourself if you just ignore it, everything will work out on its own. That’s what I did. I stuck my head in the sand and told my friends I was fine.
The second reason is perfectionism.
Many think that if they can’t do things perfectly, then there’s no sense trying. You may worry medications won’t work or will take longer than you expect to level out. To avoid things being messy, you tell yourself everything will be alright.
Life is never perfect. Treating a mental illness includes lots of trial and error. It took over 30 meds before we found a combination that kept me stable and alert enough to live a good life.
It may take some time to get yourself to a stable place, but the longer you put it off, the further away that stability is.
Mental illness isn’t the hairy spider hiding under the bathroom sink. It won’t eventually die on its own. Ignoring it will never make it go away.
Instead, mental illness is more like the mold on the shower curtain. The longer you ignore it, the uglier it gets, until you have to toss the blackened monster into the trash.
Unlike a shower curtain, you are not replaceable. Your only option is to fix what’s wrong.
How do you do that?
How to be better
What’s the secret to doing better? How can you break the cycle of procrastination?
The first step is to recognize that procrastination is a problem. It might seem obvious, but it’s not always easy to admit you have a problem. Once you accept your procrastination is an issue, you can work on finding solutions.
There are many ways to beat procrastination, but one of the best is to start small. No matter what bipolar tells you, don’t try to change your entire life overnight. Focus on taking one tiny step at a time.
Maybe you start with calling your doctor or committing to take your meds every day. Your small step could be telling someone what’s going on in your head or taking time to explore your thoughts in a journal. It could be making sure you get enough rest and eat healthy meals.
The key is to take things one step at a time.
As you start to see progress, you’ll feel motivated to keep going. You’ll add more steps, and before long, you’ll find that you’re no longer putting things off. You’ll be taking action and making positive changes for a better life.
It’s okay to be a work-in-progress
I won’t pretend I’ve conquered procrastination. The vacuum cleaner is sitting across the room mocking me right now. I still love to put things off.
Stop by my house and you’ll likely see a laundry basket full of clothes waiting to be put away. There may also be dishes on the counter and groceries from my last shopping trip still in the bags I used to carry them in.
I still procrastinate too often, but not with my mental health. I take my meds, see my doctor for regular checkups, and monitor my stability every day. The price for procrastinating with bipolar is too high–a lesson I learned the hard way.
Don’t be like the person I was. He almost lost his fight.
Spend some time today thinking about procrastinating. Is there something you’re putting off? Break the cycle of procrastination. Start small, and take things one step at a time.
You can do it! And I’ll be right here cheering you on every step of the way.
Writing prompts
Explore your feelings about procrastination with these writing prompts.
Journal Prompt: What is something you need to stop putting off? What step can you take today to start taking care of it?
Creative Writing Prompt: Write a story about a land where procrastinating is a crime. Your character just got caught. What did they do? What happens next?
Until next time, keep fighting.
Scott Ninneman
Additional Reading:
The book that started it all…
Disclaimer:
This email may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.