Trina Machacek: Today vs. Tomorrow

Not only am I a crastinator, I am a Pro-crastinator. I guess the first step to turning over a new leaf and becoming a reformed procrastinator is admitting there is, hiding in the shadows of my being, a big ole procrastinator. Happily laid back and vegetating on my virtual couch. It’s with head hanging low and shoulders slumped slightly forward I now admit publicly a procrastinator has taken up residency within me. Now on to banish the beast. But first. Yes a time using “but” first. See even here I procrastinate. Good at it aren’t I?

There’s definitely a bit of the ability to procrastinate within everyone. The gene to “put it off until tomorrow” is one of the little blue or red spots on the DNA charts we all have. I believe that wholeheartedly. Right there next to the blue or brown or green eye smudge on our life graph. Our gene to procrastinate would be more prevalent in the spotlight if it weren’t waiting until a better time to show up. Ha-ha.

Mine showed up just as I was, no wait let me get coffee before I go on… Dang me. I did it again. It’s too easy to procrastinate. Too easy to put off the wash, take a walk for your health, clean the garage or closet or bathroom or, or, or. So a movement should be started to quit this procrastination cold turkey. Before the cold turkey try though I want to know why I procrastinate. I mean it’s not like things don’t get done. Eventually.

I wonder sometimes if it’s just me who makes a list of things to do and does only the easiest of them. Yesterday for instance. I made the list in my head in the middle of the night so it wasn’t written down. I find if I don’t write it down it doesn’t count toward the list of lists that were listed to be done and didn’t get done. Sounds fair to me. Anyway the phantom list contained things like WD40ing the back door because it squeaks and the top lock sticks. Also to pull up a tree that won’t grow for me so I was going to pull it up and toss it in the dumpster. Then on to bigger things. You know, paint the house, and stain the deck, put in new carpet, build a new bathroom. My list is a thing of beauty and most of the list is absolutely unobtainable. I add unobtainable things to my list so when I do some of them I can feel like I really accomplished something.

So I did pull the tree up (it was a short tree) and gave it to someone who I know will give it the attention it has deserved for so many years that I have not given to it. After the tree incident I lollygagged a bit then I oiled the back door. That one I wish I hadn’t done, I miss the reek-ity reek of its middle hinge. That brings me to this little tidbit to put under your hat for your next list making/doing adventure. Make sure you really want to accomplish the things on your list. Don’t just haphazardly list things because they haven’t been done. Some things should not be done. Like that hinge. I can hardly wait for the squeak to return. I figure I’ll put on my list to not oil the hinge again. That way I’ll have a reason to not do an item on my list today or tomorrow. Quite a merry-go-round this listing.

It’s all right to put things on paper that are tomorrow things vs. today things. Tomorrow things are things that dreams are made of. Like mopping the floor. I don’t want to mop until my shoes stick to the floor and come off as I walk. Not really. Well maybe just a little. HAHA My tomorrow list grows with tomorrow things that aren’t today ready things. Today ready things are just the tip of the iceberg things. Things you can see need to be done but you know, you just know once you start a today list item there’s more than a good chance what lies beneath the surface will turn an easy today thing into a tomorrow project that will probably not get completely done until next week.

So here’s my solution to today vs. tomorrow. You might want to go get a piece of paper and a pencil to write this down. I’ll be here waiting — working on my list…

Trina lives in Eureka, Nevada. Follow her on Facebook, share with her at itybytrina@yahoo.com Really!