Why do we procrastinate?

Posted by Jacques - November 24, 2008

At this very moment I am delaying a long list of tasks that I could be doing right now. At some point, people will tell me that I’m procrastinating. But at what point does postponing become procrastination? Is it a period of time? Is it the importance of the task at hand? Some people would say it’s a combination of both. Many dictionaries would define procrastination as needless or unnecessary delay or postponement. Still others who are somewhat more intelligent would add, that people who delay doing things because they are inconvenient, annoying, loathed or feared would be procrastinating. By that definition a delayed birth isn’t biology, it’s procrastination!

But who can judge whether something is needless or unnecessary? Who decided that the task is delayed simply because I chose not to have a huge buffer between the day I completed the task, and the final day that task was due?

What I’m trying to get you to understand is that procrastination is an arbitrary label placed on slackers by society. True, some people will avoid taking out the trash or doing their work because they are lazy. But those aren’t really the kind of slackers I’m talking about nor the type of people who read this blog. I purposefully and intentionally choose not to perform tasks for two reasons. First, I know that I will use more time if more is available to me to perform a task. Secondly, I’m not always in the mood to do certain things and when I force myself to flow against my karmic energy, I will get moody.

Yes, I said karmic energy, but there’s no other way to explain why sometimes I feel like working and sometimes I don’t. The moodier I get, the less efficient I work, and eventually I will not be able to work at all. So, stop telling me I’m procrastinating, and just understand that this is the way tasks flow through my pipeline. We are not straight pipes, we have twists and turns, feelings and emotions, so sometimes we will work hard and sometimes we won’t. Sometimes we’ll begin tasks as soon as they are available to do, and at other times we will simply wait until there is not much time left to do them in.

I just want everyone to know that this is okay and that in the end, our accomplishments do not balance out the harsh reality of life, they do not help us overcome ourselves, and we can’t take them with us where we are all eventually going.

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November 24, 2008 | In Rants and Miscellaneous |

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i saw this yesterday but waited until I came back to it today.
At 66 and on Soc Security and Medicare I can afford to rest.and don’t have that much to do as I haven’t worked for 4 years.I look but not much sounds interesting and I usually let those go.
I could be a Restuarant tester like to add weight trying new ones.I sometimes walk from a few blocks away!!!
My stock market timing is lousy and my buy and hold Bond Fund is down 40%.Maybe I’ll win the Lottery if I get over to the PonyKeg to play it.
Maybe I’ll get the time to write again,
Have a good Turkey Day,
ike

Comment by ike — November 25, 2008 #
I have written to Paulson for My own bailout pkg.It is Pat Paulson,the old Comedian,that ran for President///
ike

Comment by ike — November 26, 2008 #

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