Grandma Geezer Exposed! "The Frenzied Procrastinator"

I used to fly by the seat of my pants in all situations.

I was a procrastinator. I wasn't lazy.
I just took my sweet time doing things because I could get away with it.

Welllllll, that was when I was younger.
Today, at 70, I can't get away with that because I drop the ball on too many other things. Oh and by the way I must keep a calendar of all and I mean all of the things I need to do on a daily basis.

Recently I received a text message from a client.
She said that shed had to cancel her appointment with me because she took an extra shift at the hospital. Now this is an appointment I should have written down the week before, after our session but I was running late to the office and forgot my scheduling book. Why did I forget my scheduling book? You guessed it! I was procrastinating leaving to go to the office and dashed out of the house without my book.

What was I doing you ask? Nothing! Absolutely nothing important.I was just trying to beat my record in solitaire. Now this could have been a very bad situation because I had already scheduled a client at the same time but the cancelation saved my bacon and no one is the wiser - except me. (And now, you.)

I have to admit this has happened more than once to me! For a while I get compelled to set this situation right and for a while I'm good. But I always go back to the same behavior as if I will never get caught. Why am I like this! I always warn clients who engage in this behavior to set it right because it will cause anxiety, stress, fear, depression and other negative situations in their lives – I have experience!

There is a study that indicates that procrastination actually enhances focus. 
I have to agree with that. 
For years I’ve been able to juggle many plates at one time and procrastination has enabled me to gain the focus I need for the task in front of me. However, fear also played a part. As you age your juggling act gets worse and you drop more plates than intended. If I was in school, I could no more do an all-nighter to get a term paper done than I could run a marathon. I can no longer work all day and go out to dinner, getting home after nine, not unless I have nothing to do the next day until one in the afternoon. I can’t push myself.

I bought this stationary pad sometime ago that said;
"I wanted it all! (What was I thinking!”)

Well, I carried that off for quite awhile before being diagnosed with an aggressive cancer

and was given only a few months to live. Obviously, the Lord had different plans for me, and I had an extended rest that was forced on me. However, once I had my energy back I hit the road hard!

But now that it has caught up with me I have to do the following things. I humbly share them with you in hope that you will not  continue as a frenzied procrastinator like I have been!

1. Schedule everything and don’t think you’ll remember someone’s special day – because you won’t if you have a demanding day and something not scheduled gets put on your calendar.


2. Set a realistic time limit for everything or like me you’ll run out the door without something you need for the day. Plan for emergencies. Traffic, road blocks, accidents, car not starting, garage door not opening, dishwasher overflowing as you go up to take a shower, gashing your hand on a broken glass, children throwing up in the car on the way to school, catching your jacket on the car door and slamming it on your finger, running into a cabinet door which knocks you to the floor, slipping on the urine of an animal that wasn’t taken out, bashing your naked toe into the end of a bed and last but not least stepping on something you should have put away the night before and tumbling down the stairs - don’t ask me how I know these things! 

3. Plan your play time accordingly and only after the important tasks are finished.  I have a miniature schedule book I mark with time and place so that I know I have something that day and where I need to be. You smart phone users have a schedule in your phone unless you place the phone on the hood of your car and drive off – don’t ask me how I know that either.


4. Plan your meals and take care of yourself. Manage your time well for your health.
There are many more tips I could give you because of my vast (embarrassing) experiences but they would take up volumes.


So for now, I sign off with a big,  “TRUST ME ON THIS”!


Ever Your Focused – (Not Frenzied) Friend,
Grandma Geezer Ph.D.

"THE BLUEBERRY PERSPECTIVE"

 

TRUST ME ON THIS!

(Grandma Geezer does NOT often open up with this phrase.

However! I feel this is an important issue to understand).

In the big scheme of things, certain issues are what I call trivial. 

In other words, when you position them against the big picture they become irrelevant. Case in point, I share the following personal stories.

I was working as a school psychologist in a room that housed severe behavior disordered children. One of our students had not received his ADHD medicine at home in the morning, unbeknownst to the staff. He also had not received his afternoon dose by the time I had been called down to handle a significant outburst in the classroom. 

Six students had been moved out into the hall for safetyand I went in to get the other student out of the room. I managed to get this small child into a safety hold and get him down to my office when I heard one of the staff let out a startled wail. I had not realized that the child had stabbed me in the leg with the compass I had taken out of his hand. The wound was bleeding profusely all the way down the hall. I placed the student under my desk and sat in front of it. [Interesting how adrenaline can mask pain.] He had plenty of room to wiggle around so I wasn't worried. 

During this event, one of the secretaries ran into the roomand said that my son's principal was on the phone and needed to speak with me. (I had placed my son in a very strict private school with good disciplinary boundaries). Getting myself untangled and to the phone, the principle stated, "Dr. Miskie, I have to suspend your son. This is the third time he's been caught not wearing a belt. If you could come by when you pick up your son we can discuss the consequences of his actions."  

I calmly replied to the principal, "I see. However, I won't be able to meet with you this evening because I've just been stabbed by a student and I'm on my way to the emergency room for a tetanus shot and possibly stitches." As he heard my story and explanation for my unavailability at the moment, he profusely apologized and said, "Don't worry about him, we'll handle this ourselves and I'm so sorry I bothered you.”I went in the next morning and we worked out a discipline for my son and the principal couldn't stop apologizing! 

Another personal experience. I was speaking at a conference for women at a country club and a large breakfast buffet had been set up across the room. There was the usual rush to make everything lovely and the table decorations were first class. I would be speaking on my life's story and the many experiences that I encountered to shape me into the person I am today. When it was time to get our meal, before I spoke, the rumbling started. This was a Christian gathering and I was somewhat surprised at the conversations around me.

"How come our table never gets to go first?" 

"They always serve the same things." 

"Look how much that person has on her plate. 

There won't be any left by the time we get to go!" 

Last but not least, 

"I only got four blueberries because that's all that was left and I didn't want the other fruit."

 Other comments were made before the conference about the room setup, how the establishment was changing, etc., and the list of negatives could go on and on. 

At our table, the comments of disdain continued and I listened until I could take it no longer!I gently but firmly asked if anyone had been to a third world country. No one had, so I began. I recently had traveled to India for a month during Christmas. The hundreds of impoverished women I was honored to speak to, sat on dirt floors with their one daily meal of rice and chicken, eaten off of a large green leaf. As they scooped the meal with their fingers into their mouths, careful not to drop a grain of rice, they listened intently to the word of God that I shared with them. Many accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and they were hungry to hear more. I could have stayed there for hours. They were so gracious in their reception of me.

Two different countries, two different settings and two different moods in the respective locations.All had come to enjoy the food and listen to the message God had given me. One group was full of anticipation and gratefulness for God's gift of a meal and his presence. The other group was full of discontent and unrest in the lap of luxury — a sad commentary on the expectations and appreciation of one of the groups. At that moment I would have loved to take all of them on my journey to India, all expenses paid — maybe it would change their attitudes to not sweat the small stuff and look at the bigger picture.  

Trust me on this! It would benefit every person reading this to move out of your comfort zone, for one day, to experience a lifestyle different from yours. You might change a journey of life from unrestrained expectations, to grateful acceptance of any situation you encounter. You don't have to physically go to a third world country to move out of your comfort zone because you probably have a place you can observe right around the corner. Go to the poorest neighborhoods in your town, the soup kitchens, homeless shelters, etc., and imagine yourself in the position of these individuals. 

It's a wake up call that can only generate a better person if you truly want to change your level of compassion and understanding.

Ever So Truly Yours,

Grandma Geezer Ph.D.