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.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Fall is fell!

Happy October 1, everyone!

Ag ci 10:55 pm

Another too-long day on the road. I am combining vacation with J, and my business trip. The boundaries are so blurred that I can't even say what "should" have been different....I don't have to actually do anything for work until noon tomorrow, but am sort of working a little when I feel like it, during J's driving shifts or when waiting for him to finish meals etc. So I'm emailing and handling occasional work-related calls, while also trying to be on vaca with J...this is making me anxious.

So...with HP's help and PA-accountability, I commit to working from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. tomorrow and Friday, and then to being on vacation with J in the evenings and starting "fulltime" vacation Saturday.

I've been wanting to stop into a client's office next week to meet some new management folks joining our team, but I'm reconsidering that now. Messy boundaries are a huge part of my procras-addiction, and it just feels too messy to keep interrupting vacation with work, and vice-versa.

"Just BE where you are," my sponsor tells me.

Well stated; Best in your MIT's

Agnus, For whatever it's worth, you shared your thought so well on traveling and combining work and personal time. I can't help but believe you will work well tomorrow and Fri from 7:30am to 5:30pm. And enjoy well deserved fun and peace on Sat.

Somehow, I hope to use your commitment to work well myself tomorrow and Fri from 9:30am to 5:30pm (hope you don't mind :-) )

Best, drun (dave, thinking for a better screen name).

Convalaria's recovery Wed 7.10am, 13.20

Feeling anxious and panicky. Onwards! One thing at a time.

  • Morning routine                                            Done
  • pay insurance and speak with mother
  • 15 minutes paper sorting                               Done, probably more
  • 30 minutes correction
  • 30 minutes preparation
  • take mother to doctor                                   Done
  • make and attend own doctor appointment       Appointment made for tomorrow
  • check in                                                      Done

13.20 
not doing well today, might as well continue sorting for a while longer and accomplish something!  Might also get dinner cooking! I will check back in at 14.00pm

I am in chat if any one wants to say hello.

"Recovery from procrastination means doing what you say you're going to do, when you say you're going to do it."

scarlett CI 4:50 pm EDT

Posting what I got accomplished today b/c I'm proud of it and also need to keep track for tomorrow. I finished one particularly odious (to me) task and sent it off, so that's great.

Ta da:
Eat breakfast
Take pills
Make appt w/ md
Upload NC
Email re: wrong song
email rw re: mtgs
fb re: gogtv
call john h.
buy flt
Open work plan
c&p
Look at to do list
Brainstorm
Prioritize
Type up
Email to BT
Draft list of 3-5 top priorities, and 2nd tier, and email to BT (started)
Make list from work plan (started)
email flyer to SQ

To do:
Call BB re: gm comp plate
Set pillars and block time
V – pull folder & look for salvage info, check numbers and graphs
MH f/u: update salvage sheet & email to PK (20 min)
Reread doc

Personal:
appts: dr. m, v

The adrenaline you've been living on only leaves you wanting.

drun Check In, 2:05pm EDT; + 5:45pm.

MIT # 1: -- Write down Distractions To Do for Later (do while working on other MIT's).

MIT #2: [Done]-- Make lunch, eat while working. (15min).

MIT #3: [Done]-- check email for important items only, avoid distraction to web browsing.

MIT #4: 4.1 (draft done) -- write reply email letter Thank You to l.d.; (45min).
-- 4.2 (start 5:45pm) select and review cv to send to him. (15min).

MIT #5: -- email or post apology to pro on p-a.org; I can’t make a donation now, commit to working on MIT’s so I get income, then make a donation.

MIT #6: -- prepare/review my cv for s.l. to review.(30min).
--probably include notes on my areas of concern. (30min).

Thanks to fellow members for feedback encourgagement (even pushes). Best on your MIT's. dave.

drun CI follow up

I'm sorry I did not get 4.2 completed. It is a simple task, but with an emotional component.

I want to commit to posting my MIT's Check In for Thursday here by 9:15 am EDT on Thurs. Good night ... we might be doing better than we think we are ... drun (dave).

Journey 9:30 Have MITs, will travel UPDATE 10:30 12:30

MITs are done, now a quick Unschedule, then get to work on MIT #1. Have a 10:30 meeting, would like to have MIT #1 completed by then. 

