We’ll consider Saturn, often termed the Taskmaster, heading this blog. And your favorite ancient astrologer promised last week to enlighten you, dear readers, with some thoughts of which Sun Signs are most apt to procrastinate.
Well. I hasten to disabuse you of the notion perhaps one or two signs may not indulge in putting things off, because, frankly I cannot find astrological evidence for ANY sign not succumbing at least sporadically.
From Aries to Pisces, none of us are immune from the very human tendency to ‘wait and see’, or ‘I’ll do it later’, or ‘when I’ve got a little more cash on hand.’ Now this isn’t to chastise any of you or induce guilt. Many of us hesitate to act when we think our efforts are going to fall short of the perfection we’d prefer to achieve. And in today’s oddly shifting economy, you’d be foolish to spend an inordinate amount of money on a project before you had it sufficiently outlined and planned so as to make every quarter and dollar count. If the action we’re hesitating over involves confronting someone or asking for a favor or hoping to change someone’s hurtful behavior (towards themselves or us), then emotions further complicate the issue.
You may have noticed a great many articles being posted about procrastination lately. Even best-selling author Elizabeth Gilbert mentioned in her book, “Big Magic” that so few people ever finish a project, just the act of completing one sets you apart. So having sufficiently established that we are all procrastinators at some point (and no doubt regretting indulging in such behavior), let us see if we can arrive at a memorable phrase or two. These may be used to adjust our attention and, as they say in the South, “Get ‘er done,” instead of browbeating ourselves.
Aries: March 21-April 19
“Taking care of these pesky details just puts me that much closer to my ultimate goal.”
Taurus: April 20-May 20
“It’s just being practical to get several bids on a job instead of accepting the most expensive estimate.”
Gemini: May 21-June 21
“I’m learning to make decisions quickly and fairly. I can do this.”
Cancer: June 22-July 22
“My family may expect me to take forever to accomplish something but that’s past behavior.”
Leo: July 23-August 22
“Everything doesn’t have to be done on a grand scale. Whatever simply meets another person’s expectations is enough.”
Virgo: August 23-September 22
“Seeking perfection isn’t necessarily the best course of action. Over-thinking and over-researching should be discarded.”
Libra: September 23-October 22
“I have all the information I need to make a good, wise and reasonable decision. And it’s done.”
Scorpio: October 23-November 21
“Investigating every motivation behind someone’s actions slows down my accomplishments.”
Sagittarius: November 22-December 21
“I’ll go for a walk and let my mind wander while I enjoy being outdoors. That always helps me get started.”
Capricorn: December 22-January 19
“If I can stay within budget, I’ll do it this way. If I can’t, then I’ll find another solution and not keep worrying about it.”
Aquarius: January 20-February 18
“A crowd supposedly thinking exactly the same way about an issue can turn into a mob. I’ll decide what’s best in this situation.”
Pisces: February 19-March 20
“If I feel the need to ask several people what they think about this idea, then I need to think it through myself first.”
Finally, may I suggest a tip from psychological guru Mel Robbins, who has a great procrastination-buster we can all use. Just make up your mind that instead of staying stuck, approach the job to be done and count backwards: 5 – 4 – 3 – 2- 1 – and plunge in! It works.
All the best, dear readers. Remember you’re not alone in hesitating over an irksome task, for the word ‘procrastination’ also includes the word ‘nation.’ You have lots of company. MZ
And Madame Z., may I offer this corollary to the Leo admonition; it is a motto I keep near my writing desk: As simple as possible, and then simpler.