Lately I find I procrastinate more than ever.
This life is difficult to lead. I used to claim I worked well on a deadline. However, older and wiser, I know now that I work well on someone else's deadline: self-imposed deadlines are harder to meet, and its easy to give oneself an extension.
I procrastinate daily. I wait until THE very last minute to get in the shower and start getting ready for work. I wait until THE very last minute to Christmas shop, assemble and wrap gifts. I wait until THE very last minute to do dishes. (That only means that I do dishes when the sink is full and starting to smell a bit off, and my husband is making snide remarks about not being able to cook in our dirty kitchen.)
Let me be fair to myself: I don't procrastinate at work. I have been deemed a workaholic, but I don't take actual work home with me. I'm paid hourly; I don't work for free. The only work I bring home is the mental and emotional baggage of the work day. That's even more unhealthy. Oops, I was trying to be fair to myself in this paragraph. Damn.
As a procrastinator, I love to make spur of the moment plans. This allows me to put off whatever I should actually be doing during those hours. For instance, last night I decided to go and watch my horrible but favorite basketball team (as well as the Packers/Bears game) at a local sports bar. What "should" I have done? I should have come home, assembled and wrapped gifts - and loaded the dishwasher - and gotten to bed before midnight. Then, I wouldn't be sitting here at my laptop right now, avoiding the gift wrapping. ("Ohh... I'll just blog and drink a cup of coffee, then I'll start the wrapping..." These are the conversations I have with myself in my free time.)
Let's give Amber some gold stars:
This morning I did dishes. I paid a bill online. I went and got gifts out of my car, which I will now assemble and begin to wrap. I'll get a shower and get ready just in time to get to the bank at 1:30. (It's a half day for me; I work this Saturday - and God forbid overtime.)
However, I'll rush around. I'll skip lunch. I'll be hungry and grumpy until the work day ends. Then, I'll come home, sit on the couch and think about what I "should" get accomplished. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. The gifts will need to be ready to go.
I have procrastinated away this holiday season. I'm ready for New Year's Day. Hmm. What should be my resolution? I'll decide that later. I have too much else to do right this minute.
This life is difficult to lead. I used to claim I worked well on a deadline. However, older and wiser, I know now that I work well on someone else's deadline: self-imposed deadlines are harder to meet, and its easy to give oneself an extension.
I procrastinate daily. I wait until THE very last minute to get in the shower and start getting ready for work. I wait until THE very last minute to Christmas shop, assemble and wrap gifts. I wait until THE very last minute to do dishes. (That only means that I do dishes when the sink is full and starting to smell a bit off, and my husband is making snide remarks about not being able to cook in our dirty kitchen.)
Let me be fair to myself: I don't procrastinate at work. I have been deemed a workaholic, but I don't take actual work home with me. I'm paid hourly; I don't work for free. The only work I bring home is the mental and emotional baggage of the work day. That's even more unhealthy. Oops, I was trying to be fair to myself in this paragraph. Damn.
As a procrastinator, I love to make spur of the moment plans. This allows me to put off whatever I should actually be doing during those hours. For instance, last night I decided to go and watch my horrible but favorite basketball team (as well as the Packers/Bears game) at a local sports bar. What "should" I have done? I should have come home, assembled and wrapped gifts - and loaded the dishwasher - and gotten to bed before midnight. Then, I wouldn't be sitting here at my laptop right now, avoiding the gift wrapping. ("Ohh... I'll just blog and drink a cup of coffee, then I'll start the wrapping..." These are the conversations I have with myself in my free time.)
Let's give Amber some gold stars:
This morning I did dishes. I paid a bill online. I went and got gifts out of my car, which I will now assemble and begin to wrap. I'll get a shower and get ready just in time to get to the bank at 1:30. (It's a half day for me; I work this Saturday - and God forbid overtime.)
However, I'll rush around. I'll skip lunch. I'll be hungry and grumpy until the work day ends. Then, I'll come home, sit on the couch and think about what I "should" get accomplished. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. The gifts will need to be ready to go.
I have procrastinated away this holiday season. I'm ready for New Year's Day. Hmm. What should be my resolution? I'll decide that later. I have too much else to do right this minute.
Comments