Procrastinators Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from chronic procrastination.
Saturday 29th July 2006
Thanks to whoever first posted this image - it's a great one for this board :)
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Hello all...
I am doing what you did last night, Normy, and am procrastinating going to bed...it's 10:30pm here and I'm really tired but couldn't be bothered getting of the couch! I can't get over you still being up at 3am!!! Ha ha, this is what having yound kids does, you need to go to bed at 9pm because they have you up 3 times during the night ;)
Oh oh, DH and DD just got home - better get off my rear!!! I have been researching holidays on the net, DH and I REALLY need a break. Looking to go to a sort-of local island for a 5-star weekend..mmmmm......
Hope your day is productive, Pro, and not too hot. Off to bed for me, now :)
where are you, Milo?
I'm trying to figure out in what part of the globe it's nighttime now. In New York it's 10am. In England I believe it's 3pm, or thereabouts. But where is it night...? Thailand? New Zealand?
I'm guessing Australia
Somewhere in line with Melbourne/Canberra/Sydney.
Just think Milo - at least you'll never be behind! Perhaps you should be the one to start the daily thread ;)
Good guess, Normy..
Yes, Australia. But I won't narrow it down anymore because it won't be very anonymous (there aren't many POs in Australia!).
Yeah, have considered it, but I just don't have that knack (or patience) with those lovely graphics you guys do so well!!!!!!
(oh, and yes, pro, it's night in New Zealand, too. In fact they start the day before anywhere else in the world!).
graphics
What kind of a procrastinator's excuse is that! You don't have to have graphics to start a thread, LOL! Those of us who do them can bung 'em in as we get here. ;)
Yeah, yeah.....
Okay, you got me - it's plain laziness :P
pro's bookending section
I'm so happy I won't be talking to myself this weekend! Hi Normy!
I have some catching up to do after being away. I'm thinking about working in a nearby cafe with free wifi. It's going to be hot, hot, hot in New York today.
that wasn't it, actually, but...
...I did finally get the thing working. I had to tweak the web.config file. I'm SO TIRED now. I didn't get to the other work stuff I wanted to do, but usually I do the other stuff and not this, and this is what I really need to do to move forward - progress.
Laundry is done and put away.
This GoDaddy server is slower than slow. Yuck!! I couldn't use my usual Web host because they don't have Windows servers and GoDaddy was cheap, but this is ridiculous!
I've got to go to bed.
I'll be out most of tomorrow.
Perseverence
WTG on keeping going pro - you got there in the end, but isn't it weird how sometimes we end up doing what we intended to do, and not getting the satisfaction from it that we wanted? I wonder if that's another reason for procrastination? I certainly have that issue from time to time.
satisfaction
> isn't it weird how sometimes we end up doing what we intended to do, and not getting the satisfaction from it that we wanted?
That wasn't actually the case here. I got it installed. Computer stuff is usually frustrating when you're learning something new. That's par for the course. I felt satisfied that I got it running before I went to bed.
found it!
I found the problem. I need to run with "medium security". I still have a problem, but at least it's a new problem.
I need a break - I'm going to go take a walk. I've been sitting too long.
GoDaddy frustration
I've been on hold with GoDaddy.com so-called "technical support" for over 45 minutes. I'm talking to a very young man who is absolutely clueless about Web development. I have a very simple question, but he can't understand it clearly enough to convey to the techies who know the answer, and he can't/won't let me talk to them.
Ah - he finally came back on the line. He's going to escalate my question to real tech support, and I should receive an email, but not until Monday. This is ridiculous.
I know there are a couple other Web developers who are members here. Is it possible that GoDaddy.com's Windows hosting accounts do not let you do something as basic as upload scripts to a subdirectory?! I can't figure out how to set the permissions on the subdirectory I created to allow execution, and the person answering the tech support line couldn't tell me either. Just incredible. There is a Directory Manager in the GoDaddy Control Panel, but there is no checkbox for EXECUTE - there's Read and Write, but no Execute.
Until I bought this hosting account from GoDaddy.com, all my Web development had been in PHP on Linux servers (I'm a whiz with that). I wanted to learn ASP.Net so I bought the Windows hosting account on GoDaddy.com, but they don't let me run any scripts. That's insane!!
Anyway... I think it's time for me to put this down for tonight. I need to go get my laundry out of the dryer, and I have other things I need to get done before I go to bed tonight. I'm very frustrated. :(
uploading files (dum-de-dum)
Uploading the files for the content management system is taking a very long time. Maybe I'll go take that walk after all.
