The Woes and Joys of Procrastination
We tell our children all the time not to do it and yet every one of is guilty of having done it ourselves: we procrastinate.
I don’t know about you, but I’m a list person when it comes to chores. I make myself a to-do list and happily check things off in their little box (yes, I draw a box to check off) as I finish the task. Last night I made my to-do list for today. Guess how many checks I’ve made? If you guessed zero, you guessed right. Well, I take that back; I did do my scripture study this morning. I’ve got one check to make. I just haven’t made it yet. :)
I’m not sure what it is that makes a day just totally unproductive. I’d love to blame my son and say it’s his fault, but aside from a slightly fussy afternoon, he’s been very helpful as far as giving me time. He’s played in his room, watched movies and taken not one but two naps today. I should have been able to get my entire list checked off and maybe even some extra things; like baking cookies just because I can. Instead, and I will admit it, I blew up bubbles on Facebook, played with my son and then played a ridiculous number of games on Mahjong. I didn’t even get my writing done for the day. It’s sad, I know. Having gotten such a good swing going these last few days, it feels awful not having anything to show for this Monday.
Granted, I had fun building a cardboard box castle with Gary in his room. And watching him destroy the castle was almost as fun as building it. I even had fun having pretend phone conversations on the dead cell phone we gave to him after we took out the old battery. He and I played some wonderful games of make-believe and I always enjoy time playing with my son. It reminds me of playing with my siblings when we were younger, but it’s different. This time I’m watching it through a parent’s eyes. I never thought that becoming a parent would change the significance of playtime, but it does, doesn’t it? When you’re the child, playtime is a time of never-ending fun that only stops when Mom has finally had enough of the noise, the mess, or simply wants you to stop so you can eat supper or go to bed. But as the parent, suddenly playtime takes on a whole new meaning. It’s precious time that goes by far too quickly. It’s time that you get to spend building your children’s imaginations, teaching them the little lessons in life that are so important and getting to know them on a more personal level. Suddenly an hour of playtime goes from being an eternity to being a mere second. The time passes and you wish that you could move the clock hands back and start it again. After all, your children will never be in that precise moment again. But even so, you know that the chores do have to get done and you’re not the child anymore. You can’t always afford to give away an entire day to playing with your children, as much as you might want to.
Now I’m minutes away from hubby getting home from work. At that point he’ll need time on the computer. I can’t in good conscience ask him to give up his time because I wasted mine. Even though I know that if I bat my eyes prettily and smile winningly, I’d probably get the time I need to at least make the word goal for the day. I might even get some extra time if I promise cookies for tomorrow and to give him extra time. But that wouldn’t be fair. He hasn’t wasted his day away; he simply wasn’t here to work on things. I, on the other hand, have done everything but the things I most needed to. Ah, if only that clock did have a rewind button. Then I could spend my whole day playing with Gary and doing little nothings and still have the time to write, to clean and to cook. But alas, life doesn’t come with a rewind button. Life just keeps moving forward. And I suppose that’s the way it’s meant to be.
I don’t know about you, but I’m a list person when it comes to chores. I make myself a to-do list and happily check things off in their little box (yes, I draw a box to check off) as I finish the task. Last night I made my to-do list for today. Guess how many checks I’ve made? If you guessed zero, you guessed right. Well, I take that back; I did do my scripture study this morning. I’ve got one check to make. I just haven’t made it yet. :)
I’m not sure what it is that makes a day just totally unproductive. I’d love to blame my son and say it’s his fault, but aside from a slightly fussy afternoon, he’s been very helpful as far as giving me time. He’s played in his room, watched movies and taken not one but two naps today. I should have been able to get my entire list checked off and maybe even some extra things; like baking cookies just because I can. Instead, and I will admit it, I blew up bubbles on Facebook, played with my son and then played a ridiculous number of games on Mahjong. I didn’t even get my writing done for the day. It’s sad, I know. Having gotten such a good swing going these last few days, it feels awful not having anything to show for this Monday.
Granted, I had fun building a cardboard box castle with Gary in his room. And watching him destroy the castle was almost as fun as building it. I even had fun having pretend phone conversations on the dead cell phone we gave to him after we took out the old battery. He and I played some wonderful games of make-believe and I always enjoy time playing with my son. It reminds me of playing with my siblings when we were younger, but it’s different. This time I’m watching it through a parent’s eyes. I never thought that becoming a parent would change the significance of playtime, but it does, doesn’t it? When you’re the child, playtime is a time of never-ending fun that only stops when Mom has finally had enough of the noise, the mess, or simply wants you to stop so you can eat supper or go to bed. But as the parent, suddenly playtime takes on a whole new meaning. It’s precious time that goes by far too quickly. It’s time that you get to spend building your children’s imaginations, teaching them the little lessons in life that are so important and getting to know them on a more personal level. Suddenly an hour of playtime goes from being an eternity to being a mere second. The time passes and you wish that you could move the clock hands back and start it again. After all, your children will never be in that precise moment again. But even so, you know that the chores do have to get done and you’re not the child anymore. You can’t always afford to give away an entire day to playing with your children, as much as you might want to.
Now I’m minutes away from hubby getting home from work. At that point he’ll need time on the computer. I can’t in good conscience ask him to give up his time because I wasted mine. Even though I know that if I bat my eyes prettily and smile winningly, I’d probably get the time I need to at least make the word goal for the day. I might even get some extra time if I promise cookies for tomorrow and to give him extra time. But that wouldn’t be fair. He hasn’t wasted his day away; he simply wasn’t here to work on things. I, on the other hand, have done everything but the things I most needed to. Ah, if only that clock did have a rewind button. Then I could spend my whole day playing with Gary and doing little nothings and still have the time to write, to clean and to cook. But alas, life doesn’t come with a rewind button. Life just keeps moving forward. And I suppose that’s the way it’s meant to be.
No comments have been added yet.