10:30 My UNSCHEDULE is set up with 2 half hour breaks and two hours of free time at the end of the day.  I'm working on MIT #1 now.  My personal pc is powered off until 6 pm! 

12:30 MIT #1 is complete.  1/2 hour break!

 

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." 

Chick CI

got things done in morning.

something came up--I followed Now Habit advice: deal with the emotions--by taking a walk 

Just got most resisted task done. It is almost complete and was not as bad as I thought. 

thanks for the support jo!

yay, now it's all done. Never as bad in reality as the cloud of it hanging over head. Knowing I'd post here after doing it helped... thanks all pro-buddies!

Chick gets most resisted task done

yay Chickadee!   *\o/*

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." 

kromer 9:05 CI

After a bad day yesterday, I'm doing OK this morning...I started randomization runs and read a paper.

Here's a plan for the day:
Scheduled: class 2:30-4, seminar 4:30-6, friends coming over for dinner at 6:45!

MITs:
*SLP stuff
*Make schedule for the rest of the week
*Document p300 dataset
*Buy a webcam

Other tasks:
*Shop for/cook dinner for friends
*Start problem set
*Task for LR

Right now I'm going to make a schedule, then I'm going to take care of the SLP stuff, then I'm going to shop for dinner and prepare as much as I can in advance.

Update 9:25--made a schedule. Now I need to take care of the SLP stuff

Here's a detailed breakdown of the SLP task
*Count faculty who do systems Bio (DONE)
*Research printing costs (Will have to wait until I get to campus)
*Give Christoph feedback on blurb (DONE)
*Sign up for Google calendar (DONE)
*Go through and fill in busy days (will need to wait for this evening)
*Write blurb (struct of grad programs, need for a student seminar) (DONE)
*Email about mtg (DONE)

kromer 12 CI

I've done almost all of the SLP stuff, and made a schedule. The remaining part of the SLP stuff isn't very urgent or important, so it can wait at least until this evening.

Now I'm going to shop and do some cooking for friends coming tonight. Will try to limit to 1 hr, back when done.  

kromer 1:15 CI

Finished shopping/cooking

Need to leave for class in 30 min, I'm going to spend this time wisely! I'll work on documenting the p300 dataset. Then, after class I'll look up printing prices and email out about them, then I'll go to research talks and have dinner with friends. 

kromer 10:30 CI

Doing OK but don't know how I'm going to get this all done.

I made some progress documenting, emailed about prices, looked into webcam, went to class and research talks, had dinner with friends, cleaned up, then wasted about 30 min online.

I'm starting to panic about this problem set, so I'm going to work on that. I'll stop at 11:30 to do some last-minute work on my MITs before bed. 

Journey 8:30 Yesterday starts with bang, ends with damp fizzle

I did really well working from home yesterday until about 3 pm.  I got my top 3 MITs plus one unplanned MIT done, then made the mistake of thinking I could take a nice break on my personal computer, so I booted it up.  BIG MISTAKE!  I wasted several hours and before I knew it, it was time to make dinner. 

LESSONS LEARNED:

1.  PLAN AND TAKE REASONABLE BREAKS

2.  DON'T BOOT UP THE PERSONAL COMPUTER UNTIL THE WORK DAY IS OVER!

3.  DECLARE A REASONABLE END TIME TO THE WORK DAY, EVEN WHEN WORKING FROM HOME.  I'm seeing resistance building because I feel that I should work later and later when I'm working from home, which leads to procrastination. 

Today I'm going to use Google Calendar to set up my UNSCHEDULE.  I have always wanted to do my planned activities in my calendar, but I can't do that with Outlook, because other people can see my calendar.  Finally, the light bulb went on over my head . . . there are other calendars!  Doh!

Anyway, I'm not feeling too badly because I did actually work 7+ hours, and I did get my top 3 MITs done, but there was one administrative task that I should have finished yesterday and didn't because I zoned out on the stupid computer. 

I've also slacked off on my morning "day starter" routine on work at home days, so going to make it a priority to get that habit back into action. 

Ah, feels good to confess my errors to you guys.  Thanks for being here PA-pals!  MWAH!

