Procrastination

Years ago I read an article that suggested the path to true happiness required we ask ourselves this question: If I die tomorrow, how would I have wished I’d spent today?

I began to use the mantra immediately. It was an extraordinarily useful way to identify my priorities. Do the laundry or go for a swim? What a question? If death was waiting in the wings, I certainly would have wished my last day was NOT spent doing laundry. Years passed and I skipped multitudes of chores in favor of a heap of fun.

Sadly, using this question to prioritize my life also allows me to indulge my weakness for procrastination. Perhaps that’s why I took to the practice with such zeal. And, with decades of practice I have turned avoidance into a fine-tuned skill. In fact, I’ve earned a black belt in the delaying arts! It is awesome to watch me in action: I can even delay procrastination!

And, that brings me to the fly in my current ointment. I’ve been able to ignore a computer bursting with half-written novels, unedited essays and lists of story ideas, but now, with a blog to attend to, I’m feeling pressured to actually finish something and get it posted. No longer can I spend my time searching the Internet for articles about how to . . . (check one) schedule writing time, start writing, keep on writing, or actually finish writing. No, now with a blog that demands attention, care and frequent posts, I’m forced to face a sad fact – it is apparent that I have an addiction to procrastination.

Perhaps there are some interesting articles about this dilemma. Perhaps I should invest some time to search the web for advice. If anyone out there has a good idea on how to better schedule writing time, start writing, keep on writing, or actually finish writing, please email me right away. My grandson is coming for a sleepover but I plan to catch up with my emails by Monday. Or, by the end of next week, for sure. Well, definitely before Thanksgiving!