Creative Procrastination
Hey, if you're going to put off doing
what's due,
at least do it with some style!
1. Make lists....To Do lists, who you'll invite to your wedding, prospective clients, your favorite teachers, the ten books you'd need on a desert island, foods you hate, Christmas card recipients, things you wish *someone* would give you for your birthday, colors listed in the J. Crew catalogue, items licensed by Ralph Lauren, B side titles of Motown hits.
2. Rearrange your desk and drawers. Re-label all files with newly-typed Avery self-adhesives. Sort through correspondence you have neglected to answer for 3 months.
3. Re-do your address book. Alphabetize all the business cards you collected at the last conference. By last name, no, maybe by firm name. let's see now....
4. Call all available family members. They've been waiting to hear from you!
5. Walk the dog. Again. Trim the cat's claws.
6. Cut split ends. (We prefer a 3x magnifying mirror)
7. Work on your website.
8. Do more research on your topic, by surfing the Net. Surely there is a Kantian undertone to alt.showbiz.gossip which can be extrapolated and compared to the Jungian archetype's role in modern anomie.
9. Meditate. One *must* clear the mind!
10. Sharpen pencils. All of them. Even if you only use ink.
11. Check your voice mail for last minute cancellation of the deadline. Again.
12. Check Bartlett's for appropriate pithy quotes to use as an opener.
13. Pay your bills.
14. Reconfigure your hard drive to make room for this new thing you will be writing.
15. Call <you name it> software manufacturer and get on hold for technical support.
16. Start developing list of potential credible excuses for your boss/client/teacher as to why the project is late.
17. Check email, write email. On all accounts.
18. Make overdue business calls.
19. Dust your library. Do windows. Not, that those Windows!
20. Call up a nerdish friend and launch a Mac vs. PC debate.
21. Think about possible new career paths.
22. Weed out overflow from filing cabinets.
23. Read.
24. Discuss building maintenance problems with neighbors and how the noise is distracting you from your important work.
25. Assume the lotus position. Do Yoga. It's so centering!
26. Take a nap. Just a wee snooze. Gotta get that second wind!
27. Check out the Web site, Overcoming Procrastination at http://sas.calpoly.edu/asc/ssl/procrastination.html.