So, off to do my day starter.  Back at 9:30 with MITs in my hot little hand.

Jo

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." 

thanks for your insight

journey, thank you for sharing and reminding me (and us) that writing our specific priority/work issues and emotions out here can be such a help. Best on your tasks, drun

Journey starts a new day with new ideas

 You are an inspiration to me, and others, too, I'll bet. 

 Keep on keepin' on!

The Hero's Code:

Show up. Pay Attention. Speak the Truth. Let Go of the Outcome.

re: Journey starts a new day

aw, shucks. 

Jo

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." 

private appointments

Google calendar sounds like it could work for you, but I just wanted to make sure you knew that in Outlook you can mark appointments "private" so that only you can see them.

Looking forward to hearing how it goes!

The adrenaline you've been living on only leaves you wanting.

re:private appts

You're right, I'd forgotten that! 

Thanks Scarlett

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." 

GeorgeSmiley's Check In: 7:30 AM with updates

MITs for the day: Once again, I'll likely switch back and forth among them, advancing the ball on each as much as I can...

As always, the biggest risk is getting paralyzed by the need to choose, the length of my list of possible tasks (which aren't all MITs), and general distractions.

Finally, I also want to follow my daily routine a little better, particularly because it makes room for needed paperwork that I tend to ignore when I'm deep into a project (or 4)...

MITs:

1) Project M: Really need to get it finished and sent to client. Update 9 AM: Draft is finished. Now awaiting fact-check from primary contact. I've notified client it will be coming this morning.

2) Project P-12: Lots of calls to make on this. I'm excited about this one.

3) Project U: Need to get enough done that I can communicate with the client about status.

4) Project D: At risk of falling in the cracks if I don't commit some time to it.

5) A number of smaller administrative tasks to do during my designated "in-box" times

I plan to check back at 9 when I have my first "in-box" time.

Update, 9 AM:

1) Is essentially finished, except for fact-check and sending.

Until 9:30 I'll do maintenance/paperwork/administrative tasks. Then I'll move on to 2): Lots of calls

 

The Hero's Code:

Show up. Pay Attention. Speak the Truth. Let Go of the Outcome.

10:15 AM: A lesson in flexibility? And updates

1) Project M: Really need to get it finished and sent to client. 

 Got my fact-check completed just after 9 and sent the Project to client around 9:30, so Administrative tasks got pushed off until 9:30. 


That's OK, but it delayed the start of my usual 9:30-11 am "Calls" work block.


Now it's 10:15 and I'm starting that block with

2) Project P-12 Updated 2:25 PM

Update: 2:25 PM

Lots of progress on P-12. I also made use of one of my feature-writing planning tools on the project to help me maintain focus as I continue my research and prepare to write.

I'm resisting the urge to just keep barrelling on with this project, as much as I'd like to. I have other projects I need to stay or get caught up on, so it's time to turn to some of them.

3) Project U: Need to get enough done that I can communicate with the client about status. Got this part finished as of 5 PM. Ready for the next step.


4) Project D: At risk of falling in the cracks if I don't commit some time to it. I gave it 20 minutes this afternoon and set aside time tomorrow to complete this portion of it.


5) A number of smaller administrative tasks to do during my designated "in-box" timesGenerally got those done.

 


So now, resuming work on Project U. 

10 PM Update

I wasn't able to come back here earlier because of family duties, but now just before bed thought I'd check in.

Advanced the ball on Project U and communicated with the client. And I did a little on Project D.

Set my writing time tomorrow AM to finish up Project D (or this part of it)

And made phone calls tonight for Project P-12.

The Hero's Code:

Show up. Pay Attention. Speak the Truth. Let Go of the Outcome.

inspiration from George

George--you are my inspiration for keeping a lot of projects on the go.
I want to be better at that and you show me it is possible. Right now clutter and disorganization are an excuse for me.

Glad I can help. Because all of you inspire me...

 And there have been plenty of days I didn't do one thing--when the lists and the clutter and self-doubt just paralyzed me. 

You all keep me accountable, and I am grateful for that...

One day at a time never meant as much to me as it does now...

The Hero's Code:

Show up. Pay Attention. Speak the Truth. Let Go of the Outcome.