Procrastinator’s Club: Meeting Postponed…indefinitely

 The past few weeks have been exhausting for some reason.  It is very tempting to crawl into bed and sleep for a week. However, knowing me, I wouldn’t get any sleep anyway, because my mind would  be racing at 120 miles per hour.  Plus, there are many things that need to be done … Now!

Five things I’ve learned about procrastination

1.  Procrastination is not another term for extreme patience.  I’ve tried to convince others of this, but sadly, no one is  buyin’ it.

2. If you wait long enough, whatever job needs to be done will not go away.  In fact, dirty laundry and dishes seem to multiply.  How do they do that?!  I think it’s magic.

3.  Waiting until later takes more time in the long run than the fifteen minutes it would take to do the job now – because things start piling up to overwhelming proportions and then you don’t know where to begin so then nothing gets done and then you are just part of a vicious cycle that goes on and on sort of like a snowball rolling down a hill and then…(pant pant pant – hold on –  gotta catch my breath).

4.  OK, I’m fine now.  What was I talking about?  Oh yes.  Procrastination.  When procrastinating, unpleasant tasks do not become less unpleasant with time.  They may actually become more unpleasant.  For example, if you are going on an extended vacation, clean out the fridge before you go.  I know it’s hard to throw out good food, but it won’t be good when you get back.  I can only give my opinion.  If you want to test this one out for yourself, be my guest.

5.  Procrastination leads to unpleasant lectures from disappointed parents, teachers, spouses and others.  They will not buy the fact that you were exhibiting extreme patience (see statement 1 above).

This list  is pretty task oriented, but procrastination principles apply to dreams and aspirations too.  There will always be reasons why we can’t do the things we want to do.  But what about the reasons why we should do what we want to do?  What’s so alluring about LATER?  Go ahead and enroll in that dance class.  Take those golf lessons.  Sometimes we need to schedule time for what we like.  We don’t forget to add spice to our food.  Let’s not forget to add spice to our lives.

Prioritize and make sure the essentials get done, but don’t neglect the dreams.  Go out there and make the most of your day!  No, there’s not always tomorrow.

 

(image from here)