Never Do Today What You Can Put Off 'Til Tomorrow

The last several days, I've put myself under the gun to finish up the edits/rewrites/add-ins for chapters 4 & 5 of Opus#5, the book I wrote last year and want to get in the mail to agents/editors(sometime before I pass on to the next world). Since I'm not gainfully employed at the moment, I figure no time like the present.

But I am the worst procrastinator on the planet--at least to my knowledge. I can get sidetracked by a bird flying past my window. I'll wonder what kind of bird it is and get up from my chair to go have a look. Then I'll go get the bird book. Nope, my bird looks nothing like any of those pictured. So I go online and look up birds. Inevitably, some tidbit of information, some stray fact will intrigue me and before I know it, half the day is gone.

I'm also guilty of abusing AIM. I can truly see why so many employers have banned it from workplace computers. It's addicting. I find people who are probably just like myself (who most likely should/could be doing something more constructive than yakking with me) and I have a grand time chit-chatting about anything and everything under the sun. The next thing I know, hubby is pulling into the driveway and not only am I still trying to figure out how to fix the same chapter from yesterday, but dinner isn't even out of the freezer yet.

The last few days, though, I've made a concerted effort at reform. I've been up early, eaten my breakfast and instead of reading which Hollywood celebrities are boffing/divorcing/cheating on each other, I've gone directly to "My Documents", pulled up my chapters and sat here and actually worked!

At the end of the workday (which pretty much ends when hubby crosses the threshold) I had accomplished what I'd set out to do. Chapter 4 is done. Chapter 5 is one page away from being done. Hallelujah and pass the Haggen Daz!! Last night, dinner was actually cooked by me, it was on time. I washed, dried, folded and hung some laundry. And even watched Law & Order SVU and a movie before I crashed for the night.

Now, you'd think that this sense of accomplishment and exhilaration would make me want to do this every day, wouldn't you? Hah! I have no doubts that I'll slide right back to my slothful ways and soon, I'll be flaggelating myself for wasting all that valuable time before it gets to the point of do or die.

Some of us do our best work under threat of torture.