Today's Procrastinator Meeting Has Been Postponed Until Next Week.

If I were president of Procrastinators Anonymous, we would never get around to our first meeting.
I'm officially at a stage in my life when the list of chores, children's needs, and personal projects seems endless. Yet, I haven't learned that ignoring that list is not making it any shorter.
 

Photo Credit

Home:

• Install quarter-rounds along the baseboards
• Paint the kitchen
• Install new moldings
• Finish the edging around the kitchen floor
• Gut the mudroom
• Attach stairs to the back patio door
• Replace the toilet in the basement
• Figure out why the forced-air humidifier unit is not functioning properly
• Update the rest if the household plugs
• Install a light in the T.V. room
• Redo the main floor bathroom
• etc...

Kids:

• Really? Does any parent need to explain what comprises a list of responsibilities towards your children?

Me:

• I used to run; I'd like to run more...
• I finished the first draft of a book: "Men Get Pregnant, Too; Despite Never Pushing a Watermelon Through a Pigeonhole" I'd like to see that through...
• This blog could use a dose of re-design and a scoop of salesmanship.

Did I mention my wife and I could use some alone time?

But, when I have "free" time - which I define as a period during which I have the opportunity to do absolutely nothing - I let it all slide.
What's the key to being a different kind of person? How do 'they' do it? I know 'they're' out there, 'Those People': they wake at 5am to run, they never watch T.V. (or so they say), they tackle at-home projects because, well, "They're not gonna get done by themselves!", they carpool their kids from event to event as though they were part of a speaking tour (hang on, I have to write that down...'look into getting involved in some sort of speaking tour'), and, just when you think that was impressive, you find out they volunteer helping the elderly.

There are words and expressions which could describe me; it really a question of which are apt, and which are exaggerations: lazy, selfish, worthy of a break, unmotivated, over-tasked, distracted....procrastinator?
I think there is some truth to it all. After all we are not only one thing, but rather the sum of many parts.

When I get home later, after the kids are in bed, I should: shower, shave, make my son's lunch, and get a suit ready for tomorrow. But, the Super Bowl is on...I'll probably watch the game and leave the rest for tomorrow morning, which will be a disaster.
Of course, I have a PVR, I could pause the game, complete my little to-do list, then catch-up with the Super Bowl by skipping the commercials...
You know what a solution is for my lassitude? I'm going to mark on the kitchen calendar tasks to be done on specific days: 3 days a week I'll go for a short jog - not too much, just enough to get the blood pumping; 3 days a week I'll write, either for the book, or the blog - not all day, just for a couple of hours; and 1 day a week will be dedicated to household renos - nothing major, just an hour or two to advance the project enough to feel a sense of accomplishment.

There we go; if it's on the calendar it will be harder not to follow through...I'll be sure to do that as soon as I get home today.
Or, at the very latest, tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Kathy Radigan]

I'd love to join your club, maybe tomorow! I too have a laundry list of things I need/want to get done, and I know my husband does too. I have to say that having kids does not help with the daily goals since just as you are about to go the gym you get a call from the nurse that someone has to be picked up, or just as you are going to clean out the fridge someone spills something pretty blue all over the cream carpet! I work on a triage system, but one day I hope to be one of the perfect people who get everything done. Right after I take a nap since I haven't slept since 1998! Great to find your blog on voiceBoks! Happily following!

[Sarah]

haha Totally understand this. I feel like the list IS endless. And each day it just keeps getting bigger.. Will I ever be done like I see "those people". Yep I understand. I wish I was a fly on the wall though, cause I'll bet "those" people are not as together as they seem. ;)

Here's to getting at least SOME of the stuff on the list done! :)