Break free from the procrastination-guilt trap (part 1 of 3)

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Does procrastination-guilt ever hold you in its clutches? Read on to learn how to defeat this insidious monster.

How do you view guilt?

Is it a positive force in your life that drives your productivity and helps you make better use of your time?

Or does it feel like an overwhelming burden that leaves you paralyzed, stressed or perhaps even depressed?

In my experience, guilt tends to do more harm than good. After all, there are far more effective — and easier — ways to motivate ourselves.

In this three-part series — beginning today, with additional installments delivered over the next two weeks — I’ll show you how to identify writerly guilt and, more importantly, how to outsmart it.

Let’s begin by examining the insidious procrastination-guilt trap.

Picture this scenario: You delay working on an important piece of writing. This seemingly small decision triggers a cascade of effects (although in real life they won’t feel distinct, and they’ll likely pass by in a blur):

  1. The initial delay makes you feel guilty for not meeting your commitments.
  2. This guilt generates negative self-judgment and discomfort.
  3. To escape these uncomfortable feelings, you avoid the task even more.
  4. Additional avoidance intensifies your guilt.
  5. As guilt continues to build, the task becomes even more daunting.
  6. Procrastination becomes a form of self-punishment, perpetuating the cycle.
  7. Unfinished work piles up, leaving you feeling completely overwhelmed.
  8. You begin to believe you’re actually incapable of doing the work, creating a “self-fulfilling prophecy.”

While some writers break free of this cycle with the help of deadline pressure, others remain trapped. And here’s the crucial insight: If you’re caught, the problem isn’t laziness or disorganization.

The real issue? You’ve broken a promise to yourself — the promise to spend X amount of time writing.

Let that sink in for a moment.

The real problem is that you’ve broken a promise to yourself — the promise to spend X amount of time writing.

When we break promises to ourselves, we shake our fundamental self-trust. As humans, we inherently understand the weight of promises — and that value is usually reinforced during childhood. Breaking self-promises, even unconsciously, can be deeply destabilizing.

The Solution: Right-Sized Promises

The key to escaping the procrastination-guilt trap lies in making promises you can actually keep. I frequently see this issue with new clients who believe they must write for at least an hour daily to make meaningful progress.

When I suggest starting with a much smaller commitment, they often protest: “But I won’t accomplish enough!”

Here’s the reality check I offer them: Making ambitious promises you can’t keep doesn’t move you forward. It just keeps you stuck in the same place.

Instead, try this approach:

  1. Start with goals so small they seem almost embarrassing.
  2. Build a consistent track record of keeping these minimal promises.
  3. After that, gradually increase your commitments as you establish trust with yourself.

Success in writing isn’t about heroic bursts of discipline.

It’s about making promises you can keep, day after day.

If you liked this post, you’ll also like my short video, “Stop indulging in writerly guilt.

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Need some help developing a better, more sustainable writing or editing routine? Learn about my three-month accountability program called Get It Done. There is turn-over each month, and priority will go to those who have applied first. You can go directly to the application form and you’ll hear back from me within 24 hours.

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My video podcast last week addressed how to squeeze in more time for writing when you’re really busy. You can watch the video or read the transcript,  and you can also subscribe to my YouTube channel.

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Have you ever been caught in the procrastination-guilt loop? We can all learn from each other, so please, share your thoughts with my readers and me in the comments section, below. If you comment on today’s post (or any others) by Jan. 31/25, I’ll put you in a draw for a digital copy of my first book, 8 1/2 Steps to Writing Faster, Better. To enter, please scroll down to the comments, directly underneath the “related posts” links, below. You don’t have to join Disqus to post! Read my tutorial to learn how to post as a guest. (It’s easy!)

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