The Art of Procrastination

One of the many hallmarks of neurodivergence is procrastination. Before I go any further, I want to recognize that no other five-syllable word seems to carry the same burden of judgment, guilt, and negativity. With that being said, it may be the never-ending to-do list, the anxiety about the future, or the depths of hellish exhaustion (being without my thyroid meds. for two weeks did not help that situation), but whatever the case, I recently, unwittingly, began to notice, not out of shame, just observation, the role procrastination plays in my life and my emotional health. Something just clicked. I can clearly (for the most part) identify why (when) I put off particular tasks. And it seems to present itself in two very different scenarios - one helpful and the other - not so much.  

And that is where this anecdote comes in. As an employer, DRC remits payroll taxes. The forms and the taxes are due each quarter - one month after the quarter ends. So, in this case, today. These always represent an enormous financial hit for DRC, especially at this time of year when other important, weighty expenses are due. I knew we would be "borrowing" thousands from the Money Market account to cover these obligations. Therefore, I buried my head in the sand and put off the task till Friday morning, when I knocked it out in less than 30 minutes. Yes, it was traumatizing to transfer those funds - but hiding from the pain didn't make it easier. And crossing it off the to-do list lifted some emotional burden off my shoulders.

On the other hand, procrastination is arguably the most powerful tool in my creative toolbox. When I have a kernel of an idea and sit down to write or design something, and then realize I am spending way too much time wrangling and wrestling with it  - I know it hasn't finished percolating in the background and needs more time to incubate - before it is ready to come out. In most cases, I just let it simmer in the depths of that juicy creative space.

The only time I force something is when I have promised someone I would have a project for them in a particular time frame. I don't normally rely on external stimuli, but in this case, it is what I need to follow through on obligations - knowing that it may not be my best effort because it didn't get enough time to develop is sometimes painful, but it is never worth making someone wait on me.

Circling back, I clearly have not mastered the art of procrastination - quite yet. I don't know why that sigh of relief and the knowledge that I can usually get whatever I dread - done in very little time - is not enough to motivate me to do them moments before the deadlines. That may be the next piece of this to figure out. I'll let you know when (if) I do.  

In the meantime - let's all promise to give ourselves and others the grace to figure out how to leverage the art of procrastination to our advantage.

Weekly Creative Meditation

DRC News

As I mentioned earlier, the financial health of DRC is and has always been precarious. To that end, we are working to put together a team of parents, board members, and community volunteers from both Centers to develop fundraising ideas. If you are interested in helping with this effort, please get in touch.

Our first fundraiser is a 50/50 raffle. Families and Board members will be selling $5.00 tickets starting this week. Reach out to me or Karen at DRC-East to buy tickets or if you are interested in helping us sell them. 

This quote was overheard when walking past the computer lab/library/classroom. Later, I asked R what he was talking about. He explained that he had built an intricate map inside one of the Roblox games that anyone could use, and it took him four days to do it.

This is just one example of the complexity found within the gaming world. These kids are not simply playing games - they are quite literally building/creating/designing them as they go.

I can't even begin to describe the levels of understanding it takes to delve into this world and the layers of skills being developed as they play.

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We had a very full week at both Centers. Thank you to the group of parents & volunteers who met at DRC-East Wednesday morning to begin brainstorming fundraising ideas.

And I want to take a few moments to recognize the enormous contribution the Foster/Peet crew make to DRC. The list of things they take on is endless - but the latest is these beautifully repaired steps and new hand rail.

Enjoy these photo galleries from the past week.