5 Tips to Stop the Procrastination Cycle

My grandmother is a fantastic gardener. I was lucky enough to benefit from her talents every year with fresh, delicious, home-grown foods when I lived in Pennsylvania. I have not (yet!) honed this family gift at my home in Chicago. I was overwhelmed when moving to the city to even begin this project and I was stuck in the cycle of procrastination, though a part of me desperately missed the garden. Some negative automatic thoughts I had to keep me stuck were “It’s too much work” and “It’s not worth it to plant anything on a tiny patio” and “It will never be as good as what I was used to growing up.” These thoughts are a recipe for procrastination to flourish. And they had been flourishing for 7 straight years….

But not this year! I was armed with help and with more resolute determination. And a flexible attitude.

Here’s 5 Tips to Stop the Procrastination Cycle:

1. Challenge your thoughts from “stop” language to “start” language. Just like my negative thoughts kept me stuck and garden-less for 7 years, more positive thoughts fueled me onward. “Mom is coming to visit, great! Maybe she will be able to shop with me and show me what to buy.” And “I have no idea what can grow in pots, but I can learn more about that.” When we engage in action-oriented internal dialogue, we’re preparing for change.
2. Realize that perfection is not attainable. The only way to learn is through trial and error and by making mistakes. If I asked my grandma if she ever had a plant that was stubborn or died or was difficult to tend, I’m sure she’d say yes. Even after 50+ years of honing the skill of gardening, she’s not a perfect gardener. And neither am I. Nor will any of us be. Wow. That realization is a game-changer! It makes things instantly less stressful and more enjoyable when we take out the unattainable expectation and just DO.
3. Forget the (unhelpful) comparisons. Is it reasonable for me to compare my grandmother’s 50+ years of gardening experience and her garden large enough to plow with a tractor to my 4 foot square city deck and my novice green thumb? Probably not. (Okay, that’s an obvious no.) But for far too long, I used this as a reason for procrastination. When I let it sink in that comparisons aren’t helpful to my goal, and that in fact comparisons stifle my potential, I can find benefit in trying. I can begin to set myself up to start one small step, and then another step toward my goal which usually helps to continue forward momentum. What’s the worst case scenario, anyway? I lose all my plants to a bad storm or I spend money on flowers that die. So what? I gained a story and an experience, if nothing else. And that’s worst case. Imagine the possibilities!
4. Use your resources to help.  Being flexible with my thoughts and being willing to try new things will only get me so far. I actually have to take action. Doing it alone is the hard way. Sometimes it works or it’s our only option. But most of the time, starting something new is best when we have resources in place to support us, guide us or teach us the ins and outs. In my case, garden books, friendly Home Depot/Lowe’s staff, and expert family members were all exceptional resources. Resources are invaluable for overcoming procrastination. They can be just the jump-start we need to move our goal into the action phase.
5. Fact: there’s always more to learn and do. Don’t be afraid to try. As I have suffered through some growing pains in this process (pun intended), I ultimately know that I will probably have some plants die, wilt or out-grow their neighbor’s welcome. But I’ve learned that’s part of the journey in gardening. My baby garden of a few flowers and herbs can increase next year as I learn and grow with my project. Now I have some do’s and don’ts under my belt, and I can use my developing knowledge to take me new places – like tomatoes and peppers, oh my!

My take-away mantra: Procrastination can be challenged with action.

What are you procrastinating on? What is one step you can take in the next 24 hours to stop procrastinating and take action?