Were you one of those students who would study your notes ever day and turn in assignments two weeks early? Or were you one of those students who, on the night before a major exam, would drive to the convenience store to buy $20 worth of junk food...ahem, I mean study snacks…make a playlist of your favorite study music and talk with your buddies about making a study guide until 3 a.m. rolled around when you finally had enough of that last-minute pressure to cram for that 8 a.m. final?
Yeah, you guessed it. I’m contestant No. 2.
You'd think I would have learned from my 22-year-old self to rid the closets of that nasty habit called procrastination, but alas, my good friend has stuck around all these years and still has a hold on me.
Exhibit A: Saturday morning, my calendar is clear so I can completely focus on finishing my 10-page bioethics paper that is due…um, Monday.
OK, I know what you are going to say. Yes, I knew all semester that this paper was due at the end of class. Oh yeah, and did I mention that my final is on Monday too? So I need to add studying into this completely clear Saturday. Here we go with the first paragraph ...
[Blank stare.]
Hmm, not feeling motivated. Maybe some coffee will help.
I get up to make some coffee and see my nephews playing outside. I do have all day to finish this, so it won’t matter if I kick the ball around with them. (1 hour later)
I’m too tired after all that soccer to write a paper. I’ll just take a 30-minute power nap… (3 hours later)
My favorite show is on and it is an afternoon marathon! (2 hours later)
Now I better have some dinner. I couldn’t possibly write this paper on an empty stomach.
Of course now it is 8 p.m. and I’m so mad at myself because I haven’t started my paper.
Sound familiar?
A Life That Could Have Been: A Single Catholic Man Reflects
Please tell me I’m not the only one who struggles with time management?
As singles, we are usually involved in our parish and volunteer groups — as well as committing to our families and careers. We are busy people — with a lot to get done.
But maybe God is calling us to engage in a new ministry or a new relationship (finally). How can we hear his plan if we are so busy and stressed trying to get those last-minute tasks done?
We are constantly challenged to find that inner peace. Certainly having a right relationship with God is the most important part of finding that harmony, but it also includes prioritizing tasks and budgeting time accordingly, which I don’t do. At all.
Help! Do you have any time management methods that work?
I have big plans to eradicate procrastinating…I just don’t want to start them right now.
