Procrastination

OK. I think Jenny has laid down the gauntlet--she has started a new activity on her blog called "Top Tip Tuesday"--she obviously thinks I can't/won't do this, so I guess I'll just have to prove I'm more blog savvy than she thinks! (And that will totally depend on her ability to give directions!)

So, my top tip for this Tuesday is one of the most important lessons I have learned in a long time--and I've been around for a loooooooong time! There are certain things that I intensely dislike doing (like weeding my flower beds--hate that job). Procrastination pops right up there when my to do list is topped with "weeds." I can find all kinds of very important things to do when that is my job of the day--like writing a letter to my mother-in-law, cleaning my closet, defrosting the freezer--you get the picture!

And then when I finally get out there on my knees in the dirt all I can think about is coming up with some reason to quit--go in the house and get a drink, get something to eat (I get ravenously hungry when I'm in the middle of an activity I hate doing), stop and go write a note to myself about something that is vitally important to remember to do--you get the picture!

Now, how silly and childish is that? Some time ago I read an article in my daily devotional about such situations and the method the writer came up with to get through things she didn't want to do was actually very simple: "Do the next thing." "Keep moving." "Do the next thing." "Just get it done." A mantra. It may not sound like much, but it has worked tremendously well for me. So, now I don't procrastinate nearly so much!

(P.S. Yesterday I hired someone to come and do the weeding in the rest of my flower beds! That also works!!!)