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.
pro's CI - 12:20am (FRIDAY!!) - last check-in
I'm finally done with my bedtime routine. I wasn't taking a shower all this time. I started watching TV (bad).
pro's CI - 11:25pm
I forgot to put on my Ta-Da list that I crawled under the kitchen island with wet paper towels this afternoon to clean underneath it. :)
pro's CI - 9:30pm
I had a really nice evening. I just came back from dinner with a bunch of people. It's getting late, so I should start my bedtime routine before I get so tired that it's a chore.
I again didn't get today's mail. I went in the morning and got yesterday's mail. This actually works better for me. I like handling the mail first thing. So what if there's a one-day lag? I'm not in a huge hurry to get my mail.
1Focus 8:27
Blew off:
• Farm chores (include kids)
Proudly Accomplished:
Morning Routine
Work Routine
Work Plan
• Meet with contractor 9:00
• Clean off desk and inbox
• Prioritize project list
• Misc stuff
• More Misc stuff (almost caught up on urgent/not important)
• dig through old files
Grocery store to pick up dinner stuff
Evening Routine
• Dinner and hang with family
• Clean up kitchen
• Scoop catbox
• Office chores
I want To Do:
Evening Routine
• Early to bed (lights out 10:00pm)
One big focus:
Clean up financial responsibilities
• Stay on top of “always
pro's CI - 6pm
The meeting I go to on Thursdays is in 45 minutes (I'd have to leave in 30), but I'm so close to finishing the business conversion that I hate to go before it's done - especially since we go out to dinner afterwards, and I definitely wouldn't finish it tonight.
Also, I'm hungry. Theoretically I stop work at 6pm (which is what it is now) and have something to eat (something small tonight since I'd be eating later). Maybe I'll make a protein shake.
All I have left to do is write the letter. I'd really like to get it done.
need to learn to let things go
I'm tired now. I've worked solidly, with no breaks and full concentration, for 5.5 hours. That's enough. I'm going to have a protein shake (very light - will hold me over without filling me up too much), and then go to my meeting and out to dinner afterwards. I can finish it off tomorrow.
Alright pro
I love watching you justify a time binge followed 3 minutes later by a more reasonable decision. It makes me smile
I'm so glad I didn't time binge!
I got to the meeting late because I thought it started at 6:45 and it started at 6:30, but at least I got there. Nine of us went out to dinner afterwards, as we always do. It's the high point of my week. I always have such a great time.
Tomorrow, if I'm able to finish the conversion early, I'm going to see a movie ("Little Miss Sunshine") with someone I know from there. Everybody I know who's seen it has loved it.
I feel great right now - relaxed, happy. I'm so glad I went to the meeting and didn't stay home working. I've read that time bingeing is a cause of procrastination, and I can really see how that is true. When I make work such a misery - skipping meetings and fellowship, not letting myself rest - no wonder I don't want to work.
Robert Boice talks a lot about time bingeing in his research on procrastination, and how important it is not to do it. He says you have to stop at the set time, no matter what you're doing - even if you're in the middle of writing a sentence. Put down the pen (or the mouse), and stop. He found in his research that procrastinators time binge, and anticrastinators never time binge.
Three Cheers for You, Pro!
It's so hard to make transitions, to end things before you're finished, to quit when you're on a roll. I'm right there with you on that. Is it true that people who do not procrastinate ALWAYS stop at set times, no matter where they are in the process???? That seems so alien, so weird of a way to do things. I always feel certain that if I stop, I will never finish, that I won't remember what I was doing, that I'll lose my inspiration, etc. Yet if I binge to completion, I might run out of steam and never finish anyway (or run out of time or materials), or if I finish I will feel so depleted that I MUST be lazy for days! I know this isn't working. Still, it seems so strange to stop in the middle of things. I know this has been terribly hard for you, pro, so I am way proud and impressed. I hope your example will make me less averse to trying it--if I ever get around to it, of course! ;)
1Focus 4:55
Proudly Accomplished:
Morning Routine
Work Routine
Work Plan
• Meet with contractor 9:00
• Clean off desk and inbox
• Prioritize project list
• Misc stuff
• More Misc stuff (almost caught up on urgent/not important)
• dig through old files
I want To Do:
Grocery store to pick up dinner stuff
Evening Routine
• Help in kitchen
• Dinner and hang with family
• Farm chores (include kids)
• Clean up kitchen
• Scoop catbox
• Office chores
• Early to bed (lights out 10:00pm)
One big focus:
Clean up financial responsibilities
• Stay on top of “always
pro's CI - 4:40pm
I've been working consistently (no breaks, no fooling around, good concentration) since my last check-in four hours ago. I'm very close to finishing the business changeover programming. I'd like to finish it today.
