Monday, December 6, 2010

JUSQU'à DEMAIN

Last time I looked, this had been viewed (many) more than 11 million times. That's kind of great. Brings tears to my eyes every time.

Continuing on from last night, I do find it remarkable that it is so difficult to do things, even when you know it is good for you, or that you will find some measure of relief or satisfaction. My goals today were to clean off my desk (in progress), roast vegetables (roasted but not put away or used), and clean the humidifier (haven't touched it). But it is not 5 o'clock yet and I am doing my writing so maybe something is going okay.

One of my mental perusals has been on procrastination. So, while I was looking up things about procrastination I found this video by my old colleague, Lev Yilmaz. Check it out, too

This is the etymology of procrastination
The modern term comes from the Latin word procrastinatus, which is the past participle of procrastinare derived from pro- (forward) and crastinus (of tomorrow)[3]. It is first attested in 1548 by the Oxford English Dictionary.


Wow. Of tomorrow. Literally.


I do struggle with this. I am perfectly content to just while away the hours, conferring with the flowers or  no. But do any of you get anxious and depressed at your procrastination? It is nearly a "fear" feeling. And I still don't jump in and get moving. Some of it, I guess, is a fear of being overwhelmed. Anxious and suffocated.


One recommendation is to "stay in the moment" and not worry about the outcome. That has a familiar ring, no?


5:42 - a telephone conversation, a snack (I needed it — feeling better now), and some roasted vegetables dealt with. And an early post.


What was that I said yesterday? Breathe in. Breathe out.

2 comments:

  1. Yea procrastination can bring about uncomfortable emotions - for me I think they occur out of guilt, that I should be doing more, and sooner. Perhaps thankfully, if not oddly, it is a feeling of self-guilt: for failing responsibilities to myself. Just chip away at things. It seems you have reasonable goals being set, but you're yearning for more (hence the writing, and various searchings on the internet).. so to have to stick to a list of menial tasks (although they are goals) is challenging. But, with the appropriate self-rewards and good feelings that should come from completing those tasks, it gets better.

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  2. I do'nt find myself real depressed or fearful over my pathological procrastination. Not consciously, anyway. I do find sometimes that procrastinating is the only "energy" I can tap to motivate myself to do something. In fact, I find a greater sense of accomplishment when getting the job done. ex. I have an essay to write..I procrastinate until the night before it is due, pull an all nighter and get done. Having friends over and I need to have the house clean by 6 pm Friday. I don't start until 4 pm Friday. I almost always manage to pull it off. I seem paralyzed until that final hour and then boom in motion.

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