Page 2 - 2019 April

Procrastination

Phyllis A. Harmon, DTM

Editor/Publisher

I really should get outside and do some yard work. But then the rain clouds are
Volunteer Coordinator hovering—ready to drop big, fat droplets should I stick my head out the door.
I guess I’ll put it off for another day. The house? A disaster. No time to clean that either.
Procrastination. It serves me well most of the time. Like working on the next speech
for 2019 Spring TLI to finish the 5th level of my path. “No time” I mutter under my breath as I sit back to
watch another movie on the tube. I miss the old educational program when it’s my turn

to give a speech. I could “shoehorn” a speech into any project in the old manuals.
But then, I learned procrastination at an early age. My mother was very skilled at it. She
used to assign me house chores she didn’t want to do or didn’t have ‘time’ to accomplish.
Complete your High Performance Leadership Her reasoning was somewhat sound. She wanted me to learn skills I’d need when I grew

project as the 2019 Spring TLI Volunteer up and was out on my own. On reflection, maybe she just wanted the house cleaned.
So back to the topic at hand. Procrastination. It’s confession time. I procrastinate
Coordinator. If you are a self-starter and enjoy doing yard work and housework because I don’t WANT to do them. There’s a reason EDITORIAL

working with a team, this is the role for you! As they are called chores. I resonate with Urban Dictionary’s definition: ‘Chore - A routine
task that usually spends much of a person’s time and patience. Things most people hate
the Spring TLI Volunteer Coordinator you will doing but have no other choice.’ Yup. That’s true for me.

I also know that to build character and to prove to myself that I’m not a total flake,
recruit and manage a team of eager volunteers I really should—make that must—NOT procrastinate. Which means that I need to run
to work as room coordinators, hospitality the vacuum, pull weeds, and mow the grass really soon. Well, maybe not today . . . those

helpers, and/or event setup and teardown crew threatening clouds are still out there, and I’ve got to go shopping . . .
So what’s your excuse for not getting on with ‘getting
at the Spring TLI on June 22, 2019. on’? Perhaps we should meet for coffee . . . those chores

can certainly wait until tomorrow!
Interested? Contact Emilie Taylor at

pqd@d7toastmasters.org

Volume 5 Issue 7 January 2019 Monthly Columnists 2018-19 Officers Administrative Manager
Publisher Donna Stark, DTM District Director Bob Pugh, ATMS, CL
Phyllis Harmon, DTM John Rodke, DTM John Rodke, DTM Public Relations Manager
Emilie Taylor, DTM
Associate Publisher Cate Arnold, DTM Program Quality Director Lauralee Norris, IP3
Brenda Parsons, ACS, ALS Leanna Lindquist, DTM Emilie Taylor, DTM Voices! is published monthly by District
Harvey Schowe, DTM 7 Toastmasters. First issue published
Senior Editor James Wantz, DTM Club Growth Director
Phyllis Harmon, DTM B. Lee Coyne, ATMS Cate Arnold, DTM August 2014. Submit articles or contact
us at voices@d7toastmasters.org
Paul Fanning, DTM Finance Manager
Associate Editor
Leanna Lindquist, DTM Michelle Alba-Lim, DTM Karen Semprevivo, DTM

2 ONE COMMUNITY VOICES! | APRIL 2019 3
14 ONE COMMUNITY VOICES! | SEPTEMBER 2018 14