I am in a bit of pain. I'm recovering from a minor surgery - nothing major or dangerous at all, just something that needed to be done that I'd been putting off. Finally, John ORDERED me to get it done. After a year or more of constantly thinking about this particularly unpleasant chore, it's finished! And yes, I feel better. Or I will after I'm not so sore and the stitches come out!
I got to thinking about how much energy it takes to procrastinate necessary tasks. These items -- what I've heard personal coaches call "energy drains" -- take more effort to NOT undertake, than it would take to just sit down and do the darned thing already! In the case of my surgery, I've already noticed how many times it's entered my brain over the past two days that I need to do XYZ. Then I remember, "Oh, I did that! It's done already!" And I smile.
Just think of all that energy I've wasted over the past year -- a few moments here and a few moments there that add up to quite a bit of time and mental effort -- time and energy I could have used on creating, sleeping, enjoying my life instead of worrying about this THING.
Your assignment: What's something in your life you're putting off? Cleaning your scrap space, going to the dentist, replacing the grout in your bathroom, having a Talk (with a capital "T") with someone...? What would happen if you just did it? Do it already! Can't do the whole thing? Then take one small action towards its completion. Then report back here. Everyone who leaves a comment by 6/4 with a completed task will be entered in a drawing to win some Reminisce products. If that isn't incentive, I don't know what is!
Links:
Classic book on life coaching by one of the best in the business, Cheryl Richardson:
Words from the Wise:
How soon "now" becomes "never."
-Martin Luther
Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.
-Anonymous
I have been putting off cleaning my kids bathroom. Well, now it's done! Thanks for the inspiration!
Posted by: Jenn | June 02, 2009 at 12:18 PM
LOVE the quotes! LOVE the video! Thanks for the inspiration...gotta get busy!
Posted by: Angie F | June 02, 2009 at 12:28 PM
Hi Lain! This was the perfect post today. I've been putting off calling my handy man to fix my guest bathroom vanity. Well, the call has been made and he's coming on Friday to give me the estimate. Check one thing off the list that's been sitting there for over 3 months......
Posted by: Kari | June 02, 2009 at 12:54 PM
I'd been putting off really scrubbing my master bathroom. My MIL's dog had been in there to keep her safe from the mean kitties so it needed a scrub. Done now! Thanks, Lain!
Posted by: Dana | June 02, 2009 at 01:06 PM
I have been putting off cleaning my scrap space. Let's see if I can get it done in the next two days!
Posted by: JenMc | June 02, 2009 at 01:46 PM
Sorry you had to have even minor surgery, Lain. I hope you recover quickly.
I took the small step of calling a lumber company for my husband today. I don't enjoy doing the "cold" calling, but it went great, and now I have info that will make my sweetie happy and move us forward on a garage organization project that's part of our year's theme of getting organized! Yay, me!
Mel
Posted by: Melissa LaFavers | June 02, 2009 at 03:29 PM
OK, I did it. I called the insurance lady back. I was rear ended when I was 14 weeks pregnant and now that my daughter is born and okay I'm ready to settle. I hate the negotiations and they aren't over but I called her today.
Thanks for the push!
Posted by: Erica Hettwer | June 02, 2009 at 03:32 PM
I've been putting off calling the doc to make an appointment to discuss my daughter's anxiety. So I did it today. :)
Posted by: Elaine P | June 02, 2009 at 04:09 PM
oh my goodness, Lain, can you post this prompt/video every other day for awhile! love it!
your dentist comment reminded me to make an appt for my FOUR boys... done.
Then I remembered to email a friend about a question she asked me yesterday.
emailed the camp lady about registering my boys for summer camp.
and made arrangements for a meeting next week!
so much got done in about an hour's time (I had a few phone calls here and there to take care of)! yeah for progress!
Posted by: Christina | June 02, 2009 at 04:35 PM
Been hiding in my closet spying on me haven't you?
Will report back with a task-I hope!
Posted by: Beth W | June 02, 2009 at 07:59 PM
I've been procrastinating cleaning through my children's toys and taking out what they don't play with anymore. DId it this evening. Looks like a garage sale might be down the road ;-) Thanks Lain!
Posted by: Jennibug | June 02, 2009 at 11:56 PM
I'm glad you're ok and hope you get back to prior self w/o too much aches/pain! I need to clean the scrap room..how'd you guess?
