“Act as if what you do makes a difference, it does.” William James
Yes on any given day I can come up with a million excuses to avoid doing anything. I would venture to say I am not alone. It is clearly a problem because it keeps me from interactions with others, accomplishing jobs I had set as goals for the day, completing and making deadlines set by others, and living up to promises I made to friends and family.
I don’t intentionally plan on skipping things I should do. Now that is a pardon for me to feel better. There are definitely times when our justifications are real and not so much a coping out as an they are a real obstacle preventing us from doing what we should do. No criticism intended but gaining a handle on excuses allows us to accomplish so much more. We don’t call the friend because we are watching a good TV show or checking our e-mails or sitting on the couch without having to think or talk about anything. At work we find something boring or so difficult it is impossible to begin.
At home, our tasks always take longer than what we think and we know this and simply don’t want to get started in the first place. The luxury of doing nothing seems to be given only at times when we are sick. Of course at these times we can’t enjoy this free time because we don’t feel well. Some of us use others to escape work effort and responsibility. A divorced father can escape his obligations by acknowledging his wife doesn’t permit him to see the kids which may be true. what a relief. No lost time or effort on his part and no guilt. A headache or cold ought to alleviate our helping with the household tasks even if we are feeling a bit better. We can take another day. I am guilty of many of these affairs myself. I know I would be further along with my jobs if I tackled them without thought just responsibility.
Some tasks are important like our kids. We need to separate what counts from counting what tasks are waiting. Kids can’t wait. They desperately need us and after all we are their parents. So if I can’t bend over as much due to a leg injury I can still kick that ball back to my kid and let them toss it again. I can still be there to talk or listen or watch the world around us evolving. That’s final no exoneration, I need to go and take care of what matters most.
“Things that matter most should never be at the mercy of things which matter least.” Johann Van Goethe
