Dear Me (now I sound really old),
I appear to have screwed myself into a homework-hole yet again. Will I ever grow out of pushing my responsibilities to the very last minute - and sometimes beyond - or am I doomed to a temporized...doom?
-JPS (2011)
It is, after all, only natural to temporize work and create a lifestyle of laziness. “Natural” humans stock up on food, both inside and outside their bellies, and create tools in the spirit of standardizing and/or simplifying those moments were more food must be acquired. That said, should an infinite (but unbeknown temporary) supply of food be deposited nearby, it is safe to assume that the person in question would never feel the need to explore, or build tools, or prepare for disaster, all of which may (and will) be necessary.
ReplyDeleteIt is considerably more difficult to rationalize proactive thinking in modern society, since we are outside natural circumstances, and substantially more unable to conceptualize the future. The key to fighting procrastination, I’ve found, is to have a clear, identifiable, and mappable destination. In my case, it’s my career; it provides clear incentives to stay focused and organized, and an obvious destination toward which to position my work. Because of this, it is easy for me to conceptualize the value of proactive planning and organization, and the consequences of failing to do so. Moreover, I’m a morning person, for I have ample reasons to wake up, exercise, and begin work early.
The problem for you, if I recall correctly, is that you lack a sense of direction. Rather, you fear that your possible directions do not lead towards any tangible or obtainable goals. Homework is the most concrete example: it is difficult to rationalize the effort with no immediate goals or sources of inspiration. The fear of failure or humiliation has long since gone, and you’ve built up several defenses to the sense of shame laziness brings about. This is also equally exacerbated by the fluctuating interests most teenagers and young-adults experience, some lasting minutes, other for months, but nevertheless fleeting. Sadly, that habit doesn’t go away, either. I’ve juggled two careers because of this. I might be juggling a third.
-JPS (2049)
This is a funny blog--I like the juxtaposition of the two different voices!
ReplyDelete