Ray’s Daily
December 9, 2020
“Don’t put off for tomorrow what you can do today because if you enjoy it today, you can do it again tomorrow.”
James A. Michener
What I don’t understand is why with so much time on my hands why it is so easy to delay things I should be doing. I too often succumb to the siren song of procrastination. It seems if I delay until tomorrow tomorrow never comes.
I am afraid in my case I always seem to wait to the last minute to get things done and it is still how I often behave. The crazy thing is that I usually find that my tasks are easily done. I definitely am going to change my ways, tomorrow. Here is an abridged article that may help.
How to Get Things Done During COVID-19.
Gretchen Rubin
Tips to help you focus and get things done during COVID-19:
Often we procrastinate because it’s so hard to get started. To fight this, break a task into manageable pieces. Push yourself to accomplish just one step today. Tomorrow, another step. Once we get started, it’s much easier to continue.
Work uninterrupted for realistic blocks of time—25 minutes, 50 minutes. Then take a 10-minute break. This is sometimes called the “pomodoro method.”
Protect yourself from interruption. Talk to your family about respecting your “do-not-disturb” time. If possible, work in a space where you’re alone.
Protect yourself from the temptations of the internet. Use programs like Freedom, RescueTime or Self Control to disconnect from the internet or from certain particularly distracting websites. Turn off notifications on your phone. Don’t check social media during work time.
Set aside a specific time for a task you’ve been putting off, and during that time, don’t allow yourself to do anything else.
Schedule a dreaded task for a time when your energy and focus is high. If you’re a morning person like me, do it first thing in the morning. If you’re a night person, perhaps after lunch is better.
Ask for help. Often we procrastinate because we’re not exactly sure how to proceed. Ask yourself, “Could someone help me move forward? What information would make it easier to take the next step?”
We procrastinate more when we’re feeling low-energy. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep and some exercise to keep your energy and your self-control high.
~~~
“Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work in hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.”
Alexander Graham Bell
~~~
“Think of the long view of life, not just what’s going to happen today or tomorrow. Don’t give up what you most want in life for something you think you want now.”
Elder Richard G. Scott
~~~
Barbie
c/o Mattel, Inc.
El Segundo, CA 90245
Santa Claus
North Pole, North Pole
Dear Santa,
Listen you ugly little troll, I’ve been helping you out every year, playing at being the perfect Christmas present, wearing skimpy bathing suits in frigid weather, and drowning in fake tea from one too many tea parties, and I hate to break it to ya Santa, but IT’S DEFINITELY PAYBACK TIME! There had better be some changes around here this Christmas, or I’m gonna call for a nationwide meltdown (and trust me, you won’t wanna be around to smell it). So, here’s my holiday wish list for 2007:
1. A nice, comfy pair of sweat pants and a frumpy, oversized sweatshirt. I’m sick of looking like a hooker. How much smaller are these bathing suits gonna get? Do you have any idea what it feels like to have nylon and Velcro crawling up your butt?
2. Real underwear that can be pulled on and off. Preferably white. What bonehead at Mattel decided to cheap out and MOLD imitation underwear to my skin?!? It looks like cellulite!
3. A REAL man…maybe GI Joe. Hell, I’d take Tickle-Me Elmo over that wimped-out excuse for a boytoy, Ken. And what’s with that earring anyway? If I’m gonna have to suffer with him, at least make him (and me) anatomically correct.
4. Arms that actually bend so I can push the aforementioned Ken-wimp away once he is anatomically correct.
5. Breast reduction surgery. I don’t care whose arm you have to twist, get it done.
6. A jogbra. To wear until I get the surgery.
7. A new career. pet doctor and school teacher just don’t cut it. How about a systems analyst? Or better yet, a public relations senior account exec!
8. A new, more 2008 persona. Maybe “PMS Barbie”, complete with a miniature container of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream and a bag of chips; “Animal Rights Barbie” with my very own paint gun, outfitted with a fake fur coat, bottle of spray on blood and handcuffs; or a “Stop Smoking Barbie” sporting a removable Nicotrol patch and equipped with several packs of gum.
9. No more McDonald’s endorsements. The grease is wrecking my vinyl.
10. Mattel stock options. It’s been 37 years. I deserve it.
OK, Santa, that’s it. Considering my valuable contribution to society, I don’t think these requests are out of line. If you disagree, then you can find yourself a new bitch for next Christmas.
It’s that simple.
Yours truly, Barbie
~~~
Learn from the mistakes of others. Trust me … you can’t live long enough to make them all yourself. I’ve tried!!
~~~
“I just hope it’s not Alzheimer’s,” confessed the gentleman to his doctor.
“Maybe there’s some kind of memory medicine you can give me. See, I’m getting terribly forgetful; I lose track of where I’m going or what I’m supposed to do when I get there. What should I do?” he asked glumly.
“Pay me in advance,” the doctor promptly suggested.
~~~
Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I’ll try again tomorrow.”
Maryanne Radmacher
~~~
An honest seven-year-old admitted calmly to her parents Johnnie had kissed her after class.
“How did that happen?” gasped her mother.
It wasn’t easy,” admitted the young lady, “but three other girls helped me catch him.”
~~~
Today’s subliminal message is ” “
~~~
A troop of Boy Scouts was being used as “guinea pigs” in a test of emergency systems. A mock earthquake was staged, and the Scouts impersonated wounded persons who were to be picked up and cared for by the emergency units.
One Scout was supposed to lie on the ground and await his rescuers, but the first-aid people got behind schedule, and the Scout lay “wounded” for several hours. When the first-aid squad arrived where the casualty was supposed to be, they found nothing but a brief note: “Have bled to death and gone home.”
~~~
“The really happy people are those who have broken the chains of procrastination, those who find satisfaction in doing the job at hand. They’re full of eagerness, zest, productivity. You can be, too.”
Norman Vincent Peale
~~~
Indianapolis, Indiana
Management is not responsible for duplicates from previous dailies. The editor is somewhat senile.
Ray’s Daily has been sent for more than twenty years to people who want to start their day on an upbeat. If you have system overload because of our daily clutter, let me know and I will send you the information via mental telepathy. If you have not been getting our daily you can request to be added by e-mailing me at raykiwsp@gmail.com. Back issues are posted at http://rays-daily,com/ currently there are more than 2000 readers from around the world.
Ray's Daily 
Leave a Reply