The art of procrastination...

Posted: May 2, 08 11:07am

Long been considered a foible, I'm here shed a different light on procrastination.

Most of my adult life has been about being constantly on the go. Stuff, stuff, stuff to do everywhere. Even the early years of my semi-retirement were filled to the brim with people to do, stuff to see [and vice versa ;-)].

Our society seems to cultivate this mentality at work and in play. No more is it more evident that in our young people today...they are shuttled to school, to sports, to one activity after another. They are not learning to entertain themselves, to cultivate their imagination. I mean, for gawd sake's, put away the frickin' video game.

After having a seizure earlier this year, I decided to take a semester off from school. My intent was to fill my days with projects. My days were planned, filled, and set for take off.

Oddly something happened. Projects stalled. I was pretty unnerved at first about not "doing." Why was I not doing? There was stuff that required doing. What was going on? One day, after stomping around outside, I sat down in a huff of anxiety. It was a perfect late winter day. Clear skies, not too chilly, just beautiful. Then, like the proverbial thunder clap, I got it. Life to that point was too filled. The only way I ever lived it. And now, my just-below-the-surface consciousness was letting me know I needed to not do, just be.

Don't get me wrong. I'm still driven by the calendar and a to-do list. But now I understand, for me, that procrastination has it's rightful place in my life. It is my inner voice telling me to take five, to chill out, to reflect whether those items on the list are really necessary.

So, fellow TBDers, seat back, stare at the lint in your belly button, and enjoy not doing for a moment. Have a wonderful moment.