I’ve been mostly home this Christmas, doing stuff, listening to the radio. One day (I don’t remember if it was Christmas Day), this morning show that I love had invited a psychologist to come talk about procrastination. I didn’t really know what the word meant before, but just thought something like being lazy. However, as the psychologist explained, there is much more in the word than just general laziness. Procrastination, according to her, is the practice of putting off things, both big and small, and thinking ‘I’ll do them later’. This tends to lead to things piling up, some things not being done at all and a general feeling of stress and anxiety in the procrastinator. This can be harmful financially, but also emotionally, because putting off things, being late and not keeping one’s word tends to harm relationships the procrastinator might have with other people. To end procrastination, however, is not easy and can sometimes even require professional help.
I was wrapping toffees, I think, and it hit me: this is what I do. I procrastinate. Not out of laziness necessarily, but because I take on too much. I don’t have the time, or when I do, I’m too exhausted to think clearly – and still I rarely can manage to go to bed on time for getting those nine hours of sleep that I need to be happy the next day. It’s really idiotic behavior, I know, but I don’t know how to remedy it. Mostly, I get done on time with things I have to do, and I usually turn up on social engagements that I’ve promised to attend – sometimes quite late, but still. Things are not really working, though, because I’m stressed almost all the time and usually too tired to enjoy whatever I do. Most of the time, I just want to lie on my bed and watch stupid American TV shows. Not a very constructive way of living.
The psychologist on the radio said making lists can work, and scheduling, for instance, two hours a week for doing things that you’ve been putting off, like paying bills and booking an appointment at the dentist’s. Maybe that should be my new Year’s resolution: to start making lists. It’s not like I haven’t done them before, but, it can’t hurt to make some more. I need to say yes to less things. Go to sleep on time, and stop watching those stupid TV shows. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? At least like this, in writing.
I’ve been spending most of my time this Christmas trying to tick things off that list of mine. Cleaning, trying out that recipe, deleting photographs, finding room for all the new china I’ve suddenly become the owner of, that kind of thing. Which has led me to procrastinate even more, with the blog. I now have a list of 13 post titles that I am to formulate in writing and upload. Saying no to things like a new chairmanship is all well and doable, but how about ideas? Can I tell them to stop forming in my head too?
Well, as of now, I’d better get started with the writing…
Katja Malmborg 