1Focus 4:17
I'm out of energy. This is the time of day I used to browse the internet until 5:00. I suppose today I'll dig through some old files and throw stuff out. That's all the brainpower I have to spare.
Normy 9.10 pm BE
As predicted, no more work got done today. Didn't cook evening meal either. I'm really tired now - going to bed shortly.
Night night!
scarlett CI 3:16 pm
I'm out of here for the day, not sure I'll have a chance to check in again. Just now got access, so those frogs are going down first thing tomorrow morning.
Last night: bedtime 11:40 pm (target 11 pm)
This morning: wakeup 8 am (target 7 am)
Already done:
Take pills/allergy meds
Eat breakfast
Get parking pass
Check work & personal email for urgent stuff
call D
call John B
call work study
email E re: WS
Phone calls done, notes pulled to start 1B.
Completed cost grid and outdoor section.
Ate lunch & did dishes
Finished comments on 1b
sort mail
Clean desk 20 min. GTD style (10 min) (couldn't find folder I needed!)
Found folder
sent important personal email
Postponed:
Frog 1a
Frog 1b
job description
PLAN SITE VISITS
LEAVE SLIPS
EXEC SUMMARY (20 min)
demo review (20 min
Plan approval
Wilson – windows? Call Kelly
update start/finish grid
update $$ on each tab in spreadsheet
Tonight:
TA }:)
haircut
feed cats/scoop pan
rehearsal
bedtime - midnight (nothing I can do about that)
1Focus 2:07
Proudly Accomplished:
Morning Routine
Work Routine
• Meet with staff/general plan
• CUOP
• Time Sheets
• Specific plan for the day
• Clear my head
Work Plan
• Meet with contractor 9:00
• Clean off desk and inbox
• Prioritize project list
• Misc stuff
I want To Do:
Work Plan:
• More Misc stuff (almost caught up on urgent/not important)
Evening Routine
One big focus:
Clean up financial responsibilities
• Stay on top of “always
scarlett CI 2 pm
Focus: Frog 1a and 1b --> now job description
Progress since last CI: washed dishes, finished comments on 1b. I've done what I can for now, I just need access so I can finish them off. I'll work on the job description and then check for access again.
Last night: bedtime 11:40 pm (target 11 pm)
This morning: wakeup 8 am (target 7 am)
Already done:
Take pills/allergy meds
Eat breakfast
Get parking pass
Check work & personal email for urgent stuff
call D
call John B
call work study
email E re: WS
Phone calls done, notes pulled to start 1B.
Completed cost grid and outdoor section.
Ate lunch & did dishes
Finished comments on 1b
To Do:
Frog 1a (waiting for website)
Frog 1b (waiting for website)
job description
PLAN SITE VISITS
LEAVE SLIPS
Clean desk 20 min. GTD style (10 min)
EXEC SUMMARY (20 min)
demo review (20 min
Plan approval
Wilson – windows? Call Kelly
update start/finish grid
sort mail
update $$ on each tab in spreadsheet
Tonight:
TA }:)
haircut
feed cats/scoop pan
rehearsal
bedtime - midnight (nothing I can do about that)
7.00 pm BE
This was going to be a 5pm BE, then there was a knock and the door (which I thought was my friend coming for a lift, but it turned out to be the local council asking about transport), and I've been busy ever since. Funny old day today - I've been busy all day and now I'm knackered, but I don't seem to have got much 'work' done other than the class I taught this morning. I can see me blowing a lot of stuff off today! Next up - meal to cook.
~~~TaDa~~~
*I'm up!
*Cleared spam (~lots~ of spam as I'd not been on the computer for days)
*Checked Emails and responded to two (been offered some more work at the Uni, yay!)
*Breakfast meeting - discussed running yoga and massage day
*Teaching (been offered more cover)
*Went swimming (forgot to mention this before!)
*Shower and change
*DDog's laundry
*Mobile phone on charge
*Lunch
*Gave DDog worm tablet (every three months)
*Brush teeth
*Banking
*Hygienist Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting
*Bit of shopping at chemist's
*Human laundry (warm and windy out there - perfect!)
