Who said a Saturday homework had to be a pittance? We all know how easy it is to procrastinate on things that need to be done and how tempting it is to do the easy things instead of the ones that require more energy or focus. Well, I recently had one of those days where I’d rather do anything else on a long list of farm chores than put shingles on the old wooden shed.
But, on this Saturday, the sun, the cloud and the breeze combined to create the perfect day for outdoor tasks. The funny thing is that I often find myself choosing those tasks that can be accomplished with relative ease instead of tackling something that requires concentration, that requires more diligence than I feel like stretching. Some say that you should set priorities by dividing all items into three stacks where the first ordered list is more important than the following ones. And then take your time and focus on what’s most important, or which list gives you the most return on your investment of time.
All well and good for making this list of priorities, but it’s not always importance that finds your devotion. I had shingling the woodshed on my top priority list for a while, but it never seemed to tempt me to do it. However, there are some tasks that rise to the top of the heap immediately due to other factors. One of these factors, in my case, was the weather.
The remnant of a tropical storm was headed our way in two days. And I knew that if I procrastinated on the shingle job any longer, I would find myself trying to do it when other work would take up all my time. So, I got up early, put on my work boots, and gathered my tools and supplies. What a fantastic day. The weather was ideal for working outside on our field property; no stifling humidity, no black flies, and just a few gnats to buzz about.
I was delighted to find my tile invigorating; the crisp air, the comforting, refreshing breeze, and the sense of accomplishment as each row of tiles fell perfectly into place. And, after only a few hours, I went back and saw the finished project. I sat for a minute admiring my shingle work and wondered why I had put off this task for so long. Interestingly, I also thought about how many things in life we all procrastinate to the point where all we’ve accomplished is create more stress by not taking action, by not addressing the things that need to be done.