Writers On The Move: Linda Sapadin

Are you struggling to finish a manuscript? Maybe you have a dream to be published and you know what you want to write, but you’re not making any progress. If this sounds like you, it's likely you are procrastinating.

If you are feeling frozen, it's useful to spend some time considering what’s behind your procrastination. Identifying what’s in your way, can help get you moving. In Dr. Linda Sapadin’s book, It’s About Time!: The Six Styles of Procrastination and How to Overcome Them, she discusses procrastinator types. The following is a quick overview:

The perfectionist – They don’t finish projects because they need to be perfect and if it’s not done than it can’t be imperfect.
The Dreamer – It can be fun to dream about doing something, but actually having to do the work and focus on details is another story.
The Worrier – This is living with the cup half empty. Worriers fear change, they want to know the future. What if the cup ends up empty?
The Defier – Does resistance to authority keep you from moving forward? Do you resent being told what to do? Many high school students who want to go away to school procrastinate filling out their college applications because their parents told them ‘to get it done’.
The Crisis-Maker – Some people need to feel backed up against a deadline to get moving. They feel most productive and alive when working in the overload mode.
The Overdoer – I think a better name for this type of procrastinator is the Over-Giver. It’s the person on every committee, the one always taking on the extra project. An Over-Giver always has more to do than she has time for. Did you notice I said “she”? I think there are cultural messages that have created the Over-Giver.

Knowing your procrastination style can help you uncover the root of the problem and is often the first step towards changing your behavior. So what type of procrastinator are you?

Click here to complete a short survey on your procrastination style.

Once you analyzed your procrastination style, check out T. Forehand suggestions in a recent blog post on tips for overcoming procrastination. In a follow-up post next month, I will share the results of the survey and provide specific suggestions for each type of procrastinator.