"Do It Now"

January 3, 2010

Three days in a row - pretty good for a New Year's Resolution!

Today’s Bit of Advice…..

"Do it Now"!

I have to admit that this piece of advice is not original to me (of course!).  The “Do It Now” principle is one of the key pieces to the FlyLady’s Plan For Life – well, that’s what I call it.  If you aren’t familiar with the FlyLady, look her up on Google or check her website www.FlyLady.net.  Initially you might think her site and ideas are a bit corny.  After all, the first thing she tells you to do to get your life in order is to shine your kitchen sink.  How shining your sink and learning to appreciate yourself and others is connected becomes apparent as you go through her program (even though they don’t seem to be related in the beginning stages).

The “Do It Now” principle has become important to my life.  I am a perfectionist.  I am also a procrastinator.  Through the FlyLady program I’ve learned that I’m not alone as a procrastinating perfectionist.  There are many others just like me.  I’ve earned the title, like others, because I avoid doing things that I can’t do perfectly.  For example…. My computer desk is a disaster – an organized disaster.  It is a horrible mess.  I know in my mind what I want it to look like but the desk only gets more disheveled instead of better.  Why?  Because I can’t make the small decisions involved in reorganizing and tidying it up.  Small decisions like where to put the paper clips.  Should I put the scanner on the right of the left of the computer?  If I can’t do it perfectly, I avoid doing it at all.  Thus, the procrastinating perfectionist.

FlyLady has taught me that it’s okay to want things to look nice and to that de-cluttering and organizing my stuff will help me feel better as a person.  She has also taught me that the word “perfect” needs to be removed from my vocabulary.  And that I’m not allowed to procrastinate anymore.  The Do It Now Principle in effect.

To help me learn to Do It Now, FlyLady has established every Wednesday as “Anti-Procrastination Day”. It’s the day of the week when all are encouraged to do the things they’ve put off –scheduling a dentist appointment, getting your hair cut, cleaning out the junk drawer.  Knowing there is a designated day of the week to take care of the items you’d rather avoid is quite helpful.  At least for me is has been helpful.  When I just accept that I have to DO IT NOW, I do it.  And realize it isn’t really that hard.  And understand that I should have just done it when it first needed to be done.

What will I do this week on Anti-Procrastination Day?  Well, I know there are still gifts under our Christmas tree that need to be put away.  The stockings are still hung by our chimney with care (and need to be taken down).  I’ve been out of vitamins for almost a week.  Reservations for an upcoming event need to be made.  Maybe I’ll even do some of those things right now instead of waiting until Wednesday.

What will you do this week on Anti-Procrastination Day?

What have you been putting off and why?

Implement the “Do It Now” principle and let me know what you did.  I’d like to hear about it.