To be or not to be?

Ah the gentle art of procrastination. I along with many others can procrastinate on the big and the small. Recently I had cause to discuss procrastination with my eldest, when he asked, for help with his homework, due all too soon. He had procrastinated on it ‘til this last moment!

“What is it you need to work on?” I asked

“Hamlet” he lamented and continued, “What is Hamlet about?”

It was then it dawned on me, here was one of the most brilliant procrastinators of narrative history,

“Hamlet is essentially about a guy who can’t make up his mind”

“Why?”

“Because, you know… the ghost of his father has appeared to him and demanded he vanquish his death because his brother (Hamlet’s uncle; keep up people!) Has killed him and Married Gertrude (Hamlet’s mum) and Hamlet just finds the whole idea challenging”

“Whoa that’s pretty heavy” it dawned on my son, now beginning to see that perhaps Shakespeare is not so boring.

We can all procrastinate on the small: I could clean the house but then it’s so nice laying here in the sunshine eating chocolate, what to do?

Or

I could start packing but my FB feed is so interesting

I could go on a diet but it will have to be maybe like tomorrow because it would be rude not to eat seconds at Mum’s

I could start studying but I can’t refuse this invite

I could do the washing but I have shopping to do!

Then there are the bigger things

I could move to a new place but then there’s too much to think about

I could ask my Dad for a loan

I could change careers but what would I do in between?

Or the really big

Those difficult discussions with beloveds

Just who to vote for when no one seems to speak for me

Government decisions:

Refugees who need a place to live in Australia and arrived by boat, park them on an island in the middle of nowhere, and hopefully as we procrastinate as a nation about what to do, it will be forgotten; the fates of these living breathing people!

Education and funding equity

Environment and sustainability

Procrastination is the space between the idea and the moment we act. Sometimes procrastination can last longer than necessary. Sometimes procrastination is when we shape our ideas, our worries away into thoughtful action.