Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task. ~ William James
True this.
I've got a few thing hanging over my head lately. They are, without a doubt, exhausting me. I'm not tired from doing, but I'm tired of thinking I SHOULD be doing them. I have a list. Maybe if I write this list and share it with all of you, I will start accomplishing SOMETHING.
But, before I write the list, I want to talk a bit about procrastination. I want to talk about good procrastination and bad procrastination. I've learned there are three types of procrastination. Depending on what you do instead of working on something, you:
This is certainly the "reader's digest" condensed version of this theory, but I hope you are getting my drift. Some of the small stuff things, like mowing the lawn, filing your taxes, grocery shopping, and the like, will eventually become big stuff problems if avoided long enough. So even though you may have big stuff in your lives, like raising children, running a business, finishing your dissertation, writing the next great American novel, you eventually have to deal with some of the small stuff before they become big problems.
And this is where I find myself. Lately I've been dealing with the big problem of my broken house and destroyed landscaping. I've been hoping the roofer, we have ALREADY hired, will start replacing our roof. I thought when this finally began my paralysis on doing other jobs, *read small stuff*, would end. But, no roofing work has begun. No repairs on the house are underway. Now the small stuff is starting to build up and weigh heavily on my mind. My procrastination must end. I can no longer use the excuse of fixing my house to keep me from doing the small stuff. So, back to the concept of writing down my list.
True this.
I've got a few thing hanging over my head lately. They are, without a doubt, exhausting me. I'm not tired from doing, but I'm tired of thinking I SHOULD be doing them. I have a list. Maybe if I write this list and share it with all of you, I will start accomplishing SOMETHING.
But, before I write the list, I want to talk a bit about procrastination. I want to talk about good procrastination and bad procrastination. I've learned there are three types of procrastination. Depending on what you do instead of working on something, you:
- do nothing
- work on something less important
- work on something more important
This is certainly the "reader's digest" condensed version of this theory, but I hope you are getting my drift. Some of the small stuff things, like mowing the lawn, filing your taxes, grocery shopping, and the like, will eventually become big stuff problems if avoided long enough. So even though you may have big stuff in your lives, like raising children, running a business, finishing your dissertation, writing the next great American novel, you eventually have to deal with some of the small stuff before they become big problems.
And this is where I find myself. Lately I've been dealing with the big problem of my broken house and destroyed landscaping. I've been hoping the roofer, we have ALREADY hired, will start replacing our roof. I thought when this finally began my paralysis on doing other jobs, *read small stuff*, would end. But, no roofing work has begun. No repairs on the house are underway. Now the small stuff is starting to build up and weigh heavily on my mind. My procrastination must end. I can no longer use the excuse of fixing my house to keep me from doing the small stuff. So, back to the concept of writing down my list.
- Send in my winter CSA contract and check
- Iron all the clothes I have piled on the chair in my bedroom
- Fill out the tax forms for donations to Vintage Value
- Send church the letter telling them we have moved on to a different church
- Pull weeds and pull overgrown annuals out of my flower beds
- Wash all the mildew off the front door of my house
- Call the rancher and order my lamb
- Work with my son to sort through stuff from his room
- Go for a walk every now and then *read start exercising*
I don’t ever finish all the chores I have to do
But I think about them all the day
And I wonder if I'm really going to do them now
Or just wait ‘til after what Ellen has to say.
Procrastination, Procrastination
It’s making me late
It’s keeping you waiting
And I tell you how easy it is to put things off
And how right it feels to nothing at all.
But I rehashed the things I have to do last night
Then started thinking about how to avoid this work.
Procrastination, Procrastination
It’s making me late
It’s keeping you waiting
And tomorrow we might not have clean clothes
I'm no prophet, but I know we will need food
So I'll try to get out to the grocery store
I'll get to it, 'cause I'll get it done someday.
I'll get it done someday.
I'll get to it, 'cause I'll get it done someday.
I'll get it done someday.
I'll get it done someday.
I'll get it done someday.
I'll get it done someday.
I'll get it done someday.
I guess I should get working on that list now. :)
