Procrastination is My Middle Name

(And Yes, I’m Having Fun Playing, So I’m Late Posting This)

If procrastination were an Olympic sport, I’d be a gold medalist — maybe even a coach. I’ve been putting things off since the dawn of time (or at least since middle school homework). My to-do list and I have a complicated relationship: I write it, I admire it, and then I ignore it. If you’ve ever chosen scrolling over starting, you and I could be best friends.

But here’s the thing — procrastination isn’t always the villain. Sometimes it’s just my brain saying, “Hey, I need a second to process this!” Other times, it’s me being slightly terrified that whatever I start won’t be good enough. And let’s be honest, sometimes it’s just me prioritizing important things, such as reorganizing my snack cabinet. The trick is learning to tell the difference — and then gently dragging myself back on track. And not getting distracted by all those delicious snacks.

One of my favorite hacks? I make tasks laughably small. Need to write a presentation? Step one: open the laptop. Step two: write the title. Step three: pat myself on the back for being a productivity icon. It sounds ridiculous, but small wins build momentum — and momentum is what finally gets me from “someday” to “done.”

And here’s the secret I wish I’d learned sooner: motivation is overrated. I used to sit around waiting to “feel ready,” which, spoiler alert, never happened. But once I started taking action — even just five minutes of it — I discovered that motivation shows up after you start. It’s like motivation is hiding behind the couch, waiting for you to make the first move. My new mantra is “Now’s the time and the time is now.”

So yes, procrastination might still be my middle name, but it doesn’t get the last word. Every time I start something before I feel ready, I remind myself I’m capable of more than I thought — and that’s a pretty great feeling. If you’re sitting there avoiding something right now, take the tiniest step. Open the file. Write one sentence. In no time at all, you will be doing a happy dance… right after you finish procrastinating by reorganizing your snack cabinet one more time.

~~~Katherine A. (Queen of Snacks)