Posted by: Elaine | June 03, 2009 at 01:59 AM
Glad you got the surgery done, but sorry to hear you're hurting. I hope you have as speedy a recovery as possible.
Posted by: Angela | June 03, 2009 at 02:07 AM
Let's see, I've been putting off taking a specimen to the doctor before I get a colonoscopy. It's going to have to be done Friday or else! Not exciting or romantic, but needs to be done! : )
Posted by: Margie | June 03, 2009 at 05:16 AM
Sorry about you having to have surgery. Hope you are on the mend now.
Great post, though! Great minds must think alike, I've been pushing myself out of procrastination mode for the last week.
Since Chip's accident, I've had almost everything on "hold" while we deal with recovery. "On Hold" may have been valid for the first month, but while he's still in recovery mode, it's just become another excuse.
So I am happy to report that I am now back to getting things done! I've started scrapping again, I'm making cards and working on my Gratitude Journal, and I picked up where I left off on getting my Stampin' Up! business off the ground!
As a direct result of your challenge, I took my car to the garage this morning to get an estimate for an insurance claim. (Someone hit my car - RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE - and busted my mirror three weeks ago. So. Claim is in hand, faxed to the insurance company, and filed in my "waiting for" folder. WOO HOO!
btw - Excellent video! That whole story is the basic premise for Sidetracked Home Executives (SHEs) - there's a whole series of books, and many websites. And, yes, I'm a diehard SHE.
Posted by: LisaW | June 03, 2009 at 11:42 AM
I had a loooong date with the spin cycle last night. I actually ran out of room to hang all of the clothes that can't go in the dryer. Thanks for providing the motivation!!!
Posted by: Marty | June 03, 2009 at 12:36 PM
I have been meaning to clean out my drawers at work. Just got that done before I came home. It felt soooo good to get rid of unwanted/unneeded stuff.
Posted by: Donna | June 03, 2009 at 06:30 PM
Foot doctor...to see what is wrong with my foot...excruciating pain in my heel. Bursitis? Plantars faciitis? Well, I'm going tomorrow to find out after A YEAR AND A HALF!!! (thx Lain, I feel better already...ok, I feel better ABOUT it already)
Posted by: Bren | June 03, 2009 at 10:13 PM
I have two things that I did. One is cleaning the bathtub. Ick. Why do I hate this task so much? But I did it. And also, after living here for almost half a year, I finally got a referral for a dentist. I may not be IN the dentist office yet but at least it's a step in the right direction. Ugh. Thanks (?) Lain for the motivation. :)
Posted by: Abbie | June 03, 2009 at 11:24 PM
Thanks Lain, for a kick in the patoot! I listed some items on an online auction that have been a growing pile for quite a while... !
Alicia
Posted by: Alicia Williams | June 04, 2009 at 12:48 AM
I didn't relize until this week how much I have missed your posts!
I have been putting off bringing our family budject up to date. I would like to report that I am well on my way to being finished today!
No more hiding!
Posted by: Juel | June 04, 2009 at 10:38 AM
Thanks for the inspiration...got my son signed up for football camp, dentist appointments made for 4 family members and started working on the parent-taught driver's ed with my son! Whew! Feeling accomplished right about now! :)
Posted by: Sandy | June 04, 2009 at 11:23 AM
Ok, so I had four baskets of clean laundry to fold...for a good week or so now. I finally folded them while watching So You Think You Can Dance.
Thanks, Lain. Course now I have to go wash more laundry...and fold it :P
Posted by: Lisa | June 04, 2009 at 12:55 PM
I'm back...from my procrastinated upon doctor's appt. Well I do in fact have plantars faciitis and now I know that it can be fixed (nothing broken, no surgery, nothing permanent). All of these thoughts kept me procrastinating in the first place, lol. The only bad thing during the appt was the bill...$400! For special insoles and a GIANT boot I have to wear to bed...watch out sweetie, my sexy boot is coming to bed tonight! Thx for getting my butt out the door, Lain!
Posted by: Bren | June 04, 2009 at 02:09 PM
Too late for the drawing but I wanted to come back and say thanks for getting me going. Finally ordered prints of some pics I promised to send my mom.
Posted by: Renee | June 07, 2009 at 10:40 PM