Saturday, February 5, 2011

Procrastination: Trains stop at train stations; Buses stop at bus stations; On my desk is a workstation.



If I were Catholic I would be crowned the Pope of Procrastination.  If I worked the casinos I would be the Dealer of Distraction.  If I were a snow-covered peak I would be the Avalanche of Avoidance.  You get the idea.

(I alert you I'm also the Ally of Alliteration-- but I digress, I do.) 

It's very frustrating and adds to my stress but I persist in putting off tasks/projects until the last minute. I've analyzed it.. There are a number of reasons why I procrastinate.  Sometimes, I fear the magnitude of a task and simultaneously question my ability to manage it.  I will then delay my perceived forthcoming failure as long as possible.  There are times when the task or responsibility is distasteful or undesirable; consequently I avoid the unpleasant issue as long as possible.  Other times I invest a task with more difficulty than it actually contains--I blow its magnitude out of proportion--and avoid facing it until absolutely necessary.  At times, quite frankly, I would rather play than work and I choose to play now and work later.  Much later.

Unfortunately, analyzing it--as I have just done--does not necessarily change it.  In fact, too much mere thinking about it  could prolong my avoidance as I succumb to the paralysis of analysis.   Maybe Nike was right--just do it.

The Scriptures in which I attempt to ground my life certainly do not support my procrastinating.  The sacred text contains phrases like "THIS day choose. . . " and "THIS is the day. . . "   Not tomorrow, later or whenever.   

I'm trying, I think.  On the one hand, I grimace at the realization that I have procrastinated in sitting down and blogging about my tendency to procrastinate  That's a sorry look in the mirror. On the other hand, I did do it THIS day and I  detect a slight smile as I take a second look.




 

8 comments:

tbaoo said...

i was going to reply with a comment, but i - oh hang on what was that ?

Steve said...

tbaoo, that's all right. Who knows when I would have gotten around to reading it??

alejandro guzman said...

I'll get back to you tomorrow

Cheers A

Widow_Lady302 said...

My husband used to say, "He who hesitates is sometimes saved." It worked for him on so many levels I can't begin to tell you ;-)

Mary Hudak-Collins livingthescripture.com said...

I am only a procrastinator with things I really don't want to do. My problem is I under-estimate the amount of time it will take me to complete the task and then do not get it completed on time. Bummer:(

Bongo said...

Go ahead keep procrastinating...I can visualize a big swift kick in the butt later.....ohhhhhh yes I can see it... Whammmmmmm....soooooo...JUST DO IT....ummmm As always...just sayin....

Steve said...

Widow_Lady, My problem is I bank on getting "saved" each time I procrastinate. Eventually, i will have to pay the piper.

Mary, you under-estimate; I over-estimate. Does anyone out there accurately estimate?

Bongo, you sound almost gleeful in your anticipation of my forthcoming, unavoidable kick in the butt. Try to restrain your enthusiasm.

alejandro guzman said...

Did I come back?

Oh sorry maybe next week.

Cheers A