Procrastination: A Gift for My Future Self

You know, I finally figured out a way to tackle my never-ending to-do list: I just leave all my problems for my future self to handle. It’s like sending a care package to my future self filled with stress and chaos! My spouse looked at me the other day and said, “You know, if your future self had a voice, it would probably be yelling something like, ‘Thanks for nothing!’”

Have you ever been there? You put off doing the dishes, knowing that you’ll have to face them eventually, but that’s a problem for your future self. Or you skip paying that bill, thinking future you will take care of it. It’s a classic case of procrastination disguised as a self-care strategy, but it really just ends up as a gift-wrapped pile of stress waiting to be opened later!

You see, the pattern here is pretty recognizable. My spouse often teases me about how my “brilliant” solution to problems is just a temporary delay. They might as well be the personal assistant to my future self, who’s probably overworked and underpaid at this point. In fact, they’ve taken to calling me “The Time Traveler” because I’ve continuously pushed deadlines back, as though I’m hoping that the right moment to tackle my issues will magically appear.

The joke draws humor from our tendency to procrastinate, leaving tasks for the so-called “future self” while ignoring the fact that we’re setting ourselves up for future stress. It captures the relatable struggle of balancing responsibilities with the appeal of avoiding them, wrapped up in a lighthearted exchange with a spouse who sees through the absurdity of it all.