As promised, here’s A New Word, An Idea, and A Question.

He’s Such a Faffinator

He’d be late for his own funeral

A New Word

This is where I share a word that really should exist, one that should be in the dictionary.

I once had a phone call from a faffinator fifteen minutes after an event had started, and I thought they’d be calling me to say they were running late. Turns out they were still selecting their outfit and wanted my advice on the color of their jacket.

Faffinator

: Someone who is never, ever on time for anything. You tell them your event is happening half an hour earlier than it actually is, hoping they’ll arrive on time, but somehow they are still late.

// This faffinator called to ask for clothing advice fifteen minutes after the event started.

// He’s such a faffinator that he’d be late for his own funeral.

An Idea

Procrastination is one of the most difficult challenges to overcome as a writer.

I know, I’ve struggled with putting things off for years. It can become a bad habit if you’re not careful. It’s good to look at why you tend to put things off so you can work on changing your behavior.

There are two main reasons people tend to procrastinate.

1. The task seems overwhelming, so it’s easier to avoid it.
2. The person has low motivation to act.

Even highly driven people can procrastinate. They tend to have high expectations of themselves. That can cause anxiety.

There are four main types of procrastinators:

1. The shiny object syndrome

• This person constantly comes up with new ideas.
• Biggest challenge:
• Getting anything finished.
• Hacks to try:
• -Put new ideas on a list.
• -Don’t start a new project until you’ve completed one.

2. The too-busy excuse

• This person overbooks their calendar and ends up being overwhelmed.
• Biggest challenge:
• Saying no.
• Hacks to try:
• -Reflect on what you are trying to avoid by being too busy. The answer might surprise you.
• -Triage your calendar

3. The pressure cooker

• This person performs best with short deadlines and puts things off.
• Biggest challenge:
• Getting anything started.
• Hack to try:
• -Set a start date and don’t focus on the finish date

4. The lazy-person excuse

• This person always says they’re lazy even though they’re hard-working.
• Biggest challenge:
• Being too hard on themselves.
• Hacks to try:
• -Take a break
• -Practice self-care

A Question

What type of procrastinator are you? I’d love to hear how you overcome this tricky habit.