It’s kind of ironic that I am writing an article on procrastination and am waiting until the very last-minute to write this. But, I don’t think procrastination is always a bad thing. There are many times that my best work is done when I’m running late or I’m down to the wire.
Procrastination is defined as the practice of doing more pleasurable things in place of less pleasurable ones or carrying out less urgent tasks instead of more urgent ones, thus putting off impending tasks to a later time.
Today’s parents are bombarded with tasks that need doing for themselves and their families; work, kids’ school projects, after school activities, carpooling, cooking dinner every night, cleaning the kitchen…and the list goes on.
Whether we realize it or not, those tasks automatically get sorted into “want-to-do,” “need-to-do-now,” and “can-do-later”. It’s not so much about procrastinating on tasks, but prioritizing and reprioritizing our tasks into what’s most urgent and what can wait.
Before I had kids, I felt like I was on top of things. I could multi-task every aspect of my life, start work projects right away, get all the details perfect, and get everything done ahead of schedule. I envisioned having kids kind of the same way. I’d be that mom who would bake scratch made cupcakes for school parties and bake sales, had plenty of time to volunteer, have coffee with other moms after drop off, etc.
Now I have kids and that is SOOOO not my life.
As a mom, I’m constantly juggling my life and my family’s lives. My inner perfectionist has had to take a back seat and accept that things just have to get done. With three kids, I barely have time to do what I want to do, much less everything that is asked of me. The opportunity for a #RealityMomFail moment is there every single day and when they happen I own it and move on. My life these days is about prioritizing and doing what needs doing that day and being okay with pushing things back that can wait.
Twitter is full of #MOMFAIL moments like this one:
So St. Patrick’s Day parties are a thing in preschool. #whoknew #momfail ?☘️
— Lauren (@Larlowe) March 18, 2017
This #Momfail moment isn’t completely about this mom’s procrastination, but someone else’s. I know I’ve been there and you’ve probably been there too. At the last minute, I’m jumping through hoops to get something done. It’s frustrating but sometimes it can be a good thing.
Let me explain. Using the St. Patty’s party example above, let’s say you found out the morning of the party and spring into action. Instead of spending a bunch of time baking cupcakes, you run to the closest bakery (which, by the way, you’ve never had the time to visit before). There you discover the BEST chocolate and caramel gluten-free cupcakes on the planet. You grab cupcakes for the class, which the kids love, making you the #BestMomEver!
Procrastination isn’t a bad thing in my book. I’m still getting the job done on my timetable. When it’s down to the wire, I’m not wasting a bunch of time making it “Perfect”, but it’s not a #momfail moment either. It’s a busy mom doing the best with the time she has. So embrace your inner procrastinator and own it and you’ll be the #BestMomEver!
Nicky Omohundro jokingly refers to herself as a semi-crunchy glamping momma with a touch of wanderlust. Powered by coffee, real food, and the goal to do something new each and every month. She, along with her husband and their three children, is often outdoors hiking, kayaking, camping, and having fun. She loves to travel and has started freelancing as a travel writer. You can follow her adventures on her site Little Family Adventure or on Instagram where she shares food, fun, and daily adventures she calls life.
