At The Last Minute

Why does it seem that our world always runs in a constant stream of deadlines and procrastination? The recent debt debacle in our nation is only one of many examples in our world. We push and fight and push and fight and end up leaving ourselves no time to make great decisions and solve the problems. Shockingly, I am not any better. Why is it that we cannot get organized, motivated, or (the most dreaded word of them all) disciplined?

If you take a close look, you can see the products of un-organization and un-motivation all around us. Sure, some people have discipline, like Seth Godin. The rest of us want it, but somehow can't move ourselves to deal with our credit card debt, our super sized waistlines, our poor relationships, multiple task lists at work, our home projects, the things we really want to spend our time on, and so on, and so on, and so on. We are such a mess.

Fortunately, I can only speak for myself.  That's probably a good thing, especially since I have my own problems with procrastination.  I certainly don't need to be pointing fingers.  I have lots I need to get done.  I have lots of wants, desires, and aspirations.  Yet, it seems like every day, the things I want to get done are still there when it is time to head home.  Each day starts with hope and ends with the thought of maybe tomorrow.  Its like our productivity is stuck in Groundhog Day.  The problem is, not changing the routine will only get us back to yesterday.

I think my solution is this.  I need to get past the overwhelmed feeling I have sometimes at all that I need to get done and simply be disciplined.  Well, that and make a plan of attack.  I read a post on Lifehacker today that encouraged the reader to, "reduce everything you want to do to an action you can do right now."  What I read between the lines there is this: take all you want to do, write it down, and make it doable.  Break it down into tiny "baby steps", to quote another Bill Murray movie, and then do it.

Why does it seem so simple, yet its so difficult?  Oh wait, because we strive to be lazy and wait to the last minute to get things done.  I'm tired of the pressure.  I'm tired of the doing average things--that is what it feels like I do.  I'm ready to change and become disciplined and motivated.  Lord help me!