There's lots of things I know and lots of things I don't know and as Confucious says: to know what you know and to not know what you do not know is the mark of true wisdom... or something. One of them is that I know I'm a procrastinator. While I was avoiding or rather um, "taking a break" from FrenchII I decided to look up and know what I did not know was: why do people procrastinate? And I was surprised to find via the magic of the internet that procrastinators aren't born but they are made. A certain proclivity here, a circumstance there and thus time wasters are born. Which I was happy to note was not because we're lazy, but perhaps depressed or paralyzed by a heightened sense of perfection. Which is something I don't normally accuse myself of. But it's totally true. Also I often feel overwhelmed by tasks, and am plagued with all-or-nothing thinking, and apparently secretly concerned about failing to met my own standards. Which are high-high-high. Sometimes. Also I don't take time to enjoy the process and am thus consumed with the end result. And also according to another article I don't want to face the feelings I experience when confronted with a particular task and I look for ways to avoid (netflix-watchnow feature) or distract (hello email). I now regret that I didnot place myself in cognitive behavioral therapy years ago...
I wish I procrastinated about things like: okay I tried to think of things but it's a hard trade off. So scratch that. I wish I didn't procrastinate about things that were important to me like: the blog book, my writing, my art, and various other awesome projects like weight loss, french and quilt making. Things I'm good at not procrastinating about: throwing away things, organization, bill paying (weirdly). Things I procrastinate about that I still don't care about: putting away dishes which is somewhat oxymoronic given my proclivity to organization.
Anyway things that help procrastinators stop procrastinating: lists, making small tasks out of the bigger more intimidating ones, change negative assertions into positive ones, aka just fucking do it already, dammit- or hurray I get to write from my soul today!
But anyway I write this because, hello, my name is Mendacious, and I totally procrastinate. Things I'm doing to cope: I write lists, I check things off my list, I'm list tastic. Things I need to improve on: being more positive, taking it one step at a time and not looking at the whole thing and freaking the fuck out, and as Pen might say, buck up little camper! Tomorrow is another day! And being okay with taking time to smell the roses. It's totally necessary.
So I've made my list for tomorrow and now I'm going to go watch Southpark and not even feel a bit bad about it.
4 comments:
To put off tomorrow what can be done today. I've gotta admit, I've never understood your sort. Do you not feel the wait of the various responsibilities weighing down on you? Would it not be easier to engage in these tasks rather than having your mind preoccupied with their unfinished burden hanging over you. Go ahead, watch Southpark, and know that you'll never get those thirty minutes back.
They are gone now.
What I've noticed about lists
1. When I take my old lists and transcribe them all onto one nice new list, I feel like I've actually done something.
2. Often if you leave something on your list long enough, it becomes too late to do it and you can finally cross it off.
3. Some things never leave the list.
Yes. The girl who has posted to her blog ONCE in Feb. can relate. (cough, ahem.)
"I now regret that I didnot place myself in cognitive behavioral therapy years ago..."
Can I get that on a T-shirt please? Not only will making me one help you to procrastinate other things, but you can still put it on a list and thus cross it off when you're done, which will make you feel productive anyway.
Also, I can relate. I need to do more lists. I forget that I meant to do something if it isn't on a list. And I also get overwhelmed if i don't see it written down. Then I realize, oh, I can do most of this in one day... Usually. I don't put "finish book" or "find man" on the list. : )
Post a Comment