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.
Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.
sllider's 10:56 check-in (goood night)
Well, pro's last CI convinced me it's worth checking in, after all. I was tempted not to. One thing I forgot to do today was prep for a layman's breakfast tomorrow wherein I am the guest speaker for 15 minutes. I regret saying yes to this, didn't want to, but couldn't make myself say no firmly. It's a much more conservative group--is it passive aggression if I blow their socks off tomorrow???? }:)
TaDa:
-got up on time (didn't hear alrm, but DS woke me right after)
-son to band
-walked one lap in park, had a good think
-filled gas tank of car
-checked in
-record thoughts in insight column, cuop
-shower, dress, groom
-eat breakfast (forgot to put that on list)
-review calendar--BUT never did assess what really needs to be done today
-get over to church by 10 am (now aiming for 10:45) (did)
-call confirmation parent (if she's not home, visit Starbucks, where she works) did--led to counseling session by phone
-select hymns, review Sunday's service format with secretary
-eat healthy lunch
-set up Outlook on new computer (took two calls to server's tech support with LONG holds, but I got it to work--yay!)
Xvisit hospital (realized nobody was expecting me to--including patients--so I called family members to see if there was any change)
-prep for council meeting
-attended really annoying council meeting, feel upset, having thoughts of quitting (but they'll go away)
To Do:
-use toilet (been procrastinating about that over an hour, maybe 2!)
-brush teeth
-wash and moisturize face
-take meds
-drink water
-put on pjs
-set alarm for 5:30 am to have time to prep for 6:45 meeting
Tomorrow:
-GET UP AT 5:30!
-morning routine
-dress in such a way as to be appropriate for meeting but able to lighten up for walk afterward :?
-walk--will deserve a treat!!!!! (for mtg as well as walk!)
-review taxes
-take taxes to CPA--just go w/o appt.
-regroup for planning rest of day
pro's CI - 10:35 (last check-in)
All done. I'm ready for bed, and tomorrow I'll get up early. I want to get a lot accomplished.
If I wasn't checking in here, I wouldn't have washed the dishes, I wouldn't have taken my pills, and I might not have brushed my teeth.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Ta Da~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
pro's CI - 10:30pm
If I wasn't checking in here, I wouldn't have washed the dishes, I wouldn't have taken my pills, and I might not have brushed my teeth.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Ta Da~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~To Do~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
pro's CI - 10pm
I didn't do any work today, but at least I can stick my evening routine and get to bed early so I can start early. I have an eye doctor appointment in the afternoon tomorrow, but I should be able to get a lot of stuff done before I leave for that.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Ta Da~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~To Do~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
pro's CI - 9:30pm
I didn't do any work today, but at least I can stick my evening routine and get to bed early so I can start early. I have an eye doctor appointment in the afternoon tomorrow, but I should be able to get a lot of stuff done before I leave for that.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Ta Da~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~To Do~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
pro's CI - 7pm
I answered one customer message that I promised this morning to answer when I got back later. Now I want to watch TV. Is it so bad for me to do that??? I've been working on weekends, after all. Can't I have a day off?????????????????????
Nah, it's not bad
I give you permission!!!!!!!!!!!
You do deserve some guilt-free 'you time' remember ;)
(but sit and think for a couple of minutes if you want to avoid anything or you just want to relax...if it's just relax, fine. If you are avoiding doing something, make a start during a commercial!)
I'm just tired
Thank you for giving me permission to take a guilt-free evening off. I think I was looking for that. ;)
Of course I have stuff to do - I have a staggering backlog from years of serious procrastination - but I don't think I'm specifically avoiding something tonight. I'm just tired.
I've been making a very big effort this last week to change my ways, and it's exhausting. I'm not used to getting up at 7am, getting showered and dressed immediately, and getting right to work. I haven't done it for 15 years. I'm emotionally exhausted from the effort, and tired physically, too. I was at a museum all day with family, on my feet for hours and hours. I just want to let go of the discipline for an evening and relax.
