RazzWorks

As I was looking through quotes for my next words of wisdom post I came across one that I thought deserved more. It’s a quote from Benjamin Franklin that we all know. He once said “Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today.”

PROCRASTINATION

I always thought this only had to do with work I needed to do or some project to finish. It basically said to me – don’t procrastinate, and I am the Queen of Procrastination! I have a terrible habit of getting caught up in something that’s not important and not getting to the things I should be doing. Then even if I think of something I should do I’ll find some reason to put it off until a later date.

Like phone calls. I hate making phone calls. I don’t even talk on the phone to friends and family. We are all more comfortable with text or in my mother’s case, email. So if I need to call the phone company or other service provider I will put it off as long as I can. We’ve been dealing with less than ideal internet service for quite some time and I still need to call them again to see if they can fix it.

Unfortunately for me, I also can’t do alot of physical work and what I can do gets done slowly due to being in pain all the time. I keep up with dishes and laundry but sweeping and mopping floors is a killer so doesn’t get done very often, unless my daughter or daughter-in-law takes pity on me and does it for me.

What I have to wonder is where to draw the line. If we don’t put off anything until tomorrow, how much should we expect of ourselves on any given day. We can’t do it all. And I think, for me, the point of the quote is not so much about filling your day with work but about seizing the day.

Maybe he didn’t just mean work. Maybe he was also referring to fun and family time. Don’t put it off until tomorrow, after all, tomorrow is promised to no one. In my opinion this is an important way to look at his words too.

We tend to get caught up in our work and forget to have fun, forget to spend time with our significant others and families. Maybe some of us think our work is more important than it really is. I mean, really, what harm would there be in taking a day or an afternoon off. Grab coffee with a friend, surprise your family with a road trip or just take some time for yourself to relax and decompress.

These are the kinds of things we find easy to put off. Many people don’t feel it’s important to take time out for themselves. They may think their family will be there when they are finished with this project or at some imaginary time in the future when they will somehow have more time.

SEIZE THE DAY

But the truth is you only have today. We can make plans for the future, and we should, but none of us knows how much time we have. So make the most of it. I’m not saying you should shirk your responsibilities but do what needs to be done and make sure you and your loved ones are part of that.

You deserve, and need, time to yourself. Time to relax, time for self-care, and time to do those things you enjoy that make you feel alive. You’re no good to anyone else if you’re not taking care of yourself. Make it a part of your day or your week but work it into your schedule somehow.

The same goes for family time and friends. There’s no guarantee that they’ll always be there and the more you prioritize work and take your loved ones for granted the less likely they will be around when you decide you have time. So take the time now and make it a regular thing. Put it on your calendar or set aside an hour or two every day to spend with your family. Don’t put it off until tomorrow.

Procrastination is a real problem and it isn’t easy to overcome. I’ve been a procrastinator all my life but I’m aware of it and try my best to get to the important things. My internet dropping now and then isn’t that big of a deal to me so I’ve put off calling them for a long time. But my family is very important to me and I never put them off. My door is always open and they know it.

So decide what is important to you and make sure you make time for it often. Don’t put it off until tomorrow. Not to be all gloom and doom, but, you might not get that chance. None of us knows how many tomorrows we’ll get so Seize the day!

What is most important in your life? Is there something or someone you’d like to make more time for? Tell me about it in the comments.

ROZE