Friday, October 16, 2015

Dithering over an Email

I like to keep my email Inbox empty. It's not meant to be a holding pen of reminders. "Oh yeah, I still need to email Michael those pictures". Because, when it's got a backlog of emails, it means that I have procrastinated on every single one. "Right, need to send Rose some manuscript pages... I'll do that later." One rule of thumb says that you should reply to emails within 48 hours... some of my emails sit in my Inbox for much longer.

Right now, there is one in particular that is bothering me... because I don't know what to do about it. It's an email from a professional association, reminding me that if I pay by November 16, I can get a discount on my annual dues. Simple really. I could pay the dues now and get a discount. Or I could let it sit and then pay full price. Except for one tiny thing. I haven't actually worked in that field for 15 years or so. I'm still a member of this association... but I no longer work in that area of expertise. But I'm still a member. Why? Good question.

Because I think... what if? What if I decide to go back to that area sometime down the road. It would be helpful to have that designation, wouldn't it? It looks good on my resume. And it's not that much... only $40/year (because I qualify for the "unemployed" category). But... for years after I left the field, I also paid the dues for my Professional Provincial designation ($300/year). Until finally I said enough and resigned in good standing. But... I wonder, should I have kept that? Ach... indecision.

I suppose part of it is hanging onto the past. I wonder if maybe I'll need those things in the future. I've turned my back fairly completely on that area of employment but... I still hang onto it. See my problem? Indecision... uncertainty... procrastination. The professional membership doesn't really benefit me in any way... so what if I am a "Fellow" in the membership ranks. I need to make a decision, one way or the other.

Or that email will sit in my Inbox, nagging me... reminding me that I am a ditherer sometimes... which is not how I want to see myself. Choose... in or out.

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