Do You Have TPOT Syndrome?

Many of us get stuck in this procrastination trap I call TPOT Syndrome… "There's Plenty Of Time." You know, when you say, "Sure, I can get that done, but there's no hurry, There's Plenty Of Time, I will just do it tomorrow." Maybe you sit and have a cup of tea first. 🙂

That might be true, but if you keep saying that, at some point there is usually a deadline you are going to hit up against. And then you're toast. You're stressed and might not do such a great job.

Have you ever heard that expression, "If you want something done, give it to a busy person?" The reason that really busy people often accomplish a lot is that they SCHEDULE IT and they work it in, and they do not have the opportunity to fall into TPOT Syndrome. They don't perceive that there is plenty of time, so they DO IT NOW. They knock stuff off their lists like an explorer wielding a machete through the jungle. But if they keep this up for a while they might not be happy about it.

Somewhere in between this busy-ness effect and the TPOT Syndrome is the sweet spot– getting things accomplished before their deadlines create stress and urgency.

This sweet spot is the happiest place to live! I confess I experience both and just do my best to navigate to that sweet spot as best as possible.  We all are on this same journey. Do we smell the roses all the time on the trail, or hack through them with our machetes? Somewhere in the middle is Happy Efficiency.

Recognizing TPOT Syndrome and having daily awareness of it is one of the few things that make a difference for procrastination! And, of course, Accountability Partners… that is the cure for procrastinating the bigger things. (I just had a great weekend with my two Accountability Partners visiting me in person from out of state, one I have been talking to regularly for TEN YEARS!) If you want expert help with accountability too, you can check out our program online where we are available 7 days a week for about the price of a pizza.

How do you navigate between these extremes? Are you more on the TPOT side or are you a machete-hacker? Share in the comments!

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