Smile-breaks
Putting It Off
I've been super busy all of a sudden. All that stuff I put off is keeping me jumping. What a different lifestyle I've begun! No more procrastinating; no more "doing it tomorrow," no more "There's plenty of time." Today is the day. Right now is the moment. See it; do it.
You're probably wondering what's so important that I have to do it now. Nothing. Well, except for the taxes, but that's another story. I made a huge commitment for my Lenten sacrifice: no more sitting around reading, watching TV, cruising down the highway with Paul when there are things to be done. Nope! No more procrastinating—at least during Lent. Not sure I can keep this up for more than forty days.
Bank statements to review and file? Do it now. Call Ann and Pat to make that dinner date? Do it now. This one's been on the burner since last December. You get the idea. Change all my passwords? Whoa! Can we make an exception here? That'll take forever! Laundry? Now is the time—and don't forget to fill the gas tank, although that one's hard to put off very long.
Since I retired I have plenty of time on my hands—and a son to answer to when he needs help during his long, slow recovery from neck surgery. But he only needs help sporadically, so in between I sit and read, relax, take it easy—when I should be filing the last three months' bank statements and making those calls and working on the taxes and answering that nice letter I got from my cousin back east and making that service appointment for the lube and oil.
But... it's so easy to put it off. I have all the time in the world. What's the hurry? I can do it tomorrow. Maybe the day after... The comfy chair beckons me; the book I'm in the middle of lures me in; besides, Paul will probably need me in a few minutes. Why get started on something?
Excuses, excuses, excuses. Walking for exercise was something I had put off for years when my astute doctor listened patiently as I explained why. When I finished she looked me in the eye. "I have never heard anyone have so many good reasons for not walking."
Touche!
But I have to say my Lenten commitment is coming along pretty well. Only pretty well because every now and then—well, practically every day—I catch myself putting something off. I haven't unloaded the dishwasher and I haven't taken the trash out—ohmigosh, it's overflowing, can't put that off. And the filing'll have to wait until I have a whole hour for it.
But on the good side, I'm sure getting a lot done and my sitting-bones are getting a big break. My days are spent scurrying around doing everything that pops up and believe me, everything pops up. All at once—and if I take care of the overfull trash bin while I'm opening the mail that just arrived with a couple of bills to be paid that I have to take care of before I walk off and forget about them and now my phone's ding-a-ling-ing so I have to get that before I can update my website and go online to order tickets for the play our group conned me into getting because they know: If anyone will get something done, that would be Sheila. Might take a while though…
