Thoughts on Becoming a Procrastinator
I had always gotten my term papers written early, done the extra-credit assignments, over-practiced my music. That is, until recently.Last month marked the first time that my husband finished our book club book ahead of me. I just barely read the last page before it was time to go to the meeting. This typifies most things in my life these days. I’m sure it is because I am attempting to do much more than I should. But the real question is what to do about it.
I realized as I was reading our next book (Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller) this morning that it was happening again – that there was a chance that I wouldn’t even finish the book by the meeting a week from today. On the other hand, if I do finish it, it will be freshly in my mind. So maybe there is a silver lining in this new reading habit of mine.
Deborah and I are supposed to play at a class at GWU next Saturday. We haven’t even decided what to play – let alone perfected it to the point where the professor is going to give us a confirming nod. That will happen tomorrow when we meet for our weekly practice time together.
I should be reading, shopping, preparing for our upcoming trip to Israel. Instead about the only preparation I have done is to locate a dog-sitter and make sure my passport is current.
There are two other big-ticket items that desperately need my attention: my summer Torah-reading with my friend Lynn and my responsibilities for the TM high holidays, neither of which I take lightly. It’s just that they haven’t had time to surface amidst all the other things I am doing.
So much for my good intentions to simplify my life. Was that just last week that I was marveling at the wonderful feeling of free time? Was it just a month ago that AlwaysWrite admonished me to learn how not to say YES?
Instead I am learning the art of procrastination. I am learning to walk that fine line of success that borders on complete failure. I’m starting to think there is some sort of rush in succeeding against all odds. How utterly ridiculous!
Have you mastered the art of procrastination?
posted by Barbara at 10:16 AM
5 Comments:
If procrastination includes some things never getting accomplished, ab so bloomin lutely! However "mastering" procrastination seems juxtaposed. When I procrastinate, it feels as if procrastination has mastered me.
:-)
I majored in journalism for one major reason. Deadlines. I am a massive procrastinator. I can't help it!
Some people get hooked on that rush of always having the clock ticking on them.
1) set time limits for decision making
2) Fight the tendency to over-commit
3) Keep your to-do lists brief
4) Fight hyperfocus
5) Use a body double..someone to sit with you while you do these things and keep you focused.
6) Add socializing to your schedule.
7) Buy experiences, not objects. :)
Passport and dogsitter? That's great. What else do you have to do?
Cube -- I don't understand (4) and (5) on your list and I am not sure about (7). I'm with you on (1), (2), (3), and (6)-- all good ideas.
Reya -- The only other thing I absolutely have to do is pack my suitcase before I can just get on the plane. It might have been nice to study our itinerary, to read up on the places we are going to visit, or to look over commonly used Hebrew phrases, but there is simply not time.
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