Procrastinating

It's taken me almost 40 years to realize that activities take time. I know, I know, to you that's an obvious truth. But for me, time was expandable. I could fit anything in. Nothing took that long to do. I was going to do it all and make the time for it. After all, I am powerful beyond measure. I WILL make it all fit in. Throw another assignment on the pile.

"Did you know doing stuff takes time?"

Yesterday I took my cat to the vet. That sounds so simple a task ... and quick. The words are so short on my To Do List. "Cat to Vet." How short and sweet. One would think it would only take a moment to accomplish. Imagine my amazement when upon reflection I realized it had, in reality, taken three hours.

I hadn't taken into consideration the time to locate the cat carrier.

I hadn't considered that the cat would not want to go in the carrier.

I thought the drive should only take 10 minutes or so.

I didn't realize I would have to fill out a "new patient" form.

I assumed the vet would see me at the appointment time.

I had hoped she's examine the cat and make her recommendation.

I had no idea she was going to take blood from her jugular.

I couldn't have predicted the cat would get so stressed out.

I couldn't have predicted they'd hold her in the back until they were sure she wasn't having a heart attack.

I didn't calculate the additional time for making multiple trips to the car with it's new food.

I hadn't anticipated spending time with the cat once we got home to make sure it was okay.

I didn't know the sister cat would freak out at the smell of the vet when we returned home.

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"Cat to Vet." A moment of time. Three hours.

I still do want to do everything. There are so many things I enjoy doing, like reading, writing, re-designing a site, discussing a good book.

I could look at my pile and say I'm procrastinating on all the things I haven't finished or am not doing. I could and have at times done just that. But with this new realization that doing stuff takes time, I have a new perspective.

So if you don't hear from me, know that I'm doing a whole bunch of things that only take a moment to do. And the rest of the time, I'm procrastinating.

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