I ROCK At Procrastination

For as long as I can remember, I have been a procrastinator. And for just about as long, I’ve been fully aware of it, and also aware that procrastinating has never benefitted me in any way.

As a kid, I hated cleaning my room. Hated It. I would put it off till I couldn’t find a damn thing around me and had no clean clothes. Result? My mess made me totally late for everything.

In school, I vividly recall scribbling half-assed answers to my homework right outside the classroom. Result? Bad homework grades. Oh, and anxiety-filled thoughts about the bad report cards. That must have been a bonus.

Now in my grown-up life, I realize I haven’t gotten very much better.

I am alright about doing the necessities, like feeding the kids, paying the bills, cleaning the catbox. But I find myself putting off pretty much anything that isn’t in dire need of doing. Read: dishes, laundry, email replies.  This is sucky because when these things that aren’t in dire need of doing actually become dire, I’m overwhelmed.

I have a fortune cookie note taped to my computer monitor. It says “Procrastination is the fear of success”. It took me a month just to get around to putting it up! I thought by posting it there, it would give me the motivation to just get going with things.

I’d like to believe the fortune cookie. I enjoy the thought that the little Chinese man who makes my Shrimp Fried Rice somehow knew I needed to read that, so he put that one in the bag deliberately.

Anyway, I’m hoping to change this horrible habit.  Not for a New Year’s Resolution or anything (and even if it were, I do realize that it would’ve taken me THREE MONTHS to decide on it), but just to get some normalcy happening around here.

I’ve reluctantly removed my favorite  “Never put off until tomorrow what you can avoid all together” magnet from my fridge and am ready to get motivated.

Um, maybe.  In just a few minutes.