It's not my fault.....

Every now and then I catch myself falling into the habit of blaming something or someone for my actions. Sometimes I know things ARE out of my control - it's how you deal with the "problem" that is the key to overcoming the procrastination habit of BLAME.

Take last night for instance - I was out and about to meet someone, we were due to have a drink and some dinner. For once I didn't have to cook and I was going to enjoy my night out of the kitchen. One of my kids was at college and would be finishing around 9.30, the other was at work and due to finish about half an hour later and the difference between the two meant the second child wouldn't have to wait while I was off picking up child the elder.

All was good - until I get a phone call.

"Mum, can you come and pick me up...work have sent me home, cos I'm not feeling very well"

"I'm not at home, how sick? Can you catch the bus?"

"Well I could, but I don't have my keys so can't get in"

To cut a long story short and several telephone calls later, I was on my way home to pick up the sick child and take him home, then I would turn the car around and meet my friend at a mid point venue instead of where we were going to meet.

Could I blame my son for being sick, forgetting his keys and making me change my plans? Of course - but was it his fault?

Actually I don't think so. The rationale behind the lack of keys was a simple one - he was being picked up after work and I had a set of keys - why would he need his? Given the bus would have arrived a long time after I had picked him up, taken him home and dosed him with medicine - it was probably a good thing I drove home. OK it put an extra hours worth of driviing onto my day - but you get that sometimes being a parent.

When you start to look at how you react to changes in plans, when you start to look at why people feel justified in blaming others for the reason why they can't do something - then you can begin to look at ways you can overcome the procrastination habit.