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It seems we always have some sort of list of chores we intend to do…but don’t. But why? In some cases it’s nothing more than profound laziness that stops us in our tracks or (more likely) on the couch. But why do we persist in putting things off? A pragmatic friend might suggest, “C’mon, what’s holding you back? Just do it.”
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You can’t help but agree. After all, it seems logical. And yet you persist in procrastinating. And as you sit there you might pick up an old Sports Illustrated magazine or the Farmer’s Almanac and before you know it, another week has slipped by. Hmm, I wonder; are we preprogrammed for postponement, dawdling, and delay? And is there really anything wrong with that? Surely there’s no harm in taking a little breather from time to time. When my dear old pappy was chillin’ at his lazy best, he would often say, “Procrastination always gives a person something to look forward to…”
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Dad truly was a deep thinker. He was also the most relaxed, easy-going human I ever knew. But we digress. And yes, I am fully aware that this momentary digression is itself a form of procrastination, as once again I swerve to dodge the task at hand. In this case I have temporarily placed the writing of this week’s column on the back burner. I am constantly amazed at how shockingly little it takes to derail my so-called train of thought into full-on procrastination. And why would I set aside a task that I actually enjoy? Experts tell us this behavior is not that unusual. In fact, in addition to avoiding tasks we dread – we will just as easily put off the more enjoyable activities. For example, redeeming gift cards, using frequent flier miles, and getting around to spending all that Canadian Tire money are all activities we might have fully intended to do, but will inexplicably put off to a later date. Go figure…
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And if you think you are not among the ninety-seven percent of Canadians who procrastinate – think again, Dawdle Boy. We all do it. But why do we waste time online rather than getting down to business to take care of business? Why do we stay up far too late watching a corny old movie instead of hitting the sack and getting our full eight hours?
That said, procrastination is not always a bad thing. In fact, there are many times when procrastinating can actually help you get things done. Case in point: suppose you don’t want to get up on that shaky old ladder to clean out your eavestroughs. So instead you might tackle a bunch of other chores, and all to avoid cleaning those damn gutters. And if you complete those other chores it must be considered a positive step forward.
Of course if you persist in playing this mind game, you will need to keep shuffling chores on your jobs’ list or those gutters will stay clogged.
By the way, this column you are reading now is something I started to write a few months ago. And though I can’t seem to remember exactly why, I did set it aside for some reason – and forgot all about it until today.
OK, at this point, a self-imposed word count prevents me from prattling on.
Merry Christmas to all…
Terry serves up a little food-for-thought each and every week and welcomes your comments: countrysunshine@xplornet.ca
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