Changing our ways
I've been making a very big effort this last week to change my ways
It shows, too, Pro - we can all see the progress you've made. Be assured that the effort:reward ratio does improve with time! Just make sure you're not doing too much all at once and, yes, give yourself some time off. If it's ~all~ hard work the rebellious side of your nature will put a stop to it, and then it'll try to convince you these techniques don't work (speaking from personal experience here!).
I get that
I've only been working on this a few days (although I did some preliminaries a few weeks ago), and it's making me feel moody and irritable! I just don't like discipline! (Though I know it's better than continuing without it.)
how long does it take to make a habit?
I've heard that a habit develops in a certain amount of time, but I can't remember the amount of time - 3 weeks, maybe? After three weeks, the effort needed to do it the new way goes down.
Has anybody hear this before? How long does it take to develop a habit?
Habits
Received wisdom says three weeks, some people say 28 days, but I've been working on a habit a month - easier to keep track, and if I miss a few days I don't feel like a failure.
I find really it depends on what the habit is though. Something entrenched takes longer to change. Getting to bed at a decent hour took me just over two months, and I can quickly slip back into old habits if I'm not careful.
On the other hand, some new habits come really quickly because they're so easy, or because the payoff is pretty much instant (getting ready for the next day the day before fell into this category for me - it made such a huge difference to the start of the day. Eventually DSO asked me what I was doing different because he wanted to do it - I seemed to be so relaxed in the morning and still had everything ready - he hadn't noticed I was prepping the night before, LOL!).
Some things have never become habit for me - I often forget to take my vitamins, for example, if I don't read the reminder in my Morning Routine (I seem to get everything but that). I've got the Routines written on card in drawers in strategic places - the Lair (study - this room), and the kitchen being the prime spots - and I just double-check them to make sure I've not missed anything.
habits and routines
I have my routines written out, too - in a file on my computer. I want my morning routine and evening routine to become habits.
I'll just keep working at it every day, and trust it will become easier over time!
PDA
I used to have them on my PDA which was good, but then it conked out.
morning and evening routines
The primary routines I want to make into a habit are what I do when I first get up, and what I do at the very end of my day (just before bed). I tend to be home at both these times, so having it on my computer is sufficient.
My Routines
I've got stuff to do upstairs and stuff to do downstairs, which is why I've got cards in two different rooms (I would invariably have them in the 'wrong' room when I only had one set, and couldn't be bothered to get them) (which is also why the PDA was handy), but I think you said you live in an apartment so you wouldn't need the 'portability'.
no upstairs or downstairs here!!
I live in a one room apartment - and a small one at that. I can reach practically everything in my home without getting up from my chair. :P
pro's CI - 6:50pm
I'm mainly checking in to tell on myself. I've been reading a book I bought at the museum today. I'm very tired. I don't feel like working.
It's almost 7pm. Do I have to work today?
Normy's first and last CI 9th August 11 pm BSE
WTG on the graphics posting Milo! :)
Well, I've had a very productive day. Got tonnes done at work that I thought I'd only ever achieve in my dreams - it's very exciting :)
Came home and didn't have anything on the Task List (I don't schedule anything except Routines and Payroll for Wednesdays - up until recently they were one of my long days 9 - 8 payroll, followed by self-employed stuff at home - if I could bear to do any more work!).
So I came home and ate a meal, checked the laundry, spoke to DSO, had a bit of a rest (I'm very tired today), finished a professional magazine (the first magazine I've finished in months - you wouldn't believe the backlog of magazines here - or maybe you would!), took Ddog for a long walk, (up until that point I was very productive because I didn't have the computer on!), then I spent ages here CUOP - all guilt free! :)
AND - the work I usually do on a Thursday I already did on Monday (spooky!) and I don't have any private clients tomorrow, so I'm aiming tomorrow to check out the deferred things on my Task List and actually deal with the reminders that keep popping up. I finally feel I'm at a point where I can catch up with some more of the backlog - I just love it when that happens! :) I also need to go to the vets and do the menu planning (and maybe shopping).
