It's amazing how days can be long and full of opportunities to do a number of different things. Finish off that thing you started months ago. Start that thing you've been wanting to do for months. Which is great if one free day is all you have. You're more than likely going to get round to doing those things.
But when one has (what appears to be) an infinity of free days, productivity goes down and the days seem longer because of it. A typical example may be:
9am - wake up, go back to sleep
10.30am - wake up again, amble into kitchen and toast some bread
11.30am - put dirty plate in sink, go back to TV
1pm - think about lunch, continue watching TV
3pm - get washed and dressed with intention of going out and doing something
4pm - realise the time and position self in front of computer to surf the net
10pm - realise haven't eaten since breakfast, now can't be bothered to eat and so continue messing around online until can no longer keep eyes open
While this may seem to be a typical lazy person's daily routine, it is more often than not the accidental daily routine of a person who makes plans. The reason the plans never come to fruition? The idea of "doing it later" and then "doing it tomorrow".
And as my year 6 primary school teacher used to tell us every day: "Tomorrow never comes."
Of course, tomorrow always has the intention of coming around, yet somehow never does until time starts running out and these long, carefree days are numbered. Then productivity within daylight hours rockets, and that very person who uttered "I'll do it tomorrow" starts wondering why she didn't get up early every morning and get on with all that needed to be done. Even if she had nothing in particular to do, getting up and setting her mind to finding something might help ignite her imagination so she fills the time she has sensibly. And the chances of that happening are, sans doute, slim.
I suppose tomorrow does come eventually, but this is one mistake we'll (read: I'll) keep on repeating and keep failing to learn from.
5 comments:
The thing about laziness is that its such an easy habit to get into. My personal remedy is to dose up on so much caffeine that you're forced to zip around finding things to do.
Either that or spend 6 hours a day blogging anyway.
Make a list of things to do, and include 'make a list of things to do' on it. That way, once you've made your list of things to do, you'll have already done one of the things on it, so you can feel all pleased with yourself and have a break.
I will most definitely try the list of things to do method. As for caffeine overdose, I'm sure that would be very very interesting to experience and much more interesting to see if there's any element of success in it!
CQ is right about caffeine. Tea is not enough, but a premediated, good cup of coffee will get things started. One of the most important kernels of wisdom I picked up in Oxford was, however, when my tutor told me in the second year that it is important and necessary to 'gaze into the void' every now and again. You are a very very good writer, by the way, not that it surprises me, but reading other people's essay just usually don't happen cause, well, it just doesn't.
Thank you for such a lovely comment! The whole concept of 'gazing into the void' is one that I'm starting to appreciate - it's amazing how much more calm I feel after doing so, and I'm sure my blood pressure appreciates the serenity of the void too!
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