Hi Society!
I’d like to share that I’m a huge procrastinator. When I was in school I would admire those who could keep up tidy notes and split their workload other the entire sessions. I sooo wasn’t that person. I was definitely the less-than-24-hours-before-a-deadline all-night puller type. I felt bad. To me, it seemed I couldn’t manage my time properly.
Turns out there was a lot of positive to learn from that season of life: I work well under tight deadlines, I can prioritize when I really have to, and, best of all, I can quickly produce something I’m proud of because of the quantity of time I spent avoiding the task. My subconscious was stewing over what to do or write from the beginning and at the last moment I’d simply make magic.
I try not to spend too much time analyzing my self-defined shortcomings. However, I recently started reading Wait: The Art and Science of Delay by Frank Partnoy and I’m deep into questioning and analyzing at the moment. I had that book for a while and never got to reading it. That’s right, I was procrastinating on reading a book about procrastination. Except I didn’t know it talked about procrastination.
I talked about my desire of slowing down the pace of my life in my previous post. My house and my mind are filled with a gazillion projects that I started in a slightly more distant past. Since realizing that I want to slow down, I’ve been trying not to start many more projects. This book about delays is extremely fitting. Thank you, Universe, for continuing to time everything I do and think perfectly. It makes me smile!
Anyways, back to the book and my projects. Partnoy wrote ”where there may be some small amount of work that we have to do right away such as get a small repair job done on our car […] we’re likely in many cases to procrastinate and in the end we are paying three or four times as much for a bigger repair job on the car”. We want to avoid unpleasant tasks at all cost. I’m super guilty of this! I’m facing my pile of projects and I understand how I made it hard on myself. But realizing that there’s a problem is the first step, right?
I now know some projects I’ve been meaning to finish are simply not going to get done because they don’t bring me joy. Reparing that beautiful 4 year-old gown I’ve never worn because the seamstress didn’t quite get my vision is not going to happen because thinking about or seeing it makes me sad. I’m donating it! That kitchen table that has been sitting in my basement for 2 years which I’ve been meaning to restore? Nope! In the end, the time I have to invest is not worth what I would bring me. I already have another table. I should just make peace with it and let it go. And the list goes on….
However, there are some tasks that I’ve been avoiding which actually need to get done like renewing my passport or writing and sending my wedding thank you cards. Procrastination occurs when we’re not working on something. It doesn’t mean we aren’t doing anything, just not what we should/could be working on.
I’m actually a productive procrastinator. Instead of printing and filling out my passport application, I clean the dishes, fold laundry, etc. Those tasks are less ”important”, therefore I choose to do them over more important ones. Partnoy writes about John Perry, philosophy professor known in the procrastination field, who suggests that when making to-do lists, we should start with a few important tasks, and then add some not as important tasks that still need to get done. It’s the most efficient procrastination! I love it 🙂
If you personally struggle with procrastination, like me, try to see the positive in it. Procrastination is not necessarily a bad thing. I’ll get back to this in a later post. But again, since I’m a procrastinator and because I’m working on not adding too much on my plate, let’s all have very low expectations about the when.
Have a fabulous weekend! Enjoy being a procrastinator at some point over the next few days.
October 24, 2015 at 3:38 pm
I’m right here with ya on this procrastination thing! I have all kinds of important paperwork that needs to be done by a certain deadline, but I’ll wait til about 2 days before the deadline to do it. Just the way I roll. Why? No clue. I’m just this way, always have been, and I doubt I’ll ever be any different. I have my own agenda and I do what I do when I do it! I”m procrastinating right now. I don’t want to do what I need to do, so I chose to read amazing blogs. I’m like you, it’ll get done. It just may be at the last minute, but I work better with the “last minute” approach! As long as I don’t totally forget, which does happen on occasion. I try to keep lists, but I end up with several because I grab whatever is closest to me to write my reminder on, and well, you know how it goes. My reminders are all over the place and often lost!!!!! But, I survive! Take care and enjoy procrastinating over this lovely weekend! 🙂
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October 24, 2015 at 8:39 pm
Hi tlohuis!
I’m really enjoying my weekend so far. Your comment about keeping lists made me smile. I’ve recently started writing all my to-do lists directly in my daily planner. The notebook follows me pretty much everywhere. This system has helped removing the stress of trying to remember everything and saving time looking for my multiple reminders. Good luck with your paperwork and thanks for sharing! 🙂
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October 25, 2015 at 2:51 am
Sigh………………my response just vanished. Hate it when that happens. I think I’ll start putting my to do list in my planner, considering there are lines at the side of each page, just for that reason, I’m sure. But, I’ve been writing anything there. I just bought 2 more spiral notebooks last Friday. I”m going to try again starting out with just 2 and we’ll see what happens. I’ll choose 2 topics and we’ll see how I do. I do have a little, okay a big, problem when I get in an office supply store or the office supply isle of any store. I love buying office supplies whether I need them or not. You know, cool notebooks, highlighters, cool gel pens, etc. I’ll get the paperwork done considering it’s for my disability. Just a few questions about my health. I’m sure it’s just to update their files and make sure I’m still unable to work. Not worried about that because my list of ailments is rather long. Have a good day. 🙂 Tammy
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October 25, 2015 at 9:35 am
Hi Tammy! Let me know if this ”new” system helps a little. I hear you on the dangers of office supplies browsing haha. I have a ton of pens, highlighters and lined paper, etc. I’m actually considering getting rid of most as I can’t possibly use it all in the next few years. Someone else from my community might find a better purpose to it than me. My stash is taking space in my basement and I feel uneasy whenever I pass by it. I read your beautiful post about your disease and tried liking it but I think I did something wrong. Oops. Very well written 🙂
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October 29, 2015 at 4:38 pm
So far, I’ve not gotten started with the “new” system. You think I might be procrastinating or what? Thank you for your lovely comment about my last post. Once I get done procrastinating and get this new system up and running I’ll let you know how long it doesn’t last!!! LOL I’m so damn optimistic!!!! No, JK. I’ll try a little harder than normal and we’ll see what happens. Hope you’re having a great day. 🙂
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