Procrastination -- An Early Warning System?

I had a great conversation with my friend Jill Foster, owner of Live Your Talk, today. Like me, she is a micro business owner (translation: she works for herself and by herself). She asked me if I'd ever gotten stuck in a procrastination groove and what I did about it.

I told her my #1 response to the procrastination groove was to Step Away. That is, take a day or two off of work and go listen to my heart, go play, go nap, go relax but GO! Why?

When I look back at the times I've really been plagued by procrastination, it's been an (unconscious) act of self-protection. Procrastination often comes to me because I'm depleted. I'm worn out. I'm trying to work out of my reserves rather than my main energy source. I'm drawing from energy I need for other things. Some deep part of me -- Mind? Spirit? Heart? -- recognizes that and takes steps to protect me and care for me. Procrastination is one of the tools that deep part of me chooses.

For us micro-biz types we have only one real asset in our business -- us. As a massage therapist I also have two massage tables, a massage chair, a couple of thousand dollars in reference books, sheets, music and all that other happy stuff that helps me deliver massage therapy. But those things don't actually do the rubbing. That's done by yours truly.

And I can replace all of those things. I absolutely positively cannot replace me. Anything happens to me and BowersHours closes. Permanently.

So I have a strong motivation to take care of me. When something like procrastination strikes, I accept it as a warning that I am running low (sort of like that "time to buy gas" light in my car) and I Step Away From The Massage Table (and laptop and desk and big pile of massage laundry) and start exploring where I'm depleted and focus on re-filling myself.

If you look back at your life you can probably identify the warning signs from your mind/heart/soul that things aren't right, that you're depleted, that you're drawing down your reserves. What are your signs?