Image is mine
There is a reason why procrastination is deemed the thief of time. For starters, we feel that time is abundant, but it's not. You know my favorite quote of all time is seize the moment because I learned the hard way. Personally, I have come to realize that there is time for everything, and once we miss it, we'd just be hanging on to regrets of what would have been, which is one thing I really do hate.
I remember 6 years ago, the goodbye call that I never returned. Every now and then I miss a call from people and I try to return it "when I can." It's not like there's anything stopping me from returning it immediately, but I'd always go with silly excuses to prevent me from doing what I'm supposed to do at the right time. If it's any consolation to myself, returning calls gives me anxiety for some weird reasons I cannot even begin to explain.
Back to my experience
It was December, 6 years ago, the period of festivities. I was still nursing and had spoken to my aunt on a video call. After seeing me and my baby, she requested to speak to my mom, after which she informed us she would send us some funds to celebrate. We were super excited, and true and true, we were all credited. Fast forward to a few days after Christmas and a few days before New Year's, my aunt called again, but I missed it. And while I ought to return it, I kept dragging my feet and thinking, Oh, it's a few days to New Year; I will just keep the call till the beginning of another year and call her at once to wish her a happy New Year.
New Year came and went. The following day, we were to pay another of my aunt a visit, and I thought, Ok, when we return, I'll call my aunt together and also gist her on the visit to my other aunt, who was also her sister. We got to my aunt's place, and she was not around, just my niece and nephews. My mom and I sat feeling comfortable waiting for her to return. After waiting for several hours, she came in with another of my aunt who lived away. We were surprised to see her at the same time excited but while we were smiling to welcome them, they had their face tightened and for a second there I felt maybe they don't want us around. My mother ignored their frowns and proceeded to asking my aunt from a distance how she was fairing with her family. Instead of a response, she immediately burst out crying while my other aunt was trying so hard to hold back her tears.
My mom and I looked at each other confused, wondering what happened. At first I thought maybe they'd been scammed or maybe something had happened to the husband of the one crying. But listening closely to her lamentations amidst tears, she was calling my aunt's name, the one I was hoping to call when we get home. My heart flew; what could have happened? I kept pondering. After several consolations, they broke the news that my aunt was dead; she died that morning, and they were coming to our house to break the news before receiving a call that we were already around.
I staggered back to the chair I was sitting in and collapsed there. But we spoke; she called me a few days ago. I'm supposed to call her today when I get home. How come she's dead? Was all that I could mutter.
Up until this moment I can't even explain what I feel about that experience. I have also not been able to shake off the feeling of not hearing from my aunt one last time. I still haven't brought myself to inform my mom that my late aunt did call and I failed to return it.
Everyday, it's me living with guilt and regrets of not hearing from my aunt one last time.
Delving deeper into procrastination, I'd like to see it as a virus because they somehow have the same characteristics. For instance, a virus cannot self-replicate; instead, it must infect cells and use components of the host cells to replicate itself. For procrastination, in other to get a strong hold on us, it feeds on our weak points to keep us distracted from doing what really matters at that particular point. Probably you have a dead line, and your favourite soap opera is on or you need to be at the office early but just can't get enough of that early morning sleep. These scenarios and more are all food to procrastination, the act of postponement and I will do it later.
To defeat procrastination one needs to be very skilled in effective time management by sorting out tasks as soon as they arise and getting things sorted immediately as they occur. But even at that most of us still lack the basic knowledge and concept of time management.
For me, effective time management is streamlining my activities into a scale of preferences especially on days where I feel overwhelmed. It is important to note that things become preferential based on the importance that we give to them, and this is where procrastination tends to give some of us an uppercut. "I will do it later," and "There is still time; I can meet up." Once we start giving such excuses, we are romanticizing procrastination, and the consequences are always dire.
Above is my response to the Sci-fi Inleo prompt. You can participate HERE