I know what I'll do... I'll slice up some zucchini and start the dehydrator. I bought a bunch of zucchini at the Farmer's Market today (cheap). I love zucchini chips.
on second thought...
I think I'll install the content management system, get the laundry, and THEN go take a walk.
pro's CI - 5:45pm
I've been sitting for a long time. I'm going to take a break for a 45 minutes or so (for as long as the dryer takes) and walk around a bit.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Ta Da~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
-- Set up FTP login (involved hunting down my password, which I'd forgotten).
-- Tried each Control Panel feature.
-- Installed and uninstalled a content management system from the Control Panel.
-- Downloaded later version of CMS and am now reading docs to learn how to install manually. This involves setting up a database on a Windows server. I'm a MySQL whiz, but haven't used MS SQL Server yet.
-- Downloaded source code for content management system and form mail, and studying how they work (to learn ASP.Net - I'm a PHP programmer).
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pro's CI - 3pm
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Water the plants!
You keep putting new things on your TaDas and you're not moving stuff up from ToDos. How about just watering a plant for every other ToDo you do? Eventually you'll have them all done, your ToDo list will be one task shorter, and it might motivate you to get started on something else. Also, I noticed you did really well the other day when you got up to a big task, and broke it down into Next-Action steps. 'Explore' can be quite vague - what is the actual first step you need to take?
don't need to water plants just yet
I water the plants on the weekend, usually Sunday. I don't procrastinate on it. It's on the bottom of the list because I don't really need to do it until tomorrow.
As for "explore".... I will explain what I explored in my next check-in (to be posted NOW!) :)
Sounds like you don't think so, but I'm actually doing very well today!
Good for you Pro
Doesn't matter what ~I~ think - I'm just trying to be supportive, and possibly doing a bit too much transference, lol! When I put extra things on my list it's because I'm avoiding the stuff lower down the ToDos ;)
Are you doing what you should do?
Hi Pro - you have done HEAPS!
But like Normy said, things appear done when they weren't on your list.
Were they excuses (busywork, low priority things) or did you just forget to have them on your list in the first place?
Just food for thought..... :)
pro's CI - 1:30pm
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pro's CI - 12:50pm
Ah well - looks like I'm here alone this weekend after all. Everybody who was here earlier has left.
I've decided to try a new strategy today. My problem lately hasn't so much been procrastination as time management. I do stuff, but never seem to get done what I want to get done the most. I start with the mundane things, and then end up with no time for the more substantial projects.
So today I'm going to start with a very important project that I've been trying to get done for months, but never have time for. I'll do the mundane work (e.g. going through all the business email) later!!
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Negative self-talk alert!
Attempt to finish book started (and almost finished) long ago, but then abandoned.
'Attempt' sounds like setting up for failure again. (Hey - you do that 'almost finishing' thing too!). Also, telling yourself you're going to finish it - remember flexiblefine's 'keep starting' from Fiore's book? So how about telling yourself you're going to read for 15 mins, (or 30 or whatever) - not telling yourself you've got to finish it. If you keep starting it, and keep doing 15-30 mins then you'll find that you ~do~ finish it, but without putting yourself under the pressure to do so.
pro's CI - 11:40am
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pro's CI - 11:11am
Am I making slow progress, or getting sidetracked? Not sure.
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I'd say sidetracked
Doing things that do need doing eventually, but not on your ToDo list. Either you've not correctly prioritised the ToDo list, or you're getting sidetracked (mind you - 'prioritisze list' doesn't come on your list till later - it could do with being earlier I think).
Answering Emails sounds like work, which for non-procrastinators seems to come after getting up and ready for the day, LOL!
I procrastinate on getting dressed.
For some reason, I find it very tedious to take a shower and get dressed, and have a tendency to begin work in my night shirt. That's bad, because I don't feel good when I don't get dressed all day. That's why I put getting dressed on my to-do list.
Me too!
Sometimes my life feels like, 'get up, get dressed, eat, work, get undressed, go to bed'! Yak! I like some routine in my life, but when it's ~all~ routine it's so tedious (you hit the nail on the head with that word). I used to put off getting dressed too, but I figure if it's something I'm going to do anyway I get it done as quickly and as early as I can to get it out of the way. That's what my 'Routines' are about - they're my way of getting that kind of stuff done and out of the way as quickly as possible (plus, now that they're routine it's easier - I don't even have to think about them - what a waste of brain processing! lol!).
TEDIOUS!
I VERY often dread getting ready. Shower, dry, dress, hair, makeup, teeth....boring, boring, boring...
