Today not Tomorrow

- Pope John Paul II

I am the kind of person who has the unfortunate habit of living for tomorrow instead of today.  Occasionally, I enjoy rare bursts of inspiration when tomorrow and today merge, and instead of continuing to put off today’s work until tomorrow, I live for today and take care of my business.  I have to admit, I would much rather live a life full of today’s than tomorrows.

The even more unfortunate truth is that I am certain I am not alone.  Neither am I in a small minority, or even a large substrate of the population.  The people who live for tomorrow instead of today permeate our existence, leaving those who choose today to enjoy the many fruits of this world.  Those of us who sometimes overcome our silent pledge to procrastination occasionally taste the joy the world offers when we power through the resilient bonds we have placed around ourselves.  

- Latin for "seize the day"

We begin to develop the terrible habit when we are young, fostering our addiction like a newfound pet.  I will put my toys away later.  I will brush my teeth in the morning.  I will do my chores after this TV show is finished.  Eventually, minor delays become major obstacles to moving forward in our lives.  School work succumbs to the inevitable; we choose to sacrifice the quality of our work for some simple pleasure that ultimately, if examined further, will turn out to be trivial at best.

- Robert Kiyosaki

Our youth fails to fend off the infection and by the time we are adults our fault has real consequences.  How many have put off paying bills until you get the late notice accompanied by a significant late fee?  How many of us have put off an auto repair until the car dies?  What is a credit card but a way of paying for something later that we want now.

How many people do you know, including yourself, who put off discussing something important with a loved one until too late.  The results can vary from broken relationships or unwanted pregnancies to death.  Most of the time biting the bullet and getting it over with is the better decision.

Ironically, I began this blog last Sunday but ran out of time before lunch.  Did I return to in and finish that afternoon?  No.  Did I have time and choose to do something else of lesser consequence?  Yes.  Have I had time since then?  Yep.

Now, I am not suggesting we avoid taking times to do what we want instead of what we should.  Making decisions about our life is part of free will.  I am asking you to reflect upon your decisions and actions and decide how they are made.  Do you actually live by free will, or are your decisions determined by a series of earlier actions that lead to an addiction to procrastination.  I can understand any reluctance you might feel.  

Turning the magnifying lens on ourselves is often quite hard because we have to admit our faults.  But, I think it is an important step towards leading a happier existence.  So, take some time today and look back at yourself.  Or, maybe you can do that tomorrow?

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

I have had a pain in my shoulder since the beginning of July.  Frankly, I think it was an injury sustained during a long and intense weekend full of sports.  What sport, you ask?  No, it wasn't the recitation of MacBeth soliloquies (referencing the title of today's blog).  It was Cornhole.

Not me.  I have better form.

For those of you who don’t understand the intricacies of the game Cornhole, let me provide illumination.  Imagine horseshoes but with bags full of corn.  Instead of a post, you are aiming at an angled table with a hole in the middle.  It is a little bit like a midwest version of curling.

Tossing the corn-filled bags for hours on end, day after day, I think I aggravated an onld injury I sustained in 2003 performing Bari Sax with the show Cyberjam.  Some advice based on experience - avoid dancing around on stage while playing bari and not wearing a neck strap; it certainly does no favors for your rotator cuff.

Anyway, my injury isn’t the point of today’s blog.  Procrastination is the point.  Honestly, I have been meaning to write this blog for awhile, but I just hadn’t gotten around to it yet.  The deal with my arm is just a way to illustrate the point.  When it first started hurting back in July, I figured it would go away, but it never has.  I keep telling myself I should go visit a doctor and get it figured out, but I keep putting it off.

Procrastination is a skill developed during early life.  I remember waiting until the last minute to take care of homework and projects as early as Middle School, although I am sure I was guilty much earlier.  Teenagers cherish the opportunity to procrastinate.  I experienced endless frustration with my high school students around progress report and report card time.  After combing through a plethora of grades, I would interrogate my kids - 

“Why is this a zero?”

“When was your project due?”

“Are you planning on turning this in!?!?!”

I am sure my teacher friends can all empathize.  For me, the most frustrating and stress-inducing times as as teacher were when I had to pursue and confront students about their efforts in classes other than mine.

College doesn’t change a thing.  In fact, I am convinced the freedom procrastinating students find off at University further cements their procrastinating habits.  My poorest grades at UH were the result of waiting to for the last minute, not due to a lack of comprehension.

As an adult, procrastination manifests through work assignments and projects, home activities (my yard needed to be mowed a week ago), bill payments (I know I have received a few late charges on bills in the past), and any number of other things adultish activities.

Just like the pain in my shoulder is a symptom of a larger physical issue - a possible tear or strain in the muscle or ligament - procrastination in our daily lives is more a symptom of a larger internal issue - fear.

Fear of failure.  Fear of acceptance.  Fear of change.  Fear of the unknown.  Fear of "fill in the blank."  Any number of fear-emotions can drive us to wait and wait and wait until we absolutely have to take care of our business or suffer the consequences.  Unfortunately, when we reach the point where lateness is a possibility, we have to suddenly make sacrifices.  We sacrifice quality, we incur late-charges, we lose points on our grade, etc.  By choosing to wait, we actually choose the consequences of our lateness.

Procrastination is hole we fall into; we have to dig ourselves out.  Would it be a surprise to you that we procrastinate finding the solution to the problem of procrastination?  I know I procrastinate, but I don’t do anything about it.  I have thought about solutions, but I don’t enact them.  I continue with my same daily rituals because change is hard.  The results would be unfamiliar.  At least I know the results of procrastinating.

Right now, the result of my procrastination is that it hurts to reach across my chest to scratch my shoulder, it is uncomfortable to lay on my right shoulder when sleeping, and it is difficult to lift with my right arm.  When will I do something about it?  Maybe later.