TUESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2023 - PROCRASTINATION

 TUESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2023

PROCRASTINATION 

(Is procrastination - a country (nation)  where all the people are professionals in putting things off?) 

I am procrastinating.  

Let’s start with some easy examples.

I am in an orchestra - our fall concerts are on October 7th and 8th. I should be practicing. I can find a million things (okay, that is hyperbole) that will keep me from practicing. Some of them are almost related - like I can listen to the music on YouTube - and tell myself I am familiarizing myself with the music. But I need to pick up my tuba and play for half an hour!! (After all, the concert will be about an hour, so I need to be able to play for an hour eventually)!!!

And, at this concert, I have an important part!! I’m playing the string bass part!!

*****

My apartment needs to be fixed. I have things I don’t know what to do with. Just inside my bedroom door is a pile of clothes. They are clothes I will donate to the thrift shop - and I’ve been throwing things on this pile for eight months.  

C’mon Karen - grab a black trash bag and put those clothes in it - and take it to the Caring Place. It isn’t far, and there is a drive-thru - just hand it to an attendant. (And you’ll gain floorspace that has been buried for too long!!!) 

(Informal note - women and clothes have been an exciting learning experience. In department stores, women’s clothes occupy twice as much floor space as men’s. There are many more women’s stores than men’s stores. If you look at a couple’s closet, men’s clothes take up about ¼ of the closet space while women’s clothes take up ¾ of the area. And we have more shoes. I have dresses; I have skirts; I have slacks; I have tops (in almost every color and shade); I have summer clothes and winter clothes. And, for my exercise, I have a million t-shirts (again, hyperbole).  

I have had well-meaning (well, maybe) friends who have given me bags of clothes. One day, MN gave me three large bag trash bags of clothes. (RP has also given me about the same amount). I “can’t” just take them to the thrift shop - they were gifts to ME. I feel I need to keep them because they were gifts!!!  

Oh, My)!!

As I started this blog, I decided I needed a cup of coffee - so I made a pot of coffee (that’s procrastination). I changed my chair. I adjusted the fan. And, in a minute, I’ll be heading to the restroom.   AND I WONDER HOW IT COME TOOK ME SO LONG TO WRITE TODAY’S BLOG!!!

OKAY, FACING PROCRASTINATION:

(using https://www.collegedata.com/resources/campus-life/8-tips-to-avoid-procrastination) 

ADMIT THAT YOU’RE PROCRASTINATING

Okay, yeah, I’m procrastination. Even by writing this blog and making writing important, I am avoiding that pile of clothes (it might take me five minutes to stuff them in a trash bag to take to the Caring Place)

ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS

Ooh, I still need to do the daily crossword; I need a break (after three minutes) - a game of Sudoku will keep my brain sharp!

SET GOALS YOU CAN REACH

Okay, Karen, write your blog, and you can practice your tuba!!!

REWARD YOURSELF

And, if you get this blog written and the clothes picked up, the bed made, and the kitchen counters cleaned (and the toaster put away), you can have a second cup of coffee.

TAKE A BREAK

But - I have to get something done first. I’m great at taking breaks and rewarding myself - and letting those distractions come in the way. I KNOW - from my past life - that I have to get things done. As a retired person, my brain is saying, “Relax, Karen, you have all day” (but I don’t - I have things to do)

HOLD YOURSELF ACCOUNTABLE

Ouch!!! My big failure in all of this is being accountable to myself.  

I know - I’ll stop writing and get my clipboard and a piece of paper and make a list of the things I need to do, put a start and end time on it, and maybe type it into Excel - picking a pretty font - printing it out, putting it on the refrigerator door. (Except, I will know that organizing myself is another distraction from finishing my blog and practicing my tuba. 

Paraphrasing from Romans chapter 7

I don’t understand myself - for what I want to do - I don’t do it. I want to get things done - but I just can’t carry it out!!!

Paul says in verse 24, “What a wretched man I am! (Because he doesn’t do what he knows he needs to do).

Oh Lord - clean my brain of the cobwebs and procrastination!!  

LOVE WINS

LOVE CONQUERS PROCRASTINATION

LOVE TRANSFORMS 

AND LOVE TRANSFORMS ME TO AN EFFICIENT HOUSEKEEPER AND GETS THINGS DONE

KAREN ANNE WHITE, ©, AUGUST 22, 2023