I do Flylady's routines, like Normy - but STILL don't do it on the weekends. If I have nowhere to go the kids and I are still in our PJs at midday most Sundays ;)
the getting dressed routine
I don't follow FlyLady's routines because housework isn't an issue for me. I clean things here and there without giving it any thought. My apartment is neat, clean, and clutter-free. But I do try to follow a morning routine for getting myself ready for the day because I simply don't do it otherwise.
How you look really makes a difference in how you feel, and how you feel makes a huge difference in how well (or not well) you work. I bought a lot of new clothes recently, and it has really changed my experience of myself (for the good!). So I try to get dressed first thing every morning - usually right after breakfast, sometimes before (depends on how hungry I am!).
I should be better on weekends...
Good points - I am the same. If I look good, I feel good. And even if I don't look good but think I do, I feel good. Then because I feel good I look better anyway!!! :lol:
I should do my morning routine on the weekends the same as I do for the rest of the week. I find that by starting the day at midday I feel like I only get half a weekend!
That's my goal for this weekend - morning routine done by 9am both days.
Works for me
That's one of the non-housework things I got from FlyLady - getting ready for the day, first thing in the day, makes me feel ready for the day and less likely to procrastinate. I realise it's obvious when you spell it out like that, but don't laugh at me! It wasn't at all obvious (to ~me~) before because no-one had ever spelled it out, and I'd never really tried it. I do it now whether every day of the week, and I even did it when I was in hospital last year - I still got washed and changed every morning - it just made me feel better.
pro's CI - 10:23am
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pro's CI - 9:51am EDT US
I have a bad habit of working at the computer after finishing breakfast with no break to get dressed, plan the day, etc. This is a bad habit because if I don't think about what my priorities are, chances are I won't do the most important thing first. So I am now catching myself in the midst of doing this, and will stop!!
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Hi Pro!
happy saturday!
Happy Saturday to you, too! I've got so much to catch up on. I want to be efficient today - no fooling around!
Normy's Bookending Section
Normy's 1st BE 2.15 am
My head is full of stuff and I have to write it down or I won't be able to sleep! No printer today, so you all get the 'benefit' of my full day's list (actually, I'll be pleased if I get most of this done over the weekend).
[] MR
[] Desk Rescue
[] Shredding
[] Day trip
[] DR
[] Yoga Sutras
[] Start of Work Routine
[] Monday planning
[] 1:2 planning
[] 1:1 planning
[] Plan journey for next weekend
[] Homework
[] Weekly Review
[] Accounts
[] End of Work Routine
[] Start planning next day trip/weekend away
[] Try to get PDA working again
[] Bedroom decluttering (wardrobe)
[] Household finance
[] In-Tray/Box
[] Bookcrossing - start registering books in box
[] BBR
Normy 3.15 am
Procrastinating on going to bed - had a poke around on some of the things on my Someday/Maybe list, looked up a few things on the net, and deleted the tasks, and another one was a book recommendation that I saw on flexiblefine's Now Habit group that I finally decided to check out and order - I'll post on the Books forum when it gets here (the others I ordered ages ago still haven't arrived - I think they're taking the mickey).
Norm 1.40 pm BST
*Not exactly done Morning Routine, but I'm up and bathed, dressed, breakfasted etc
*Epilated legs and underarms
*Finishe a book
*Journalled said book on Bookcrossing, and PM'd next person on list
*um - think that's it for now
*Shopping trip/lunch out with DSO
*Daytime Routine
Normy 9pm BE
*Sort-of-Morning Routine
*Epilated legs and underarms
*Finished a book
*Journalled said book on Bookcrossing, and PM'd next person on list
*Went on shopping trip - clothes for DSO for work; pumps for me (been waiting for months to get those); clothes for me - got a shrug - I've been after one for years (due to a not-so-daily-focus on financial awareness we've got some extra money in the bank this week).
*Took DSO out for meal
*CUOP
*Daytime Routine (donwanna)
*Before Bed Routine
My calendar has nothing on it for tomorrow. Nothing. Nada. Zilch....
Yippeee!!!
I'll be carrying on with my list. DSO wants to go to another shop to get some trousers, but other than that I'll be in most of the day.
free day tomorrow!!
How wonderful it must feel to have a free day that you can enjoy guilt free!
Free day
A free day to do the ToDos in whatever order I like, LOL! I've no ~appointments~ on Sunday, but I've still got things to do. I'm going to focus on them in the order that they come up in the week, i.e. get ready for Monday first - so that if something doesn't get done today (it's a long list) I've still got another opportunity later in the week to get to it. My plan is that preparation will make the whole week a lot easier.