Procrastinators Anonymous

Call in to find out about staying on task and get tips from those who have recovered from compulsive procrastination. 

I am posting the format for everyone just in case I am not present it won't keep the meeting from happening.  It is a simple format with a greeting, phone conduct guidelines and can be led by whomever is on the line. The phone # is 1-218-339-3600 the access code is 119655#

 Procrastinators Anonymous Morning Check in Format 

Greeting

Good morning everyone I am ________ and I will lead our call today.  This is the 15 minute morning check in for procrastinators anonymous.  Would anyone who cares to please join me in an opening prayer.  Chosen by the leader of the call, from list below or any other appropriate prayer for recovery of procrastination.

 All together:

The Third Step Prayer

"....turn your will and your life"

God, I offer myself to Thee--to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life. May I do Thy will always!"   

7th Step Prayer

My Creator, I am now willing that you should have all of me, good and bad. I pray
that you now remove from me every single defect of character which stands in
the way of my usefulness to You and my fellows. Grant me strength as I go
from here to do thy bidding.  Amen

Serenity Prayer  

God,
Grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the Courage to change the things I can
and the Wisdom to know the difference Grant me patience for the changes that take time,Appreciation for All that I haveTolerance for those with a different struggleAnd the Strength to pick myself up and work my program one day at a time, thy will not mine be done.  Amen  

Phone Meeting Guidelines

Before we open the meeting for sharing, a word about crosstalk guidelines, which help keep our meeting safe.   

In our meetings we speak about our own experience, and we listen without comment to what others share. We work toward taking responsibility in our own lives, rather than giving advice to others.  Please do not address anyone else’s share directly or give advice to anyone regarding their share.  Be gentle with one another as all are here for the same purpose- recovery. 

Please acknowledge the leader for the day, and the leader is the only one on the call who can address the whole group during a meeting. 

Please limit your shares to allow everyone to have a chance to share. Leader to choose topic for the day from PA literature or Big Book.  (scroll down for list of PA Tools) 

Who would like to be the first to share, share on the tool for the day or any PA related topic?  Open sharing until 8:40

8:40 Begin taking action committments for the day

8:43 Close Meeting

In closing, we would like to remind you that the opinions expressed here were strictly those of the individual who gave them. Take what you like and leave the rest.  

If we are to recover, we must feel free to say what is in our minds and hearts, so please remember to respect anonymity. Let whom you see here and what was said here stay here when you leave here. 

Please feel free to remain on the line for fellowship or exchange of information or phone numbers. This line is open for use by anyone who wants to check in throughout the day.  Feel free to schedule bookends with one another on tasks or to have discussions around program. It is our custome to bookend on this number at half past the hour throughout the day.  Bookending difficult tasks quickens the journey to recovery, bookend often. 

Now we will have our closing prayer please unmute your phones to join in closing prayer.

Choosen by leader for the meeting---Prayer

Have a great day everyone 

Procrastinators Anonymous
Tools for Recovery

1.   Break It Down: Break down projects into specific action steps; include preparation tasks in the breakdown.

2.   Visualization: Plan what to do, then imagine yourself doing it. The more specific and vivid your visualization, the better. See yourself doing the task, and doing it well.

3.  Ask Yourself Why: While you are visualizing doing the task, see if you can detect what it is about the task that feels odious to you, what uncomfortable feeling you are avoiding. Knowing what's behind the avoidance can help you get past it - for example, address real problems or ignore irrational fears.

4.  Focus on Long-Term Consequences: Procrastinators have a tendency to focus on short-term pleasure, and shut out awareness of long-term consequences. Remind yourself how panicked and awful you'll feel if the task isn't done, then imagine how good it will feel when the task is finished.

5.   Avoid Time Bingeing: One reason procrastinators dread starting is that once they start they don't let themselves stop. Plan to work on a task for a defined period of time, then set a timer. When the timer goes off, you're done.

6.   Use Small Blocks of Time: Procrastinators often have trouble doing tasks in incremental steps, and wait for big blocks of time that never come. When you have small blocks of time, use them to work on the task at hand.

7.   Avoid Perfectionism: Procrastinators have a tendency to spend more time on a task than it warrants, so tasks that should be quick to do take an agonizingly long time. Notice this tendency and stop yourself. Some things require completion, not perfection.

8.  Keep a Time Log: Increase your awareness of time by logging what you are doing throughout the day. This is a great diagnostic tool for discovering where your time went, and an excellent way to become better at estimating how long tasks take.

9.   Develop Routines: To help structure your day and make a habit of things you always need to do, develop routines for what you do when you wake up, regular tasks of your workday, and what you need to do before going to bed.

10.   Bookend Tasks and Time: Check in throughout the day, or at the beginning or end of specific tasks you are dreading.

Procrastinators Anonymous Promises of Recovery-Morning Phone Bridge

1.       We will release the need for perfectionism, and be willing to begin imperfectly trusting our Higher Power will reveal to us our enormous potential thus enabling us to trust our actions are good enough.     

2.       We will find joy and serenity in doing routine tasks, making daily action plans, and completing all tasks and meet deadlines on before they are due.

3.       As we learn to commit each task to our Higher Power for divine ideas and guidance, confidence will replace fear, enthusiasm will replace dread and self esteem will replace self loathing; we will take the next right action,  as they are required easily and effortlessly.

4.        Well planned and completed actions will be our new way of life, organizing will become a second nature.  The desire to daydream, task avoidance and the dread of actions will disappear, as we find pleasure and spiritual fulfillment in completing the task before us.

5.       We will arrive at our appointments on time, prepared–and organized, our lives will be less stressful, clarity will replace confusion, and details will be easy to see.

6.       We will enjoy a life of greater prosperity as opportunities nourished by actions will thrive and grow; money lost for late fees and penalties are now available to enjoy long postponed vacations and self care.

7.       We will have more energy,  as we no longer burn it foolishly as we did when we procrastinated, negative emotions will no longer be the fuel that drives or stops our actions, when agitated or in doubt we instinctually pause... ask our higher power for devine guidance for the right thoughts or actions .

8.       As procrastinators we were undisciplined, now our actions are planned efficient, leaving us with time to do more than we ever imagined.

9.       The backlog of tasks and projects will disappear and new projects, planned and organized become a pleasure to manage and complete.

10.   We will meet the new day and new responsibilities with a joy, enthusiasm, vigor and excitement we never thought possible.

11.   Living inside a structured life will no longer frighten or threaten us; rather we will make friends with Time, Embrace Structure, Enjoy Planning and Trust our Abilities.

12.   Each action completed will bring the desire to take another action; each success will bring the desire for more success until one day without realizing it we are living the life of our dreams and these promises.