I’ll Do That Later

HA!

Over the past 24 hours I’ve thought a lot about the comment, “I’ll do that later.”  I think that what it really should mean is that I’ll do it never, if I can get away with it.

Now don’t get me wrong.  I don’t mean the tasks that I can’t do at the present time because I am engaged in something else or because there is too little time to engage.  I mean the things that I consciously consider doing, and then don’t. The ones where I weigh the pro’s and con’s, consider taking action, and then choose not to.

I really think that sometimes I put tasks off for a couple of reasons, they are  unclear or they are not pleasant.  Pleasant doesn’t mean that they are awful.  It means that they do not bring me joy.  They are dull.  They are routine.  They do not help me feel the feeling that I’m striving for at that particular time.

Here are three simple rules to follow:

1.  Does it have to be done? If yes, then do it now or schedule it on the calendar.  Oh, and make it as fun as possible.
2. Can it be delegated?  If yes, then do it!  If not, see step one.
3. Stop thinking about it!

The thinking is where I get myself into trouble.  I worry about doing it.  I worry about doing it right.  I worry that I should do it but don’t really want to.  I worry about how it will turn out.  I worry about what others will think.  I worry about letting someone down.

Really?  That’s a lot of negative energy being given to something I don’t want to do.

“What you resist, persists!”

So, do it or not!  Decide, and move on!  If what I’m looking for is to clear my day of the unpleasant, this will be a great start!