slider's 4:30 CI
TaDa:
-got up on time (didn't hear alrm, but DS woke me right after)
-son to band
-walked one lap in park, had a good think
-filled gas tank of car
-checked in
-record thoughts in insight column, cuop
-shower, dress, groom
-eat breakfast (forgot to put that on list)
-review calendar--BUT never did assess what really needs to be done today
-get over to church by 10 am (now aiming for 10:45) (did)
-call confirmation parent (if she's not home, visit Starbucks, where she works) did--led to counseling session by phone
-select hymns, review Sunday's service format with secretary
-eat healthy lunch
-set up Outlook on new computer (took two calls to server's tech support with LONG holds, but I got it to work--yay!)
Yet to do today:
-visit hospital
-prep for council meeting
Tomorrow:
-review taxes
-take taxes to CPA (hmm. no call-back yet)
pro's CI - 5pm
I've had something to eat, but I'm tired. I don't feel like working.
Maybe what I should do is brain-dead work, like going through the PayPal notifications (this is for my business). I can do that while watching TV.
pro's CI - 4:30pm
I just got back. I'm very tired and very thirsty. I need to chill out for a while before I think about getting to work.
slider's CI--10:30 am
Still at the house. Mostly from posting here and reading stuff here, LOL!
TaDa:
-got up on time (didn't hear alrm, but DS woke me right after)
-son to band
-walked one lap in park, had a good think
-filled gas tank of car
-checked in
-record thoughts in insight column, cuop
-shower, dress, groom
-eat breakfast (forgot to put that on list)
To Do this morning:
-review calendar and assess what really needs to be done today
-get over to church by 10 am (now aiming for 10:45)
-call confirmation parent (if she's not home, visit Starbucks, where she works)
-select hymns, review Sunday's service format with secretary
-eat healthy lunch
This afternooon:
-review taxes
-take taxes to CPA (hmm. no call-back yet)
-visit hospital
-prep for council meeting
pro's CI - 9:55am
Leaving now to meet people uptown...
Today's to-do list can't include much until I know when I'll be back downtown.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Ta Da~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
slider's first BE--8:30 a.m.
Good morning, everybody! I would sure miss the nice graphics if we didn't all do this thread together! Great job, Milo! I hope that as I am posting you are sleeping well, and that you wake up refreshed and ready to go after that proposal! I still had a hard time waking up this morning, even after going to sleep at a quarter till ten (didn't even hear alrm--DS woke me up so I'd take him to band). But feel pretty good now after walk (also rewarded myself with an enrgy drink--had long debate about that; will put thoughts on that in insights forum).
TaDa:
-got up on time (didn't hear alrm, but DS woke me right after)
-son to band
-walked one lap in park, had a good think
-filled gas tank of car
-checked in
To Do this morning:
-record thoughts in insight column, cuop
-shower, dress, groom
-review calendar and assess what really needs to be done today
-get over to church by 10 am
-call confirmation parent (if she's not home, visit Starbucks, where she works)
-select hymns, review Sunday's service format with secretary
-eat healthy lunch
This afternooon:
-review taxes
-take taxes to CPA
-visit hospital
-prep for council meeting
pro's CI - 9:30am
Today's to-do list can't include much until I know when I'll be back downtown.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Ta Da~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
pro's CI - 8:40am
I like to keep my to-do lists short, or I feel completely overwhelmed by them. My strategy is to put my morning routine in the to-do list, then my work, then my evening routine. If I had a to-do list as long as Milo's, I collapse on the floor and sob!
Milo 10pm - last CI for the day
WELL, pro, I had no bloody chance of getting all that done!!!!!!! And of course I DIDN'T!!!
But I'm not beating myself up because I didn't have the expections I'd do it all.
I am freaking out over the proposal (this job worries me no end...still nto sure if I want it but I think I need the experience) so had a 'meeting' with DH about it and researched it on the web. So I'm now at 10pm when I wanted to go to bed and have done nothing else.
