PROCRASTINATION

 PROCRASTINATION

Practically, “to procrastinate", is a human behaviour independent of gender, religion, race or geographic location and so on.

If so, what is ‘procrastination?’

The term refers to the practice or habit of delaying something by our uninterested state of mind or our basic hatred for a thing.

Ask any man who cooks his food, he would state, I love cooking but not the aftermath of cleaning those utensils. Most home-maker women do reveal the same attitude of hatred for cleaning used vessels.

Naturally, the ‘vessel-cleaning’ act awaits attention until impossible to delay any further. Well. It is not just for ‘vessel cleaning’.

Every one of our activities can get delayed by our sheer unwillingness to do a thing. A variety of examples can be suggested to explain the delaying tactic or procrastination.

A common sight of parents requesting the son to get his dress stitched for the ensuing event like wedding or some festival like Deepavali, is a case in point.  

Every day the boy would say I shall do it tomorrow and this tomorrow keeps eluding ; the irritated father catches the boy by the scruff of his neck and drags him to the tailor; because, the tailor would insist on correct present measurements as the boy keeps growing [dimensions change].

The parent is worried because on an auspicious occasion if one person in the family has to go without new garments, it would be hurting. Though the boy too knows   the prospect of ‘hurt’ that would descend on him, his disinclination causes hardship of blame or reprimand from parents.

Can we take it that the parent is better oriented to responsibilities/ duties?  Sadly or honestly NO is the answer.

Look at how his boss yells at him.

For how long should I be begging you for a consolidated statement on the list of items awaiting sanction from the head-quarter? Every week you have a stock reply of ‘server’ not responding.

I cannot any longer listen to your ‘server’ story.

If by tomorrow afternoon, the statement is not placed before me by 2.00 pm take it that you will be placed under suspension pending enquiry.

 In plain terms, for the next half year [6 months] you need to be contended with half pay [without allowances], get lost..    

Now the parent [employee] works like a man possessed, sacrificing his evening gossip with friends, gets back home by 9.00 pm, eats, retires for the night. Sets off to office by 7.30 am the next day .survives on a loaf of bread /tea for breakfast and manages to get the list complete by 1.30 pm. He heaves a faint sigh of relief –hoping to have warded off the prospect of suspension just around Deepavali . Lest he should be facing the wrath of his ever aggressive wife, who never minces words when it comes to scolding her husband.

 That is the lone event that does not witness procrastination! 

Procrastination does occur in official projects as well. Regional governments fail to honour deadlines and projects   get delayed --facing cost escalation and shelving of incomplete work. In all,  it [procrastination] looks to be a habitual hobby or social /national malady