Procrastination is a virtue

“Remember, procrastination is a virtue; it is really just a higher form of patience.” – Sarah Mann

Tip #17 - 6 Days until Christmas.  Today I woke up remembering some of the things that I still have to complete before the end of the week.  I double checked my work email and realized one of the things I thought was at the end of the week is really tonight.  I've officially procrastinated on something (well, I'm sure more than one thing) for this year's holiday celebrations.  That's okay, I sometimes come up with the most creative things at the last minute.  I can't wait to see what I come up with for a White Elephant gift for my work party tonight!

Procrastination...I like the phrase that a dear friend shared with me many years ago.  It is more like "selective neglect".  Using that term versus procrastination helps you have a little control in the situation.  You are choosing not to do something that has less importance in the overall scheme of things.  Here's an example.  Say you are are rushed preparing a meal, and you still need to set the table.  You have always used your fine china for the event.  When you go to put it out you realize there is way more work involved, like polishing and washing it before setting it out.  On top of that, moving it would reveal all that clever dust that found its way magically into your china cabinet.  That's not something to share with guests!  So you decide to use paper plates and festive napkins instead.  You've just selectively neglected a tradition and you're still able to enjoy the meal with less work.  The only person who really knows the difference is you because you put the original "task" together.  

My mom was the Master Procrastinator at Christmas time.  I'm positive that I have a little bit of her, or more than I'd like to admit some days, in me.  When my brother and I were little, we knew that we had to wait until Christmas morning to know if we had any Christmas presents at all.  There was no snooping by opening up gifts and re-wrapping them because they were never there early.  We joked about it many years later with her, but never found out exactly why she waited so long.  Maybe it was because mom didn't get paid until the day before, or she didn't have time to shop, or she wanted the best deals...or she simply procrastinated until the very last minute.  I still remember hearing her come home at 11:00 pm on Dec. 24 and start wrapping.  Fondly thinking back...while we didn't have much, we always knew that there would be some surprise Christmas morning, and we always felt loved.  We definitely learned patience through it all!  A nice little gift from procrastination.

If you're at the point of procrastinating something that now can't be put off, try giving yourself the permission to "selectively neglect" something else on your to-do list.  A lesson in patience and love is all you really need.

A sneak peak at my "white elephant"
gift I started...I'm so glad my
mom saved this bag.  Maybe
the recipient can "e-bay" it and
buy themselves something really nice!