Digital life: Help for champion procrastinators

It’s not that you’re lazy
Twenty percent of people say they are chronic procrastinators, according to Psychology Today. Research has identified three common thought patterns procrastinators share.

First, we underestimate the amount of time we have to complete a task or overestimate the level of motivation we’ll have in the future.

Second, procrastinators often indulge in perfectionism. We pass over a dozen good gifts in the search for the Perfect Gift. We’re desperate to please friends and family and afraid of letting them down.

Third, we put things off just for the thrill of it. Skating dangerously close to deadlines is more exciting than playing it safe. Some even say they get a creative boost after a period of deliberate inactivity.

So you’re not a procrastinator. You’re an optimistic, thrill-seeking perfectionist! But that doesn’t solve your current problem: how to find a bunch of great gifts fast.

Get a game plan
I asked two experts for guidance on that crucial last-minute shopping spree. The first thing they said: get organized. Make a list of possibilities for each person you have to shop for, says Michelle Madhok, founder and CEO of shopping help sites shefinds.com and momfinds.com. “Make sure you have several options for each person so that you aren’t stumped if your first choice is sold out,” she cautions.

With so little time left, don’t bother going to boutiques, says Julie Cameron, founder and president of Urban Shop Guide. Cameron loves little shops—her company organizes Chicago shopping tours—but at big stores, you have a better chance of finding something for everyone on your list.

Then again, why hit the stores at all? When time’s short, “you don’t want to wander aisles searching for elusive items,” Madhok says. You can stay home and shop online—yes, even now. Make sure you know the cut-off dates and times for shipping before placing your order, she warns.

You might be surprised by how much time you have left. With express shipping, Circuit City can ship most items in time for Christmas, as long as the order is placed by 1 p.m. on Dec. 21. Or do it even faster: place your order online and choose in-store pickup, then swing by your neighborhood store to collect your purchase. Circuit City offers this option even on Christmas Eve—as long as the online order is placed at least 30 minutes before the store closes on Dec. 24. Most Circuit City stores are open from 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve, but call your local store to check if you plan on waiting until the last possible minute.

Help! I’m stuck
Even on my best days, I am a sadly inefficient shopper. When the pressure’s on, I’m slower than a tree sloth deciding which banana to have for breakfast. I’ll fiddle with an MP3 player for a good ten minutes. Does it have enough memory? Too many buttons? Would he like green or blue better? I give up and wander to another section of the store, only to come back and pick up the same MP3 player. Blue? Green?

To break last-minute paralysis, turn to a salesperson for help, Cameron says. Ask what’s in style that season or, better yet, on sale. When online, explore gift guides. Try to think of things that your intended recipient would like, but never think to buy.

A gift card is always a perfect fit. “It’s such a crowd pleaser,” Cameron says, “especially with teenage kids and women who want to do their own shopping.” Madhok suggests pairing a gift card with a “mini-splurge,” such as expensive chocolates, wine or a candle. For those far away, an eGift card can be sent in a flash.

And if you’re really in a desperate crunch, Cameron says, remember the magic “r word”: receipt. Slip the receipt into the card and your recipient can easily exchange what you bought for something else. “That’s as good as getting them a gift card,” she says. Circuit City extends its return period for holiday purchases made between November 15 and December 24, 2007. Items with a 30-day return policy can be returned through January 25, 2008, and items with a 14-day return policy can be returned through January 8, 2008.

Another perfect gift might be the thing you’d most like to get right now: a little more time. “Time is always a great gift,” Madhok says. Think relaxation. “Buy someone dinner, a massage, an evening of babysitting—these things can all be appreciated after the holiday rush has died down.”

I had to ask—do the pros procrastinate on buying gifts too? Apparently not. “I’m insane,” Cameron says cheerily. “I get it done before Thanksgiving.”

—Melissa Barber