Gimme a P...rocrastination

It's my own fault. I've managed to put off doing an eight-page newsletter, an article for the local paper, and an e-mail composite of news items all week. So here it is Saturday night and I've been working for the last four hours, put in a couple more this afternoon, and will stare down the computer screen all day tomorrow.

I'll get it all done. I always do, even if I'm just under the wire. And none of these are a matter of life and death or critical to a good performance review, so if they're delayed by a day or so, it really won't matter much.

Nevertheless.

I have always worked to deadlines -- in grade school, in high school and college, in every single job I've ever had. If I don't have 'em, I set 'em for myself.

And I've always been a procrastinator. I skate verrryyy close to the edge most of the time, which used to drive my professors and advisor nuts. I suspect a few of my bosses worried too, but they also learned that I'd do what I said I'd do and make the deadlines.

I don't even know why I procrastinate. It's generally not because I don't like a project and therefore delay doing it. Part of it is that I process a task in my head -- such as writing a story or doing a layout. When I finally get going on the task, it almost always goes together quickly, but I like to think it's because I know how it will flow because I've thought it through. But I'll admit that procrastinating like that does not leave room for mishaps like computers not working or electricity going out.

So I did some playing last week, and a bunch of putzing, a few constructive activities, and not much on this stuff I'm facing now. And I've got a big itch to really spruce up the house, clean it really well, hang pictures, make curtains, weed out closets, invite folks to dinner -- and I won't let myself do that until I meet these other deadlines. *sigh*

I'll get there. The writing and the layouts will get done. I'll make a new list of things I must do next week and then find satisfaction in checking them off so I can get to the things I really want to do.

Unless something more interesting comes along.

I'm reading Anne Rivers Siddons Sweetwater Creek.