27 April, 2011

Lord of Procrastination (for ever, and ever)

The most effective form of procrastination is that which artfully masquerades as 'preparation'.

For me, this will often take the form of:

- finding some appropriate study attire: I want a big warm jumper, thick socks: after all, I'm going to be effectively studying for quite some time!

- music: I can't just study in sterile silence! No, no, that would never do...so I'll find some..no, that's too noisy, it'll distract me, and I can't have that....yes, there we go, that's nice background...I'll turn it up a bit...there.

- should I have a cup of tea? I pretty much never drink tea but a lot of my learned friends who study lots speak of tea-filled study sessions. Yeah, better put the kettle on...

...and so much time is spent setting the scene for an idealised painting, perhaps titled "Sedulous Study 2: Autumn" or somesuch, so that I get very little done.

The worst thing is when I start to document my procrastination in blog form.


2 comments:

NORTH said...

Fabulous. This is what I do too - except I'll make a pot of tea because I know I'll want a few cups, and then I need to tidy my study space, and then read a book to get my mind active, and on it goes.

Bennett said...

Nothing like spending the first half of holidays designed a comprehensive holiday study timetable then not fulfilling it ... sigh