But I did start the proposal and I might get it to him tomorrow night.
So I'm scrapping most of my 'to do' and will revise it tomorrow - should be able to do lots first thing tomorrow, DS and I don't have to leave the house till 10am.
Ta da:
- Got up and got to payroll job
- Ducked in here to CUOP
- Started something I'd been procrastinating on (I had to use brute force willpower on that one, but it's started at least)
- Did a few things on my work 'to do' list (4)
- bid on ebay for a couple of books I want (avoiding doing real work...I shouldn't really put this under Ta-Da!)
- finished that work thing I started this morning (that I was REALLY putting off - yay!!!)
- made a (small) dent in my work to-do list
- dinner (we didn't go out - DH cooked)
- convinced DH to do the ironing (what a good husband! I only had to ask once )
- checked voicemail messages
- Updated client database
- BEGAN proposal for client A ***highest priority, have to send it to him tomorrow***
To do:
- evening routine (incl dishes if DH doesn't do it)
- put a load of washing on
- get to bed on time (10pm) because I'm knackered! (revised to 10:30pm so I can at least do my evening routine first!!).
I won't CI again till tomorrow when I'll start all over again! And this time maybe I won't be so ambitious ;)
realistic to-do lists
Do you think it would help you to finish things if your to-do lists weren't so big? Maybe that causes you to spread yourself too thin.
Maybe...
I am very busy, though, and I kind of like to challenge myself.
But you're right, perhaps if I didn't have so many things starting, I might finish more!!!
just a thought, but...
You said you were trying to figure out how to finish stuff. If you have to-do lists that contain many more things than you can do, then you are not scheduling your day time-slot-wise, and scheduling time to finish things. If you're doing things scattershot, you'll always do the most interesting thing, and that will tend to be the newest thing.
Could be, maybe?
Yep, makes sense
I don't schedule time to finish things, I guess because they figure low down on my priority (ie, I am procrastinating doing them).
I should have a 'finishing' half-hour a day to dedicate to finishing stuff.
Hmm..might start that one today
Adding to that...
Often procrastination is simply doing what's most fun or comfortable, rather than what's most important. That will bite you in the butt every time when it comes to finishing. Finishing projects tends to be tedious. It's the beginning that's fun.
scattershot versus planned
I think that not finishing things is the natural result of doing tasks scattershot rather than planning your day. When you choose what to do according to the impulse of the moment, stuff will tend not to get finished because starting new projects is always more fun than finishing old ones.
Scheduling time
And a very wise person on this board suggested allowing double the expected time as a buffer for doing each task ;)
pro's CI - 8am
I like to keep my to-do lists short, or I feel completely overwhelmed by them. My strategy is to put my morning routine in the to-do list, then my work, then my evening routine. If I had a to-do list as long as Milo's, I collapse on the floor and sob!
I think you did
If I had a to-do list as long as Milo's, I collapse on the floor and sob!
I seem to remember you ~did~ at one point - I felt tired just looking at it. It's one thing having a big list of things that need doing over a period of time, but another one when when you expect yourself to do it all in one day. I think we're all coming on a long way with this one.
pro's CI - 7:45am
I like to keep my to-do lists short, or I feel completely overwhelmed by them. My strategy is to put my morning routine in the to-do list, then my work, then my evening routine. If I had a to-do list as long as Milo's, I collapse on the floor and sob!
pro's CI - 7:15am
I like to keep my to-do lists short, or I feel completely overwhelmed by them. My strategy is to put my morning routine in the to-do list, then my work, then my evening routine. If I had a to-do list as long as Milo's, I collapse on the floor and sob!
nice graphic, Milo!
I was confused at first when I saw "Milo's section" in your subjects. You mean "Milo's check-in"!
yeah, I meant my CI
Sorry :)
TL - BE - 5:45 AM
out of town until Sunday :)
Milo's CI 8pm
Okay, here goes!
