Saturday 12 January 2013

Promises shrouded by Procrastination!

Finally, I have accepted the fact that I can turn the most promising tasks into undone tasks due to my supreme power of procrastination. Since I have chosen to be aware of everything I do, I realise that I tend to procrastinate more than I think I do. On the same note, I realise that I also make lofty promises to myself and regrettably wallow away at the end of the day mulling over my procrastination. My state is something that can be easily reversed but sadly I delay even that process.

Every morning I wake up with a smile and a tune and mentally make note of the tasks for the day. All is well. I prepare breakfast, check my mail, see my husband off and promise myself that after a few minutes of Facebook, I will work on that incomplete paper for our forthcoming book. I smile that I can manage things well not realising that Facebook has already plotted for my time and energy. The few minutes of Facebook suddenly leads me into the kitchen for preparing lunch. What!!!! have I been so long whiling away precious time? The great procrastination pushes its hood slyly and remarks, "Well, I can start that paper after lunch." But after lunch, the body demands its siesta. The rest is history.

I can be surprised that after years of knowing my weaknesses, I can still ignore that warning within me rather tactfully. In the evening while my mind wanders in the direction of the unwritten paper while doing the rounds of our evening walk, I dismiss the thought by a mere, "I was quite busy." If you would've noticed, I wasn't busy as I assume I am but rather not prioritising my day. And, at the right time the Universe, as always gives me a message through MindBodyGreen in the form of an article: How to Stop Saying "I don't have enough time to exercise." Inspite of this article talking about exercise, it holds good for every other activity.

I guess it's time to rip the shroud of procrastination. Wish me luck and positivity.

So, what do you think?

Images: Shutterstock.com

22 comments:

  1. Nice one Susan! Facebook - Same blood.. I work in night shifts. In the evening when I reach office I promise myself that I will just see notifications in facebook and proceed with my work. But then it will be after dinner I will be starting work. And yes, All the best..

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  2. Ha, I am in the same boat... I think that should be my resolution for this year, to use my time effectively. But I am reminded of this quote too 'The time that is enjoyed wasted, is not wasted at all.'

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  3. ha you are def in that boat alone...i have done my fair share of procrastinating in my day...and every time i realize how i should never do that again...

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  4. i wish u were the only one guilty of procrastination! On any given morning, I have atleast 20 things to do, and by the time we reach bed time, I would have convinced myself that the 2 things I did were the only one really important, rest could be postponed for another day! :(

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  5. It is absolutely true that facebook swallows the largest portion of our time and curb the freedom of prioritizing our work. Procrastination is a very common attitude as it is entwined in the human mindset. Good read Susan and all the best on the book! :)

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  6. Whatever scissors you use to rip that shroud, please send them to me. I am a procrastination champion. I'm doing it right now, though I love reading your post, I'm supposed to be vacuuming. My house is a disaster. Or I could be editing a book I wrote several years ago. The first chapter as been edited about five times but I never get beyond that. I leave it for later.

    My dear Susan. Good luck.

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  7. I used to procrastinate a lot, earlier. But now I have improved (a bit). My mind is quite strict with myself (these days) when it comes to procrastination. It even demands that I get up and put the banana peal into the dustbin (which I just threw next to my table). Tough life, this! :P

    Destination Infinity

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  8. I am pretty sure you have not surpassed GQ in the procrastination ward. I have concluded that procrastination is not my root problem, for things I love I never procrastinate over. It is the hard things, the things that have risk, the things that are work or the things that are painful, those are what I put off or postpone. The problem is self, selfishness, me, myself, I. The love of pleasure is at the root. There is so much more I could say, but this is getting painful.

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  9. Alas..same here.. that's the reason why I have made some tough choices.. I found that I wasted too much time blogging.. I have so much to say.. so I have reduced and suddenly I find time to do other thing's..


    All the best :-)

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  10. Susan....... :( it was ME speaking via your pen / keyboard :(

    I know I have to stop this whole thing called procrastination which steals away not just time but life!! But here I am juggling between work, cooking, chores, ILs, Mom Dad, one whooooooole bunch of extended family, laundry.. gawwwwd and oops there I have pushed aside something imp. out away from my list CONVENIENTLY!!

    And hey, who has time for excersie?? :(

    Do visit my post "Oblivion"! Would love to see you by! *cheers*

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  11. P/s the Article linked was really good. It says a lot about managing time. Thanks for that...

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  12. Hi, Susan:
    We all have this challenge. The good thing is that you recognize where your time is going. You simply have to pull yourself away from FB and direct your energy toward the projects that are pressing.

    My day typically starts w/coffee and a bit of Google+ing (twenty minutes, a half hour) Then onto my book project or one of my two blogs on my "free days." Spend about an hour working on that. Once I'm satisfied w/the time I spent writing, I jump back over to G+. Sharing, reading and posting new info.

    I make sure I've spent at least two hours a day writing blogs or working on my book. If I can do that, I'm happy, knowing I was productive w/my time.

    We can all fall to procrastination bug. Sometimes it's a good thing as we while we are busy doing something else something my spark our imagination. I wouldn't fret too much. As long as you can produce something you're proud of. You don't necessarily have to be productive every day! As I'm fond of saying:
    Life is a marathon, not a sprint.
    --
    Chris

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  13. Same pinch... :)

    Procrastination is one of my greatest enemies.

    All the Best in your efforts to overcome the habit. I hope to take some inspiration from you and start my own journey sans procrastination

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  14. I have been meaning to finish my book for the past two years :) Now who is the bigger procrastinator? I know what I have to do but can't, such is the tragedy :) Loved your article, get down to writing that paper now, I am also getting started on my book, as soon as I read a few more articles :)

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  15. I do the same things!!"ill do it after one hour " promise i make myself has never happened

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  16. I am so like you Susan...same pinch.

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  17. Hi Susan, am sure many people can relate to this post. Am no exception to this. Time management has always been a challenge. We tend to loose focus on those important things and end up giving way to the victory of procrastination :)

    The link is insightful indeed :) Thanks for sharing this.

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  18. I can't picture someone who writes like you do and who seems to question life the way you know how to procrastinate.
    Don't we all to some extent? There are areas in all of our lives where we do that, I think. I promise myself all the time that I will go to the gym and do weights now that my children are in college, but I never find the time. I either have to work on my race, have to write some emails, draft some letters, blah blah blah.
    That's my area of procrastination.

    In other areas of my life, I am too ADD. I want to do too many things at the same time. I send an email while I work on a letter, I check FB while I write on Twitter. I write a post while I cook dinner and so it goes.
    We all have our little issues. that makes us so interesting...;)

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  19. So difficult to keep away from this lovely habit of procrastination, Susan:)

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  20. You are not alone! I am the world's worst procrastinator. I have to bribe myself with a treat any time I really, really need to get something done. It's awful.

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  21. Read this somewhere... procrastination is like a credit card: it's a lot of fun until you get the bill!! Dont worry, you are not alone!! :D

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