FIRST THING TOMORROW

Seriously, I will!

Print out the pictures to decorate our bedroom.

Buy curtains.

Put some order in my documents folder.

Look for books on Amazon.

Write e-mails to friends.

Call the insurance company.

Upload new pictures onto my picasa.

Read Kafka's "Methamorphosis".

And you? What have you not done recently? 

Merriam-Webster defines the verb procrastinate in the following way:
transitive verb: to put off intentionally and habitually
intransitive verb: to put off intentionally the doing of something that should be done 

origin: Latin procrastinatus, past participle of procrastinare, from pro- forward + crastinus of tomorrow, from cras tomorrow
First Known Use: 1588

The first known use implies that people have been procrastinating consciously ever since 1588. Which, in a way, makes me feel a little less guilty but does not remedy the situation. And, as I publicly face the problem today, I must admit to you and myself that procrastination has recently become an issue in my life. Let's analyse the process.

1. A situation presents itself. Case in point: I must call the insurance company to find out how to claim insurance.

2. It is not a disagreeable situation. It does, however, require some action. The action does not have to be immediate.

3. I know that after doing what I must do (e.g. get the information on how to claim reimbursement for medical costs), I will feel happy and fullfilled.

4. Every night I decide for the very last time that I will do whatever I need to do the next day. The next day I look for ridiculous excuses not to do it (e.g. "I don't like speaking French on the phone") and I convince myself that they are a valid and crucial impediment to completing the previously set task.

5. Points 3 & 4 repeat until - completely disgusted with my pathetic self - I finally make the damn call just to realise that my phone manner in French is impeccable and that the dreaded conversation takes around 90 seconds.

I only do it with little things. I only do it with things that have no deadline. And recently I do it more and more. It's not writer's block that stopped me from blogging for three months. It's not a big amount of work either. Oh no - I have finally found a culprit of all the evil in my life and its name is Procrastination. 

The cure, I think, are deadlines, and so I vow to set them for every little thing. For the curtains. For the photos. For the books. For the e-mails. And for Kafka. These deadlines I will observe. Procrastination will be defeated. 

Yes, deadlines will do just fine... And I will come up with a deadline for every item on the list. First thing tomorrow. Promise.

Image comes from here.