Ta da:
- Got up and got to payroll job
- Ducked in here to CUOP
- Started something I'd been procrastinating on (I had to use brute force willpower on that one, but it's started at least)
- Did a few things on my work 'to do' list (4)
- bid on ebay for a couple of books I want (avoiding doing real work...I shouldn't really put this under Ta-Da!)
- finished that work thing I started this morning (that I was REALLY putting off - yay!!!)
- made a (small) dent in my work to-do list
- dinner (we didn't go out - DH cooked)
- convinced DH to do the ironing (what a good husband! I only had to ask once :))
- checked voicemail messages
- Updated client database
To do:
- prepare proposal for client A ***highest priority, have to send it to him tomorrow***
- Review notes on client B before appointment tomorrow
* Ring client C to book next appointment (moved to tomorrow)
* Ring client D for review of last appointment (my presentation)
- Prepare meal plan and shopping list for grocery shopping tomorrow
* grocery shopping
* client B appointment
- file at least 10 things in my 'to file' folder
* file at least 10 things in my 'to file' folder
- update my travel log (low priority)
- pick out 5 things from my "enter into computer" folder and do them
* pick out 5 things from my "enter into computer" folder and do them
- talk to DH and decide what we are doing for DS's upcoming birthday party
- update my Master To Do list
- pack bag for DS for going to babysitter
- evening routine (incl dishes if DH doesn't do it)
- put a load of washing on
- get to bed on time (10pm) because I'm knackered!
Will have to do Friday because I forgot (oops) -
- take pay out of account to put in other bank
- give $ to DH to deposit for me
I have also decided I'm going shoe shopping tomorrow afternoon as a reward for all my hard work over the last week!
Milo's CI - 2:30pm
First CI for the day, which is half-way over already! I have included tasks to do tomorrow (*). I won't get started on any of this list till I get home from work tonight, unfortunately, and after kids are put to bed...so after 7. Boy, I don't like my chances of getting much of this stuff done!!!!!
Ta da:
- Got up and got to payroll job
- Ducked in here to CUOP
- Started something I'd been procrastinating on (I had to use brute force willpower on that one, but it's started at least)
- Did a few things on my work 'to do' list (4)
- bid on ebay for a couple of books I want (avoiding doing real work...I shouldn't really put this under Ta-Da!)
To do:
- finish that work thing I started this morning
- make a dent in my work to-do list
- take pay out of account to put in other bank
- give $ to DH to deposit for me
- prepare proposal for client A ***highest priority, have to send it to him tomorrow***
- Review notes on client B before appointment tomorrow
- Ring client C to book next appointment
* Ring client D for review of last appointment (my presentation)
- Prepare meal plan and shopping list for grocery shopping tomorrow
* grocery shopping
* client B appointment
- file at least 10 things in my 'to file' folder
* file at least 10 things in my 'to file' folder
- update my travel log (low priority)
- pick out 5 things from my "enter into computer" folder and do them
* pick out 5 things from my "enter into computer" folder and do them
- talk to DH and decide what we are doing for DS's upcoming birthday party
- update my Master To Do list
- pack bag for DS for going to babysitter
- evening routine
- dinner (I think we'll go out for dinner, have too much to do to cook as well!)
- put a load of washing on
- delegate some ironing to DH if he's in the mood (well, if he can be convinced...who's ever in the mood for ironing, after all??!!)
- get to bed on time (10pm) because I'm knackered!
Beat ya!
First CI for the day, which is half-way over already!
My first CI will be 11 pm!
Hi, Normy!
Just wanted to say I noticed you online in the box. You've been surprisingly quiet. Perhaps it's because you've been too busy doing things to write about doing them?
Correct!
Just call me SuperNorm!
I don't come to the boards when I'm at payroll or when I'm teaching, which means I rarely get here at all from Monday afternoon to Wednesday (and sometimes the weekend too, if I'm on my course). That leaves Monday morning and Thursday - no wonder I spend so much time CUOP (I've got my timer on today 6:56 mins to go!)