Daily writing prompt

What have you been putting off doing? Why?

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Dear friends.

I hope this blog finds you happy. Life often feels like a juggling act, with many demands pulling us in different ways.

In this whirlwind, some tasks and goals inevitably slip to the bottom of our priority list. So, what is it that I’ve been putting off doing? Why do I allow these things to linger, waiting for “the right time”?

The truth is, we all have something we’ve been postponing, whether it’s a dream, a tough conversation, or even simple daily tasks. The reasons for this procrastination are as varied as the tasks themselves.

For me, the one thing I’ve been putting off is completing a long-standing personal project—a novel that has lived in my head for years, but only parts of it have made it to paper.

What Have You Been Putting Off Doing?

The Fear Factor

The reason for my procrastination isn’t a lack of time. Retirement has gifted me plenty of that. It isn’t a lack of desire either. The yearning to complete the story burns brightly.

The real reason? Fear. It’s not the fear of failure, though that plays a role. More often, it’s the fear of not living up to my own expectations.

When we care deeply about something, the stakes feel higher. The novel isn’t just words on paper; it’s a reflection of my imagination, my thoughts, and my soul.

What if the final product doesn’t live up to the picture-perfect vision I have in my head? This self-doubt becomes a roadblock, making it easier to push the task to “tomorrow.”

Comfort Zone Overload

Another reason for putting things off is the comfort zone effect. As creatures of habit, we find solace in routine.

While I thrive on creativity in other areas—painting, blogging, poetry—starting or finishing something outside my usual realm feels like stepping into the unknown.

The comfort zone becomes an invisible barrier, reinforcing procrastination. I know that writing this novel will require deep introspection and emotional labor, pushing me to confront topics I may have been avoiding.

It’s far easier to stay in the realm of daily blog posts and poetry, which feel more manageable.

Perfection Paralysis

I’ve also been guilty of falling into the trap of perfectionism. When the desire for something to be perfect takes over, we become paralyzed.

It’s tempting to think, “I’ll work on it when I have a full, uninterrupted day,” or “I’ll start after I read just one more book on writing techniques.”

In reality, perfection is an illusion, and waiting for the “perfect moment” only delays progress.

The real magic happens when we embrace imperfection and allow ourselves to create freely, without judgment. But acknowledging this and putting it into practice are two very different things.

The Procrastination of Self-Care

Interestingly, it’s not always grand dreams like writing a novel that we put off. Sometimes, it’s the small yet significant things that get pushed aside.

For instance, how often have we delayed self-care? How many times have we said, “I’ll take a break once I finish this one last task” or “I’ll start exercising next week”?

It’s easy to neglect the things that nourish our body, mind, and spirit, thinking we’ll get to them eventually.

However, this delay has consequences. The longer we put off self-care, the more depleted we become, making it harder to tackle the larger goals we aspire to achieve.

The First Step

The good news is that recognizing what we’ve been putting off is the first step toward addressing it.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of what we’ve delayed, but breaking it down into smaller, manageable tasks can make it feel less daunting.

For me, the first step might not be writing a chapter of my novel. Instead, it could be committing to write for just 10 minutes each day, no matter how good or bad it is.

For others, it might be scheduling time for self-care, even if it’s just five minutes of quiet reflection.

we all put things off

Yes friends, we all put things off. Whether it’s out of fear, perfectionism, or simply being overwhelmed, it’s a natural part of the human experience.

The key is to recognize what we’ve been avoiding and gently guide ourselves toward taking action. Even small steps can lead to significant progress.

So, what have you been putting off doing? And more importantly, why? If we can answer that, we can start taking the first steps toward overcoming it.

The only thing left to do is start—because the “perfect time” we’ve been waiting for is now.

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Ek Adhoori Prem Kahani / एक अधूरी प्रेम कहानी (Hindi Edition)

Categories: infotainment

Tags: #creativity, #mental health, #wellness, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-2089, featured, procrastination, writing