Anti-Procrastination

Dear Reader,
There's nothing more thrilling than the rush of adrenaline flooding your veins when you're working on a project at the last minute. You've had it on your desk for a week and it was far more entertaining to make paper airplanes than to work on the project. I mean, think about it: they fly!

It's a problem; a serious problem. I can't put my finger on whether or not it's an issue of motivation, but i just can't commit myself to working on tasks as soon as I get them. It doesn't stop at work. Graduate school, housework, cleaning the car, doing the laundry, getting an oil change... I push it all to the last possible minute. And to what avail? None.

Older generations have lived suppressed lives of struggle and hard work. As a natural born citizen of the USofA, it never strikes me to struggle for anything. Frankly, I think I've had it fairly easy. I never had to stand in line to buy the only pair of shoes available in my town, only to settle for a pair 3 sizes smaller than I wear. Instead, I've spent every minute of my money-making years squandering every penny and taking for granted that the job will be there tomorrow, that I can play before I work, and that it's as easy as blinking to procrastinate doing anything and everything.

Last week, however, I drew the first line. I organized my desk - dozens of neat piles now make the fortress I call: My Cubicle. I'm exaggerating. I honestly tidied up and made the conscious decision to approach all new projects with immediacy. So far so good. As for the other areas of my life...

Last night I had a 20 page paper due. You would think I would have invested some time into getting it all done ahead of time, following the trend i set at work. No. I left it for the very last possible second. Not to mention, inevitably i had several other commitments scheduled for the day the paper was due. When it all came down, i made it into class 15 minutes before everyone wrapped, just in time to warm up a seat, turn in my paper, and call it a night.

My mission from this point on is to examine the stream of consciousness that occurs in every moment of decision-making where there lies the possibility to delay action. Translation: I'm going to figure out what's causing this issue with procrastination, and fight it. Every week, I hope to tackle a different area of my life with the saga against procrastination.

From this moment on I will be anti-procrastination!

On the path to productivity,

--Sullivan