Wednesday's Word -- Procrastinate

Procrastination is a plague.  But it is also a powerful catalyst that I try to make the most of, because I can't seem to rid myself of the habit.  So here are some thoughts about the word.

procrastinate

I found one dictionary that defines procrastination to mean:  "The act of postponing, delaying or putting off, especially out of habitual carelessness or laziness."  I suppose that's a fair description of me at times.  According to Wikipedia, there are three criteria for behavior to be classified as procrastination:  it must be counterproductive, needless, and delaying.  In my case, procrastination is usually needless and delaying, but not entirely counterproductive.  Although procrastination results in suffering, it also creates a powerful period of intensely focused productivity when I reach the point at which I must get the thing done.

The word "procrastinate" comes from the Latin, meaning "tomorrow," although it has three parts that are somewhat redundant. The prefix "pro" means forward.  The second syllable "cras" means tomorrow and the third syllable "tinate" means belonging.  So, it means put it off until tomorrow.  Assigning a task to "tomorrow."  Laundry, you "belong" to tomorrow, and so forth.

I seem to have Frog and Toad on the brain this week, but I can't resist sharing another favorite story.  This time from Arnold Lobel's Days With Frog and Toad.  It makes the point.

Tomorrow

Toad woke up.  "Drat!" he said.  "This house is a mess.  I have so much work to do."  Frog looked through the window.  "Toad, you are right," said Frog.  "It is a mess."  Toad pulled the covers over his head.

"I will do it tomorrow," said Toad.  "Today I will take life easy."  Frog came into the house. "Toad," said Frog, "your pants and jacket are lying on the floor."  "Tomorrow," said Toad from under the covers.  "Your kitchen sink is filled with dirty dishes," said Frog.  "Tomorrow," said Toad.  "There is dust on your chairs."  "Tomorrow," said Toad.  "Your windows need scrubbing," said Frog.  "Your plants need watering."  "Tomorrow!" cried Toad.  "I will do it all tomorrow!"  

Toad sat on the edge of his bed.  "Blah," said Toad.  "I feel down in the dumps."  "Why?" asked Frog.  "I am thinking about tomorrow," said Toad.  "I am thinking about all of the many things that I will have to do."  "Yes," said Frog, "tomorrow will be a very hard day for you."

 "But Frog," said Toad, "if I pick up my pants and jacket right now, then I will not have to pick them up tomorrow, will I?"  "No," said Frog.  "You will not have to."  Toad picked up his clothes.  He put them in the closet.  "Frog," said Toad, "if I wash my dishes right now, then I will not have to wash them tomorrow, will I?"  "No," said Frog.  "You will not have to." Toad washed and dried his dishes.  He put them in the cupboard.

"Frog," said Toad, "if I dust my chairs and scrub my windows and water my plants right now, then I will not have to do it tomorrow, will I?"  "No," said Frog.  "You will not have to do any of it."  Toad dusted his chairs.  He scrubbed his windows.  He watered his plants.  

"There," said Toad.  "Now I feel better.  I am not in the dumps anymore."  "Why?" asked Frog. Because I have done all that work," said Toad.  "Now I can save tomorrow for something that I really want to do."  "What is that?" asked Frog.  "Tomorrow," said Toad, "I can just take life easy."  Toad went back to bed.  He pulled the covers over his head and fell asleep.  

I just love this story.  But unlike Toad, my problem is that even if I do today what could be put off for tomorrow, additional tasks will be looming over me tomorrow anyway.  I'd love to "save tomorrow for something that I really want to do," but the forces in my life (work, children, etc., etc.) have other plans for me.

What would you do tomorrow if you could spend it doing something that you "really want to do"?  I'd stay in bed like Toad!