Join me on a tour, former procrastinators. You’ll need a paper, pen and open eyes. I’ve just toured our house and my eyes have bugged out. I toured each room looking for “the unfinished.” It might be work, play, or rest that is represented, but something is out that should’ve been put away or completed. It’s a tour just to make us aware – and alert us to how life can be easier.
This month’s topic is “Finish Up February.” It’s prompted by a friend who asked me, “Why do we do something to the 80th percent and then quit?” I’m not sure exactly why. I am sure it’s procrastination dragging us down, planting obstacles and diversions in our paths. We can avoid this.
Here’s what I found on my tour: (Keep in mind this is just “my stuff.” Add a family’s or roommate’s and it gets pretty gruesome.)
Books left out for computer notes, furniture to move, throws wadded up on sofa, folded laundry on sofa, Christmas gift bag, light bulb box, hair gel left in wrong bathroom, clothes to hang or put in drawers, clothes for hamper, photo project, box of supplies for project for friend, Sunday purse, “swoop bag” of items to put away (Interesting, huh?) box and bag that reside in the car but weren’t returned after hauling, papers related to my goals, to read stack – neat but too high, blouses to iron, rec center booklet for perusing classes, bread basket, assorted papers on kitchen counter, empty nut bag to prompt new grocery list, notebook from a meeting.
I was tempted not to mention the laundry because I seldom leave that incomplete. Also I’m good about returning the den to order when we leave it. But I ‘fessed up.
During Finish Up February we’ll look at ways to complete what’s incomplete now and avoid piling up unfinished things in the future. Take a tour at your house, noticing what’s left unfinished. Then we’ll work on some long term unfinished items and ideas for keeping ourselves on track. Maybe your husband, children, or roomie would find this helpful. But first, let’s get the plank out of our own eyes.
Most things are left out because we don’t deal with them properly the moment we stop using them. Two temptations move in – time and momentary convenience. We set the paintbrush on the can, plop the mail on the table, lose interest in the jewelry making. It costs time, energy, attention, and aggravation to go back later and deal with each of these again after they have caused inconvenience and more work. That negates any “good” we thought we had by letting things go initially. Maybe we didn’t think at all.
This week, let’s think. Notice yourself making a decision the moment you finish using an item or project. Just noticing will help us do what needs doing when it needs doing.
Take a tour of your house. What “unfinished evidence” do you find?
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