Never Put Off Until Tomorrow What You Can Do in a Couple Weeks

People. I know I need help. I have to deal with my issues. I wonder... are there support groups for people with problems like mine? Maybe I should start one.

Hi, I'm Mete and I'm a Procrastinator.

Problem is, if there were support groups, no one would ever go. I mean, honestly. I'd keep saying I was going to attend a meeting, but then the time would come and I'd come up with a hundred other things I'd rather do.

Maybe I'll try self-help. Lists always keep me focused at work. If I make a list of all the things in my life I'm avoiding, maybe it would make me more motivated to get them done.

Here are a few:

1. Make doctors' appointments - This is never a problem...as long as the appointment is for someone else. When it comes to my own doctors, I conveniently postpone. I got a card from my ObGyn, reminding me it's my favorite time of year: time to schedule my next visit. I then remembered that I haven't seen my PCP since before I got pregnant with CG. Over two years ago. Not good. (But! I have been to the dentist. That has to count for something, right?)

2. Organize - I own clothes I haven't worn in years. The house is full of clutter. There's no room for new pictures on my digital camera, because I never want to delete any. The worst is my Outlook inbox at work. It is full. It's more than full. I'm living on the equivalent of an email overdraft account. As of this afternoon, I have exactly 5,368 messages in my Inbox. They date back to 2002.

3. Study for the actuary exam - Mmm. Yeah. The test is in less than a month. Four weeks. Have I studied at all? No. Have I even opened a book? No. I did print out a few pages from the practice test, but I think I threw them out when I was trying to be super-organized last week.

4. Register Ethan for school - Well, this isn't completely put off. I did call last week and set up the appointment. It's actually tomorrow afternoon. Problem is, I need to reschedule. Seems I "forgot" we need his birth certificate to register him, and I haven't ordered that yet. Plus, I have to dig out the deed to our house and three other forms of ID to prove we're actual residents of this fine city. (Please. Like I'd make that up. If I was going to lie about where I lived, I'd pick a nicer place with a better school system.)

5. Send thank you notes - I'm HORRIBLE about this. Terrible. I always delay thank you's until it gets to the point where it would actually be insulting to send one. I ordered special thank you cards after CG's first birthday. They were preprinted with a picture of him. All I had to do was address and mail. They're still sitting on my desk. Four months later. Maybe I'll just save them for Christmas?

6. Review the pile of medical bills - And when I say "pile", I mean PILE. There are dozens, sitting, unopened on the counter. I know that they're waiting for me. I'll get around to them when I'm good and ready. I told a friend abot them, and she said, "Aren't you worried about them?" I laughed. I can't be worried about them. Gas bills, electric bills, mortgage bills. Those things I worry about. I don't pay them, they shut off the service. They take my house away. But medical bills? They aren't going to undo Ethan's surgery. For once, they can be patient.

Heh. "Patient". Get it? See, laughter is the best medicine. I feel better already.

Now off to bed. I'll get to that other stuff later.