This is NOT me.

Although I'm sure you'll all think so after it's been a week since I've posted. I swear I've not procrastated. Class Tues, lots of homework plus an extra lesson now to prep for for the youth group, then subbing both Thursday and Friday. And I'm sure you don't want to know about the long hours spent at the church office on Wednesday fighting both the church's printer and the photocopier. So, no, Pete, I do not have a lot of free time. In fact, what time I do spend online is more of a "wind down" for me than anything.

Anyway, this appeared in the paper yesterday. I laughed when I saw it, and (of course) read it immediately. Mari, on the other hand, did not read it until last night when I pushed it infront of him. He laughed, and yes, got the point. ^.^

January 12, 2007
"Scientists get around to study of putting it off"
by Seth Borenstein - Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Procrastination in society is getting worse, and scientists are finally getting around to figuring out how and why. Too many tempting diversions are to blame, but more on that later.

After 10 years of research on a project that was supposed to take only five years, a Canadian industrial psychologist found in a giant study that not only is procrastination on the rise, it makes people poorer, fatter and unhappier.

Something has to be done about it, sooner rather than later, University of Calgary professor Piers Steel concludes. His 30-page study is in this month’s peer-reviewed Psychological Bulletin, published by the American Psychological Association.

In 1978, only about 5 percent of the American public thought of themselves as chronic procrastinators. Now it’s 26 percent, Steel said.

And why not? There are so many fun ways to kill time — TVs in every room, online video, Web-surfing, cell phones, video games, iPods and Blackberries. At work, e-mail, the Internet and games are just a click away, making procrastination effortless, Steel said.

“That stupid game Minesweeper — that probably has cost billions of dollars for the whole society,” he said. The U.S. gross national product would probably rise by $50 billion if the icon that notifies people of new e-mail suddenly disappeared, he added.

“People who procrastinate tend to be less healthy, less wealthy and less happy,” Steel said Wednesday. “You can reduce it, but I don’t think you can eliminate it.”

Psychologist William Knaus, who has written several self-help books on fighting procrastination since 1977’s “Overcoming Procrastination,” said Steel is “absolutely right.” He said he found it harder to wean chronic procrastinators from the habit of delaying than to wean alcoholics from booze. Knaus mentioned one businessman who spent 40 hours of delay time to avoid five minutes of work.

Overall, more than a quarter of Americans say they procrastinate. Men are worse than women (about 54 of 100 chronic procrastinators are men) and the young are more likely to procrastinate than the old, Steel said. Three of four college students consider themselves procrastinators.

Anyway, thought that was very interesting. And, I'm proud to say, I am way less of a procrastinator now than I was in college! Aren't ya proud, mom? ;) lol

Good luck to all you who still are! I'll be praying for you!