This amuses me, as I am guilty as charged! Sometimes I use my apparent forgetfulness as an excuse when it’s really a case of procrastination and I must admit, most of whom I have caused trouble due to my love for excessive procrastinating did accept my excuse without an iota of doubt. Of course, at the back of my mind, I feel guilt and sometimes the nagging feeling to cram and still finish my tasks—which are now seriously delayed—as, sort of, damage control.
I would say, with years of experience and expertise, me and almost half of the senior population—okay maybe even more—are indeed masters of procrastination. Honed by practice, we developed this uncanny ability to procrastinate without detection. Due to this, seldom do you find someone accusing us of procrastinating, only a nod of soulful understanding with a little bit of pity thrown to this potentially Alzheimer’s disease-laden senior. These were the times when I didn’t really know whether to laugh, snicker or feel bad about it. Of course, who would want to be suspected of such terrible disease? Unfortunately, drastic times call for drastic measures.
Procrastination in seniors is way more than just simple laziness. Sometimes we procrastinate to convince ourselves that we still have that much time on our hands. We would like to believe that delaying things will make bad, bitter things go away. That, I find true when I need to submit myself to an annual medical checkups. As well as, when I need to put together an emergency kit in case a fire/natural calamity/disaster strikes. No matter how important they are, seniors try to put these tasks further back in their “to-do” list.
Speaking of lists, I find that when I write down all the things I need to do today or tomorrow or even the day after that, I stand reminded of the things I should be doing in a somewhat chronological order. To further enhance my organizational skills, I number each task according to priority. This way, if and when procrastination attacks, I can just reschedule for the next day and just do those things that are needed to be done today. I know, I am a chronic procrastinator and there’s nothing I can do about it! In some rare days when I feel I can do so much, I try to do non-priority things in advance.
Expert says that procrastination can lead to stress and when you undergo stress management sessions, procrastination is one of those things that they will teach you to avoid. To some extent, I must admit, yes, but when you reach a certain age when no one is expecting you to move faster, procrastination becomes as normal as your sagging belly.