Shannon Philpott-Sanders

Procrastination Kills Confidence

Two weeks ago, I bought a gallon of light brown paint with every intention to paint one living room wall. I had an entire week without distractions; the kids were gone, the dog was taken care of, and my workload was minimal.

 However, two weeks later, the paint sits staring at me, patiently, alongside its tray, brush, roller, and tape. Every so often, I glance at it, tucked away in the corner and think, “Yeah, I should really finish what I started,” but I don’t. It sits still, forming clumps in formation, waiting for me to stop procrastinating and give it a little stir.

 As a journalist, procrastination is an evil trait. Once the excitement of gathering facts, interviews, notes, and observations dwindles, procrastination often sets in. The only thing left to do? Write the damn story. But, the notes sit, the voice recordings sit, and my potential lead and nut graph float in my brain for a few days. I rationalize this by telling myself that I’m just “developing the angle” or “perfecting the outline in my mind,” but I’m lying to myself – I’m just procrastinating. Continue reading →

July 17, 2009 Posted by sphilpott | Blog, Journalism, Reflecting, Teaching | journalism, painting, procrastination, Writing | Leave a comment