Meet My Friend: Procrastination

Is that you, Procrastination?
Angela Lansbury in Murder She Wrote

Most days for me revolve around my computer and involve working through reports, finding information on databases and interpreting guidelines on top of my normal management duties. Exciting stuff I hear you say. Well, believe it or not, there’s not a great deal of creativity involved in any of these pursuits. Rather than throwing a kicking, screaming tantrum and pulling my hair out about this, which frankly would only cause my colleagues to think “we need to do something about this bald girl”, I have decided that I need to foster my creativity outside of work.

For the last three or four years I have been playing around with writing. My current focus, and I use that term loosely, is writing for children. Sometimes there is nothing better than sitting down to my laptop or notebook and playing puppeteer with my characters. Inventing places, people and things is thrilling. Being able to conjure up an idea in my head and put it into a story gives me an extraordinary sense of achievement. So what’s stopping me?

Well, let me introduce you to my good old friend, Procrastination. He’s the type of friend who will knock on your door at just the wrong time and say, “What are you doing that for? Come sit on the couch with me and watch Murder She Wrote.” He isn’t the type to stand behind you and support you, but he’ll always make you a cup of tea. Even ten if you want. He’s not a planner, more a spur-of-the-moment fellow. He’s not into fitness, or hobbies, or eating well. He prefers television, surfing the internet, and any mindless activity as long as it’s not too hard. Braiding a stray strand of hair for example. Or daydreaming. Peeling dried glue off his hands…

Procrastination stops me, and probably a lot of people, from doing things that I know make me happy. Instead of jumping in there and doing it, Procrastination tells me “it’s too windy to go for a run” or “you know, you’ll have to change your shoes if you want to go into the garden,” or “I think you need more stationery before you start that.”

So if this is a quest for happiness, it is time to put this happy sapper in a box. From now on I will endeavour to stop Procrastination in his tracks and keep doing the things that I know make me happy. He means well, I’m sure, but sometimes, with him, you just need to pretend you’re not home.

The quest begins!

It seems to be the hot topic of the moment: blogging. I would love to meet the person who came up with the term used by professionals, foodies, mums and CEOs alike and, quite frankly, makes me think of great muddy holes or things that live up my nose. Perhaps that was the point…

Whoever they were, I have to admire their ability to have people from all walks of life repeating this ridiculous word. Imagine if they had called them snozgrubbles. Can you imagine a table full of executives debating the content of the next snozgrubble? I like to think the creators

fun (Photo credit: hodgers)

of blogging had a bit of a laugh when coming up with the term.

I’ve always believed in not taking yourself too seriously. In fact, it is something I have always struggled to do which doesn’t always compute working in a business environment. I’ve never exactly been a class clown, but for me being serious has it’s limits and I’m all for lightening the mood at any possible opportunity. Give me puns over presentations any time.

Unfortunately, despite my best efforts, life has a tendency to draw me into the droll and dreary beast that is the rat race but it is time to rebel! Instead of bills I want thrills and instead of responsibilities I want more possibilities!

So here goes. I am on a quest to make my otherwise mundane life just a little more exciting. To find ways of squeezing some fun into the familiar. I am on a quest. Come join me!