Procrastination, it’s a loaded word, don’t you think? Growing up in a German Catholic home with all that implies, I am not a procrastinator; always finished with assignments ahead of time, making lists, crossing things off lists, constantly tidying up and just driven to get things done. One a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the worst procrastinator, I am probably a 2 and Paul is about an 8. As with most traits, procrastination is both a blessing and a curse. It made me successful in the workplace but also drove me, along with others, a little crazy. Plus, I learned rushing a project can quickly backfire. On the home front, most couples have to work with and around each other’s basic tendencies in this area or it can become a push/pull nightmare. Paul thinks this tendency plays out mostly with tasks he likes vs. doesn’t like but I think it is human nature to be either laid back or obsessive as the case may be. I guess this takes us back to the Type A vs. Type B personality types from the past. Over the years, I have learned to back off a bit and Paul has learned to step it up a bit, but we still get in trouble with each other fairly frequently in this area. He hates my “to do” lists and I hate his messy desk and it’s hard to stay out of each other’s space on these things. In the end, it’s about respecting each other’s boundaries.
I am proud of my proactive nature but it would serve me well in achieving my retirement goal of “less doing and more being” to let up a bit. So to that end, I went with my mood to read and relax this weekend instead of working on my current weaving project; there is still plenty of time to finish it before we leave for the winter. It felt good to “give it a rest” and I will enthusiastically get back to it this week. Although this was uncomfortable for me, I am committed to learning how to “push things out” in the years ahead to better savor life in the now. As winter settles in and I watch the geese honking while circling over the lake, I am in awe of the beauty surrounding us. On a final note, I have figured out a guilt- free way to avoid cleaning up the last perennial bed; wait until it is covered with snow and too cold to dig in the dirt and poof, it gets crossed off the list! Oh, the mind games we play with ourselves!