Write it down!

I have never been a person to procrastinate. I can’t wait till tomorrow just to work again. At night, I write down all the tasks I have to do before I tuck myself into bed. I number them according to priority, so the next day it’s always first things first. “A journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step.” Right? By midnight I’ve sorted out my work for the next day. I would have placed my papers inside envelopes each addressed to a staff member; written down the chores for my home secretary, Tony; paid the bills, sent out dresses to Auggie for repair and delivered fruits laid out for each daughter for the weekend on the long table outside my room; gotten medicines, set menus, etc.

It’s a blessing that every day at the office I have Marie to myself to dictate memos and letters as long as I give her the list and edit her outcome. Out the memos go. I don’t even mind being enlightened by Marie — meaning, corrected. “Ma’am, first responders must establish an incident command system, which allows for a systematic transfer of critical fire scene information.” Ah, okay! “Wilma… Are you there? During lunchtime I promise to tell you about two thin coats of mascara to look more natural than one thick coat.” Wilma answers me, “Ma’am, in your speech regarding management remember to say leadership can cause discomfort — I mean, Ma’am, criticism…” Gotcha! “Rose, what’s the pudon as differentiated from budong?” “In your research, that’s a peace pact that can be applied by uniformed personnel to settle feuds among the northern villagers they’re assigned to. It could bring the perpetrators of the crime to justice faster than local courts…” Amen.

“Elit, can that discount ticket to Cagayan de Oro be changed to another day? Did you fall asleep again waiting for your turn in the PAL office? What number was your ticket?” “Mina, please come by. I like your report on the Field Training Seminar, hopefully those policemen will be inculcated with the needed core values, service, integrity and justice.” “Egoy, when is my appointment with the Secretary? What’s the menu for our command conference?” Every first day of the week our lawyers Benjie, Alvin, Cesar, Manny and Mon brainstorm accreditation by equivalence. “And Roger? What do you mean by ‘coordination’? Punch your computer.” “Ma’am, it’s the skillful and effective interaction of movements. Synchronization of activities. Liaisoning.”

I am told a workspace should be an inspiration to action. It’s a motivator. But the six of us can work anywhere. We can work on a plane, we can work while we walk, in a restaurant, in the car and a room that’s 8 x 7 feet. We can work on a crowded desk, too. I throw the non-consequential items from my desk to the floor. We can’t have secrets in a tiny space but we’re all tight-lipped. It just comes naturally; we’re support systems to one another.

We just go on working and working because we hardly use our cell phones. We take a sip of coffee only when we’re nodding our foreheads on our desk. Take a camote break from Manang Precy or junk food from the filing cabinet and eat in small bites as we rush to finish assignments, with no excuses for delays.

I’m so lucky that those I work with enjoy what they do. They write special orders, memos, compile and write manuals after I edit them and we’re all focused on our end vision to serve and be proud that our students have learned something different.

Our office moods vary from silence to occasional laughter but always at a fast tempo. Wilma and I are always walking quickly, moving quickly, writing fast, acting quickly. Everything I do I consider an experience. It’s amazing how much more we can do when we push ourselves and yet remember to be detailed.

I like tasks that force me to overcome my fears and anxiety. Face it and get it over with, I insist to myself. I can’t work when something’s bugging me. I’d rather confront the issue, get the load off my chest, feel happy and make the other person feel miserable. After all, it all began with him as the problem.

A piece of advice. Never procrastinate, even if it’s 5 a.m. Get out of bed, grab a pen and paper and write out the last chore you might forget the night before. Our adult brain is designed to learn and remember anything that appeals to us. What appeals to us must be relevant. I live by remembering the law of the Excluded Alternative: “Doing one thing means not doing something else.” If you are reading something that has no immediate relevance or applicability to your work, you are simultaneously failing to read something that may help you immediately. Discipline yourself to keep focused on only those subjects that are relevant to your current work.”

If there’s anything more valuable than work done, it’s getting feedback about a good job — or a lousy undertaking, despite the embarrassment. There’s nothing more precious than admitting a mistake and figuring out a fallback solution to plan A and B.

Why do some people procrastinate? It could be because of a lack of a detailed plan of action. If you knew what you wanted to do, you’d be excited about the next day. If you aren’t maybe it’s because your goal isn’t what you want to fight for. It’s easier to say, “Use your will power to act because if you don’t do the task, who will? Pity those who could benefit. So hurry: reach for that ballpoint pen and pad of paper before you forget to jot it down!

And people? I began this article by appreciating people. I’ve learned that we all should be “people oriented” and yet if anybody says she’s going to change, don’t believe it. People may try to reshape their personalities, but what begins in early childhood shape’s an adult’s behavior. I choose a job for my co-workers that will fit their personalities, for their happiness and mine. In Cyrano de Begerac, author Edmond Rostand wrote: “At an early age, I decided that in life I would chose the line of least resistance, and please at least myself in all things.” Quite true, huh? Bryan Tracy responds to Cyrano: “You can be sure that at least one person is happy...” I translate it like this: I can make some people happy sometimes but not everybody happy all the time. Don’t procrastinate, face a new God-given day. The world will be happy, too.