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The Procrastinator's Pen: A Creative’s Battle with the Blankness

Writer's picture: Emily KarmazinEmily Karmazin

Ah, the creative’s life. Coffee-drenched days, the satisfying moment of completion, and the sweet release of finally birthing what was living in your head. Except, of course, for the times when the medium remains stubbornly uncooperative, a mocking testament to the procrastination monster that's taken root in your brain.

If you're a creative, you know the feeling. That insidious urge to suddenly become an expert on 17th-century basket weaving, to meticulously organize your sock drawer by shade (yes, even the mismatched ones), or to engage in a heated Twitter debate about the merits of pineapple on pizza – anything to avoid facing the blankness of the canvass or page, the lump of unformed clay that taunts you with its emptiness.

The irony is, procrastination rarely makes the creating easier. In fact, it usually just amplifies the fear and self-doubt that were holding you back in the first place. The longer you wait, the bigger the looming deadline becomes, and the more the blankness transforms into a judgmental audience, ready to tear you to shreds.

So, how do we, the valiant procrastinators, break free from this self-inflicted torture? Here are a few battle tactics I've gleaned from my own war against the Resistance (as any good creative would call it):

1. Acknowledge the beast: The first step to defeating any enemy is understanding its tactics. Procrastination thrives on shame and secrecy. So, drag it out into the light! Confess your avoidance tendencies to a fellow creative, a friend, or even a friendly houseplant. Sunlight is the death knell of procrastination.

2. Befriend the small wins: Don't try to tackle Everest in one go. Start with baby steps. Set a timer for 5 minutes and just create. Anything. A grocery list, a drawing of your cat, a nonsensical rant about the weather. Just get those creative juices flowing and break the seal on the dam of your creativity.

3. Silence the inner critic: That voice in your head that whispers about your inadequacy? It's a liar. Put it on mute. Remember, the first draft of anything is for you and you alone. It's allowed to be messy, nonsensical, and downright awful. Just get it out there. You can polish it later.

4. Reward yourself: Every conquered paragraph, every brush stroke , deserves a celebration. Not with another trip down the Reddit rabbit hole, mind you. But with a mini dance break, a delicious square of chocolate, or a quick scroll in the neighborhood. Positive reinforcement works wonders.

5. Forgive yourself: We all procrastinate. It's a human thing. So don't beat yourself up about it. Just pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get back to it. Every word you write, every brush stroke, every pencil trace is a victory, even if it's just one.

Remember you are not alone in this struggle. We're all in this together, united by our love for creativity and our shared nemesis. So, take a deep breath, silence the inner critic, and do it. The world needs your creativity, even if it takes a few detours through the land of procrastination to get it there.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a very important date with a toilet that's threatening to stage a coup. But after that, it's back to the keyboard, one hesitant word at a time.

Happy creating, fellow procrastinators!

P.S. And remember, if all else fails, there's always the option of writing a blog post about procrastination.


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