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.
Failure to Launch
I just caught myself starting to launch into work even though I have not finished my morning routine. I am still in my pajamas at 11:20 am. I have not looked at my planner or even a calendar, yet I was about to launch into a project for organizing all my papers and put them into binders. Now, I NEED to organize my papers--who knows what is lurking within those piles? But this one-two punch of not finishing one thing and leaping into another is bound to cause me trouble. I'm very likely to find myself knee deep in this activity and have somebody knock on my door or get an emergency phone call requiring me to dash off to the hospital or funeral home or just get a chime from my cell phone reminding me of an appointment I have made and I will be delayed or embarassed to deal with any of them because I am not dressed! I NEED to take care of basics--shower and dress--but I put it off. Just now I recognized that my refusal to get dressed is a sort of passive aggressive protest: today is supposed to be my day off, but I have time-sensitive tasks that must get done today. As long as I am not dressed I am not really "at work." And if I am working on something I didn't schedule, it's not really work. I am perfectly willing to work on other things that I don't resent, but not the things I am OUGHT to be doing today. Talk about demand-resistance! But if I go get dressed now, I will still be resentful of my load and my lack of fun--but at least I don't have to add being embarassed to my experiences today!
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New Awareness
I have STILL not gotten dressed today. I have noshed a little in the kitchen, read a few chapters of a novel. Then I got up and actually READ my planner, thoroughly checked it, and found I have no appointments, no planned visits, etc. And then I felt relieved--I don't have to put on my professional clothes. I hate getting all dressed up and then realize I can't do the things for myself that I'd like to--like water my plants or tend my garden, feed the chickens or play with the cats, take a walk--or even do chores like gathering laundry or cleaning the kitchen. My work schedule is most efficient if I intersperce professional and personal tasks--but it's very hard to be dressed perfectly for all of them at once. Did you hear that? Dressed PERFECTLY. There is the root of my problem. I can't be dressed perfectly for both professional and practical chores, and I don't like choosing between them. One way I forsake myself, the other I am unprepared professionally. No wonder I dilly-dally about getting dressed! If I am not dressed, there's still the possibility of working for myself, rather than the church. And yet I haven't chosen AGAINST the church, officially. Not yet! ;)
I've discovered a way round this dilemma
I can get changed! I have both sets of clothes ready, and I dress for the first thing on the calendar (I check beforehand and have the clothes ready to fall into the next morning). Then when I change activity - I change clothes - it helps with getting the right attitude for the job too. If you find yourself changing a lot are there some neutral elements to both outfits that can be worn for both personal/work wear?
change clothes to change attitude
>Then when I change activity - I change clothes - it helps with getting the right attitude for the job too.
That's an interesting idea! You're right - who says you have to wear the same clothes all day long? My nieces change clothes when their moods change. Why not?
It's true that what you're wearing affects how you feel about what you're doing. When I'm in my jammies, I don't work as well as when I'm dressed and look professional (even if no one can see me).
Somewhat
The real trouble is going outdoors and getting all hot and sweaty and getting grass and stuff all over me. I just shouldn't do it before I have official functions, but sometimes that's the only thing that draws me out of the house, so that's when I notice the outdoor chores that need doing. I reckon I ought to schedule them! And the messier indoor chores get lint or chemicals on my dark clerical wear and leave spots--bad for my wardrobe. But changing clothes shouldn't be too hard...I feel myself searching for excuses, and they haven't come yet...but jeez, how many insights do you expect me to deal with in one day? ;)
dirty stuff first?
How about going into the garden BEFORE showering and dressing? Make going into the garden for a few minutes part of your morning routine, and something you do before showering and dressing for work.
adding to morning routine
Great idea--although it means I have to actually get up! ;) Hmm. That might be more motivation to GET up! I should toss in gardening, going for a walk, and then showering and dressing. Household chores can be done in the evening (or not; I'm really on a bad streak of just not doing them!) }:) When it gets darker, I could do the walk first and then the gardening. Although I rather enjoy watering at the end of the day, too (but not pulling weeds--the ONLY time I'm willing to do hard labor outside is in the cool of the morning!). You know, if I could just move to Latin America where I could take a siesta in the afternoon, then I could be up early and still stay up late, which would be IDEAL for me!!!!
Morning Routine
That sounds like a lot to add all at once. How's the current Morning Routine going? I wouldn't add any more until you're comfortable with what you've got. (Sorry about the weird grammar - hope you know what I mean!).
LOL!
:P
I don't use chemicals so I don't have the problem (used to have to, because things would get too dirty to use elbow grease on it's own. Now the 'nastiest' thing I use is vinegar, and the pong soon wears off).
sounds nice
I've read about that--and I'd like to reduce the use of chemicals (I fight the use of pesticides around here, for instance), but we have trouble with really hard water from our well, and of course it has no chlorine in it, which is great except it lets mold grow up really fast. If I could ever get around to knocking it all down at once, really well, then I suppose I could get by with the swish-n-swipe routine. For now I use bleach and lime dissolver whenever I bother. :(
Cleaners
I use Ecover loo cleaner, and for the lime I just use a pumice stone before it builds up.
GET DRESSED NOW!!!!
I'm only yelling at you because I know how it feels to still be not dressed at this hour. I'm only newly dressed myself.
You'll feel worlds better if you get dressed. No more talking about it - GO DO IT!!!!
I'll be here for just a little longer before leaving for Starbucks to work. I'm hoping you'll be checking in to say you're dressed before I leave.
morning routine and getting dressed
Slider - the main reason I have a morning routine and work so hard to stick to it is because it forces me to get dressed in the morning. This has historically been a huge problem for me, and I'm getting a lot better about it thanks to my morning routine
You might want to try a morning routine. You've seen what I do each day. My rule (which I broke today, but usually I don't) is that I can't do anything else - especially not check email - until I finish my morning routine.
My downfall today was that I started to do something while eating breakfast. I think from now on I will have to limit breakfast entertainment to listening to the news.
are we twins?
- I just caught myself starting to launch into work even though I have not finished my morning routine. I am still in my pajamas at 11:20 am. I have not looked at my planner or even a calendar, yet I was about to launch into a project for organizing all my papers and put them into binders.
I can't take the time to respond fully now because I'm time-desperate, but this sounds uncannily like what I do!
Go! Go! Just DO it, Pro!
If you're still online, GET OFF! It's just one day--you can handle a marathon for jsut one day. then you'll be done. Get it over with! Tomrrow it will all be behind you. Go!
aren't we funny?
We can cheer each other on, but we have so much trouble doing for ourselves!
I'll write to clients if you go get dressed. ;)
Glad you're gone ;-)
But sorry I missed you! I did get dressed, and you did (apparently) get out the door. Yay for both of us. This really helped me. Without the bookending and the feedback and some of the forums, I'd probably still be in my pajamas, sulkily doing neither what I am supposed to nor anything I really want to as a way of avoiding that neurotic push-pull of conflicting motives and desires. I'd have been procrastinating, ultimately, about making any conscious decision about what I want to do with my life today.
Big round of applause!
To the two of you! :D