Procrastination

Benjamin Franklin, American scientist and Founding Father, once said, “You may delay, but time will not.” It is a fact that procrastination reduces the amount of time you have to meet your deadlines. While one might enjoy the time spent not doing what they were supposed to do, they certainly will not enjoy the short amount of time they will spend trying to do what they were supposed to do - on time. Procrastination can cause many side effects such as stress, emotional and physical discomfort, and even crying. How do I know?

Quite frankly, I’ve been a procrastinator for as long as I can recall. “Eight page research paper due in two weeks? I can handle this.” After nearly two weeks of doing everything on this forsaken space rock except for researching and writing my paper, it is time to begin; or rather, it is the beginning of the beginning.
Three days before my research paper is due: I take a hot shower after a long night at work to unwind and wash away the pain of greeting and smiling at customers that do not want to talk to me. I get dressed and move to the kitchen table where I place my laptop with Microsoft Word and a Google Chrome window open. I search the fridge for something to satiate my hunger and decide that instant noodles are my best, and easiest, option. I cook the noodles and claim my rightful place in front of my laptop. I stare at the blank Word document and open up Netflix; I watch an episode of The X-Files and cry as Mulder is thwarted again in his attempts to find his missing sister. I watch another episode of The X-Files. The remaining broth from my ramen is cold. I begin to work on my paper.

Alas, I close with one last quote:

“You can't just turn on creativity like a faucet. You have to be in the right mood. What mood is that? Last-minute panic.” - Bill Watterson, American Cartoonist, creator of Calvin and Hobbes