Procrastination

is a legitimate part of the process

Mar 11, 2025

Is this true? No one knows! But I tell myself this – that procrastination is a legitimate part of the process – to help me forgive me.

I am a champion procrastinator. Olympic-level, particularly (and perplexingly) when it comes to doing long-term things I actually want to do and will enjoy having done in the future. That is why you will find me feverishly mopping the kitchen floor when I have a hard deadline in four hours for an article I haven’t started writing yet, or suddenly deciding that both dogs need baths when what I need to do is respond to a time-sensitive email from someone who’s literally offering me something I want.

There is always a deadline.

And there is always enough time to procrastinate.

I make time.

Eventually, I know I’ll stress myself out enough to get whatever I’m supposed to be doing done. The key is getting to that point.

With that, and in homage to the procrastination post on the fabulous Home By India Knight newsletter, I give you:

All the Things I Did on Saturday Before Working on the One Thing I Actually Needed to Work On:

Let the dogs out and fed them, made coffee, and brought Davin coffee in bed.
Stayed in bed w/Dav drinking coffee and giggling for 30 minutes while researching patio furniture on my phone (why are even the ugliest patio sets like a thousand dollars)
Took an everything shower / told myself in shower I would get out and immediately start working.
…as soon as I toweled off, applied great wads of lotion, did a face mask, and deep-conditioned my hair.
Looked critically at toe and fingernail polish, decided to do a full at-home mani-pedi, bc how can i work with cuticles like this!!!!
Became suspicious that new nail polish is the reason nails are so brittle lately; went deep into reddit for answers.
Drank breakfast smoothie.
Took a mighty pawful of vitamins and supplements (passive healthy living, i love it!!)
Texted five people back, which led to a lot of fooling around with the google calendar.
Let the dogs out again, realized I’d forgotten to message a new friend back on instagram, opened instagram.
Oops [40 minutes later, never opened messages]
Bricked my phone so I could start working for real.
Stood up, stretched, and then flipped idly through the newest Vogue on the kitchen counter. Sabrina Carpenter is on the cover this month wearing an eerily familiar-looking satin bustier dress; the Vogue had been on the counter for days and it had been driving me crazy trying to remember where I’d seen a dress just like that before. Discovered it’s a Dolce & Gabbana bustier dress that looks familiar because I’d seen and been obsessed with Dolce & Gabbana bustier dresses the first time around in the 90s.
Slapped the Vogue back on the counter and said “They think this is so brand new???” aloud.
Misted the giant fern in the kitchen.
Brushed teeth, put makeup on, wiped the sink and mirror with the hand towel.
Put used hand towel in laundry basket; hung new hand towel.
Restocked toilet paper.
Stood slack-jawed in front of perfume cabinet trying to decide which perfume to wear for the day.
10 minutes later, having deeply and thoughtfully sniffed about 15 perfumes, decided on the first one I’d picked up (Blackbird’s Universal Supreme).
Drove to the drugstore (out of contact solution and shampoo).
Drove to Menards (Davin needed special nails and I offered to go for him after the drugstore.)
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Spent 45 minutes wandering dreamily through Menards and glaring at expensive plastic patio furniture. Purchased: dog treats, special nails, paint pans, Strawberry Peach LaCroix, three of the only citronella candles i’ve ever liked the smell of that were on sale, and mouse repellant packs that really work but are also just overpriced packets of wood shavings and pine oil. (In the spring, mice always try to climb up into my car’s filter and this seems to stop them.)
Told myself, driving home, that I would get home and immediately start working.
Got home and asked Davin – who was covered in sawdust, working this whole time on house stuff – if he wanted me to make lunch.
“Today’s your day to be working, let me make lunch.” - Davin.
Made lunch for both of us after insisting I was starving and didn’t mind.
Let dogs out.
Let dogs in and wiped them off, it is disgustingly muddy outside. Stared at muddy March backyard and fantasized about being someone who was motivated enough to put in an adorable rain and pollinator garden.
Fought off powerful urge to vacuum downstairs; I must work!!!
…as soon as I make a tea.
Made a tea and promptly forgot about it because while it was steeping, I went upstairs to pee and then played with a new lipstick (Lisa Eldridge Velvet Duchess, holy shit)
Went downstairs; realized I’d once again made tea and forgotten it. This is a near-daily occurrence.
Vacuumed downstairs.
Mentally argued that only a silly goose would get the vacuum out and vacuum just the downstairs; vacuumed upstairs.
Became angry with myself, went upstairs and sat down to work.
…as soon as I check my email.
…and the YMCA group classes schedule.
Must put Monday class into work calendar.
And regular calendar.
Should I take a nap?
NO, it’s sunny out; took Teddy for a long walk instead.
And then Elwood, since these dogs cannot walk together.
Wow YES walk outside was what I needed all along, why didn’t I do this first thing, my god why am I like this, I know I need a long walk every day, I feel like a new person.
Got home, mopped dogs off again, filled my huge water bottle full of water and ice, jesus christ it’s 4 PM.
Sat down to work on the thing I needed to do.
Decided to write this post instead. WHY AM I LIKE THIS.
Davin called me for dinner; there is a new episode of White Lotus. He has been talking about watching it all day. I must watch it.
It is now 9:30 PM and I have to get up by 7 tomorrow.
Better make it 6.
…so I can actually work tomorrow.
Which I will do! I swear!
…as soon as I check my work email.