Start Now, Unless Something Else Comes Up

Written by Steve Stovall

I was asked to write a blog. Two weeks ago.

Then again a week ago. I’m expecting to be asked again today. I’ve been putting it off. It’s ironic that I’ve put off writing this blog about procrastination. Actually, I’ve just had more pressing things to do.  

You know, I get over 200 e-mails every day. It’s a big job to delete all of those e-mails. Some of them contain information that I might need so I am saving them to go back and look at them whenever I have deleted all of the other ones. And, you know, I have agents that need my help. Whenever they come to the office I have to touch base with them and see how much help I can give them. I wonder why they don’t come in much.

And I have stacks. Stacks of papers that need to be touched and moved from one side of the desk to the other. Each of them has some action that needs to happen, eventually. And blogs – like this one! I’ve got blogs and newsletters and magazines to read. Right now I’m looking at a stack of 7 or 8 Realtor magazines. I just know that there is so much valuable information in them that it will take too much time than I have right now.

Well, last night I couldn’t sleep. I was thinking about some of my agents. I want them to be successful and happy and make a difference. That’s the stuff that keeps me awake at night. So I got up. I usually get to the office at 8:30, but today I got here at 6:00! I had to make some changes to the Policy Manual and I wanted to get it out, and I did. I wanted to start attacking all of these stacks in my office, and I did. And, I wanted to write this blog. And I am!

Lots of A-type personalities are like me. We are great fire fighters. When there’s a problem we are right in the middle of it with a solution. It’s stressful and exciting. We get used to that stress level and the rest of this other stuff seems mundane. It doesn’t have the excitement of putting out a fire. I hate that detail stuff, but in not dealing with it, it tends to stack up. Then it really becomes a problem. So, let’s use our problem solving skills to stop the procrastination!

I’m going to do better. I’m going to use my time management skills to keep things from stacking up. I’m going to exercise and eat right and love my neighbor. I just have to figure out how to do all of those things. I think I’ll work on that later.

To read our previous blog, click here.