Who me? Procrastinate?

Yesterday was my daughter's birthday.

On Wednesday, when she was 16 years and 365 days old (remember leap year? THURSDAY was her birthday), I found myself running around doing all the birthday errands that needed to get done. I was even making a birthday cake yesterday afternoon. I have known about this blessed event for nearly 17 years. It WOULD be silly to plan for her 17th birthday when she was a newborn, so let's just say I had a whole year's notice. Either way, a planner would NOT have been running around like a chicken with her head cut off the last two days getting ready. I guess that makes me....not. a. planner. Bummer. I try so hard! What is it about planning that makes it so difficult for some of us to pull off?

To be fair, I procrastinate a lot less than I used to. There are fewer things that get procrastinated. I have learned that I LIKE the feeling of accomplishment that comes from starting and FINISHING a task. Research seems to indicate that the hardest part of a task for a procrastinator is to just get started. If we understand that, then we can encourage ourselves to take a step. Get started. Do the easy part.

One useful tool for me has been making lists and schedules. I have a weekly schedule of when regular tasks get accomplished. I know I do finances on Monday, laundry on Tuesday, errands on Wednesday, etc. It worked so well, that I added in things I want to get done but never seem to get to - creative projects got added to the schedule for Mondays, family history projects got added to the list for Wednesdays. Like all of life, it needs regular tweaking and sometimes it falls apart, but I just keep working at it

Holidays and birthdays seem to be the next thing I need to tackle in my campaign against procrastination. Since a schedule works well for me, I should probably make room in my schedule for holiday/birthday planning. My Dad's birthday present was late last week. My brother's still hasn't been executed, and I am well on my way to missing Mother's Day. I think I will take care of that this weekend - here's to new beginnings! They can happen anytime! I don't need to wait until a new year, or a new month because that would be PROCRASTINATION!! Yep, I'll do it tomorrow. ;-)