May you all hold the large half of the wishbone,
May your hearts feel more full than your belly,
May you giggle and hug all day,
May you feel blessed all year long!
♥ Let our gratefulness spill from our hearts out into the world ♥
Friday, November 26, 2010
The Art of Procrastination
I am not proud. It certainly seems that our college student has had extraordinary modeling for the art of procrastinating. Understand that my form of procrastination may not resemble laziness. Honestly, I find many things to do that are not on the worst-first, numbered "To Do" list. So, it might not be so much in the not-doing; just not doing what is deemed the most important task at the time. (I pause to pose the question, "Who decides what is the most important task within a particular moment?") In addition, I am an eternal optimist who knows things work out really well in the end.
Perhaps I justify my procrastination by rationalizing that I perform well under pressure. Ten page papers done at the last minute during college that received high marks. Hustling quickly through the house to tidy up before "company comes". You name it! Things always get done and, generally, well! Perhaps better than it would have been done had I done it before the imposed or perceived deadline. No wonder I have given so much time to this topic!
Take this latest post, for example. Not surprisingly, it has been brewing for some time. In it's crafting, I have to side step a surprise. The distraction of not telling the whole story has thrust me into what resembles a holding pattern above O'Hare Airport in the winter time. My thoughts are whirling around and around and not grounding at all.
It's driving me nuts. My excited energy resembles bees hovering around a hive. Man, they look busy but, to the onlooker, are not quite on target. Another barrier to getting a job done. Full disclosure is my usual method and withholding information is close to dishonesty in my book of values. So, procrastination kicks in and rears its evasive head as I sit to write and reflect.
(Beware- I now switch to the past tense in some instances.)
Fast forward about three days to a post-Thanksgiving food hangover. The surprise visit went off with lovely results. Breathe... Focus... Ahhh, time to sit down and get serious about writing this post. A sure bonus of putting this off is I am fresh with information on the art of procrastinating within my family of origin. My (older) brother and I had quite the conversation about our distractibility with comments flying and examples given from both of our spouses and parents alike. Thankfully, the giggles from our offspring kept the conversation playful. Beneath the laughter, I wondered if they were quietly reflecting on their own habits and nervously recognizing a pattern encased in their DNA? Time will tell.
How about shifting between the big picture and the details? Others are often surprised at the detail with which I can disaggregate a situation, zooming from the whole to the part and back out again. Consequence or gift? Some view procrastinators as excuse-ridden. I like to think it is because of this micro/macro viewpoint that reasons for what looks like waiting or putting off are abundant.
So, nature vs. nurture. Our optimistic college student is battling both. Probably not consciously. Just fighting the good fight. Making lists- actual or mental. Trying his hardest to find his own way and make the habit of procrastination work in the real world successfully.
Perhaps I justify my procrastination by rationalizing that I perform well under pressure. Ten page papers done at the last minute during college that received high marks. Hustling quickly through the house to tidy up before "company comes". You name it! Things always get done and, generally, well! Perhaps better than it would have been done had I done it before the imposed or perceived deadline. No wonder I have given so much time to this topic!
Take this latest post, for example. Not surprisingly, it has been brewing for some time. In it's crafting, I have to side step a surprise. The distraction of not telling the whole story has thrust me into what resembles a holding pattern above O'Hare Airport in the winter time. My thoughts are whirling around and around and not grounding at all.
It's driving me nuts. My excited energy resembles bees hovering around a hive. Man, they look busy but, to the onlooker, are not quite on target. Another barrier to getting a job done. Full disclosure is my usual method and withholding information is close to dishonesty in my book of values. So, procrastination kicks in and rears its evasive head as I sit to write and reflect.
(Beware- I now switch to the past tense in some instances.)
Fast forward about three days to a post-Thanksgiving food hangover. The surprise visit went off with lovely results. Breathe... Focus... Ahhh, time to sit down and get serious about writing this post. A sure bonus of putting this off is I am fresh with information on the art of procrastinating within my family of origin. My (older) brother and I had quite the conversation about our distractibility with comments flying and examples given from both of our spouses and parents alike. Thankfully, the giggles from our offspring kept the conversation playful. Beneath the laughter, I wondered if they were quietly reflecting on their own habits and nervously recognizing a pattern encased in their DNA? Time will tell.
How about shifting between the big picture and the details? Others are often surprised at the detail with which I can disaggregate a situation, zooming from the whole to the part and back out again. Consequence or gift? Some view procrastinators as excuse-ridden. I like to think it is because of this micro/macro viewpoint that reasons for what looks like waiting or putting off are abundant.
So, nature vs. nurture. Our optimistic college student is battling both. Probably not consciously. Just fighting the good fight. Making lists- actual or mental. Trying his hardest to find his own way and make the habit of procrastination work in the real world successfully.
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