The procrastination instinct

I wake up every morning with the best of intentions. I will accomplish things. I will get the ball rolling. I will cross things off my to-do list. But my actual resolve to follow through on these things varies from day to day. I always intend to, I always want to, but my firm commitment to achieving these simple tasks isn't always what I wish it to be. And today, as I came to realize it wasn't one of my better "getting-stuff-done" days, I started to ponder the notion of procrastination.

This human inclination makes no sense to me. What evolutionary purpose could the need to procrastinate possibly fill? I don't get it. And I think that it's an instinct specific to humans. You don't see geese hanging around New England till mid-December thinking to themselves, "Well, I guess I could fly south today, but I'm just gonna wait till tomorrow." If you suggest going for a walk to my dog, he doesn't roll his eyes and sigh, "Maybe later..." He gets up! He's ready. Now. Why don't I enjoy this same get-up-and-go attitude? Hmm? What advantage am I reaping by putting stuff off? I know I feel better after a day of being productive than a day of doing nothing, and yet I'm still so inclined to sit around stagnant. 

I've just finished a book, The Last American Man, by Elizabeth Gilbert. It's a nonfictional account of a man who leaves his home at the age of 17 to live off the land in modern day America. Not my usual fare, but interesting nonetheless. And I can't help but grin sheepishly at the irony: me, sitting around for 3 hours today reading about a guy who is entirely self-motivated, who fills every minute of his 20 hour days working, planning, learning and teaching. Tirelessly. I don't have a lot of desire to go find my own road-kill dinner, but I do wish I could have a little more purpose in my life. That I could go to bed at night proud of what I'd accomplished during the day, and itching to start again tomorrow. 

But today, my list of accomplishments basically stops after: finish book. Check. Maybe I'll stop considering the logic of procrastination, and actually make a little more progress tomorrow...