Procrastination - I love this word. In the UK often people don't know what it means. I seemed to grow up with it as a banner headline over my life. I even put off the things I want to do in order to not do the things I have to do. I really think I should be awarded a PhD in Procrastination. On Wikipedia it states that in order for something to be classed as procrastination it must be counter-productive, needless and delaying. Whoops - either I procrastinate non-stop or everything I do is fine. Most of the activities that I undertake to avoid those that I don't want to do will be in some way needed, productive and immediate.
Take today as an example - I fully intended to complete my on-line income tax return. it's due on 31 January and I still have a few days left so I felt virtuous and determined as I began today. First, though, I had to go and get some blood tests done. By the time they took eight test tubes of blood I was really ready for my morning coffee and breakfast, so I went to Starbucks and read the paper and had my coffee. Now I was already at the local shops so I bought the ingredients for dinner. Tonight is Burns Night in Scotland and all over the UK. This is a celebration of the Scottish poet, Robert Burns. Traditionally you eat haggis and drink whiskey. I thought that it would make a nice theme for dinner. This meant going to three different shops till I found a haggis. Then I thought it would be nice to make a rich meaty scotch broth (a lamb-based barley soup with lots of veg) so I had to go to the butcher for the lamb. By this time it was almost noon. When I came home I had to eat breakfast/lunch. Then I remembered that I needed to upload some photos on to my computer. After that I made the scotch broth and put the rest of the shopping away. Then I checked my mail and did other assorted computer tasks. I remembered that I had to do some laundry so I put the washing machine on. Last night I promised Ralph that if I had time I would iron a few shirts, so of course I did that. Well, now it's 4.45 pm and the day is pretty much gone and I can't really do the maths and thinking involved in preparing tax forms in the afternoon. That's my tired point of the day, so I guess it'll have to wait till tomorrow. Whoops, I'm running a training course tomorrow and I'm not home tiill 6 pm, so I suppose Wednesday morning will be my next opportunity to complete my tax return.
Everything I did today was productive, useful and needed doing. What procrastination?
I find it interesting that regardless of what else I put off, the one thing I've stuck to for over seven weeks is writing this blog. It is one agreement I have kept with myself. I'm not quite sure why. I still feel a bit hesitant about exploring my life, my neuroses and my history in this semi-public fashion, but it's also a bit like a confessional box - I get to express myself and I don't have to see the reactions. To be honest with myself, I love writing. I never knew that I would and it's like discovering a new continent in myself with so much to explore. And anyway, confession is always good for the soul.
Well, the shirts are ironed, the scotch broth is done, the photos uploaded...nothing left but to do my taxes, but first a short nap.
No comments:
Post a Comment