*Morning Routine
*Check Unofficial SHE Board
*Council transport survey
*Give friend a lift to DIY store (did some shopping at the Co-op whilst she was in there)
*Took DDog for walk
~~~ToDo~~~
Regular Thursday stuff:
*Daytime Routine
*Start of Workday Routine
*Business Finance/Accounts
--Print last year's accounts and file
--Check refund is in account
*Planning 3: Gentle Yoga/Pranayama & Relaxation class
--Think of options for when I might start the course
--Begin Course Outline
*Business Admin
--Buy books for competition (when am I supposed to do that? I'll move this to tomorrow when I'm in town)
--Follow up on order cancellation
--Begin purging filing cabinet
*Queries/Enquiries
*End of Workday Routine
*Before Bed Routine
Hopefully, there will be some time before 'end of workday' and 'before bed'!
gettin-it-done CI 1:15
Hi Everyone. I am still under the weather today. I woke up feeling better, but now I'm feeling bad again... This cold is really kicking my butt.
Done:
Took DD3 to gymnastics
Lunch
Now:
Calling Heather
Then:
Taking a nap hoping I will feel better.
Take it easy.
And I hope you feel better soon.
Sending some healing vibes...
pro's CI - 12:35pm
I struggle with transitions between tasks. I tried something today that seems to work well. I did "maintenance" type stuff in the morning (filing, paying bills, etc.), then ate lunch and watched "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report" (which I recorded last night and did not watch), and then moved from my desk to the couch, using my lap table for the computer. (This time I remembered to move the water off the coffee table before putting my feet up, so I didn't AGAIN knock it over.) Now I feel quite able to move into the "work" part of my day.
The lunch break and moving to a different place in my apartment seems to make this a new beginning instead of a difficult transition. Also, it's good to have a planned time to watch the Daily Show and Colbert Report because then I'm not tempted to stay up late and watch them. I'd like to start going to bed earlier.
Transitions
I have similar problems. I particularly struggle if I have two different sorts of jobs in one day, e.g. two different places of work. Since I've decided the morning exercise isn't working for me as it is (it's exhausting me getting up at 5.15 am - I don't seem to be able to get to bed early enough at the other end to make up for it), I thought I'd try and make it work as a transition phase e.g. Mondays I could go to payroll first, then a class, then self-employed work. That way it's time bound and got 'neat edges' which seems to help me. Can't start next Monday though because I've got payroll meetings in the afternoon.
scarlett CI BOTH 12:30 pm
Focus: phone calls, then 1B until done.
Progress since last CI: Heated lunch and am eating it, shut door, working on WW portion.
Last night: bedtime 11:40 pm (target 11 pm)
This morning: wakeup 8 am (target 7 am)
Already done:
Take pills/allergy meds
Eat breakfast
Get parking pass
Check work & personal email for urgent stuff
call D
call John B
call work study
email E re: WS
Phone calls done, notes pulled to start 1B.
Completed cost grid and outdoor section.
To Do:
Frog 1a (waiting for website)
Frog 1b (started)
PLAN SITE VISITS
LEAVE SLIPS
Clean desk 20 min. GTD style (10 min)
EXEC SUMMARY (20 min)
demo review (20 min
Plan approval
Wilson – windows? Call Kelly
update start/finish grid
sort mail
update $$ on each tab in spreadsheet
Tonight:
TA }:)
haircut
feed cats/scoop pan
rehearsal
bedtime - midnight (nothing I can do about that)
Scarlett
You're doing well today Scarlett - staying focused. WTG!
Thanks!
Felt like swimming through molasses, but at least I made some progress.
next CI
will be at TOTH - 2pm my time.
scarlett TOTH CI 12:00 pm
Focus: phone calls, then 1B until done.
Progress since last CI: Completed cost grid and outdoor section. Am going to heat up my lunch and shut the door to help focus (lots of traffic past my door).
Last night: bedtime 11:40 pm (target 11 pm)
This morning: wakeup 8 am (target 7 am)
Already done:
Take pills/allergy meds
Eat breakfast
Get parking pass
Check work & personal email for urgent stuff
call D
call John B
call work study
To Do:
Frog 1a
Frog 1b
PLAN SITE VISITS
LEAVE SLIPS
Clean desk 20 min. GTD style (10 min)
EXEC SUMMARY (20 min)
demo review (20 min
Plan approval
Wilson – windows? Call Kelly
update start/finish grid
sort mail
update $$ on each tab in spreadsheet
Tonight:
TA }:)
haircut
feed cats/scoop pan
rehearsal
scarlett BOTH CI 11:38 am
Focus: phone calls, then 1B until noon. Phone calls done, notes pulled to start 1B.
Last night: bedtime 11:40 pm (target 11 pm)
This morning: wakeup 8 am (target 7 am)
Already done:
Take pills/allergy meds
Eat breakfast
Get parking pass
Check work & personal email for urgent stuff
call D
call John B
call work study
To Do:
Frog 1a
Frog 1b
PLAN SITE VISITS
LEAVE SLIPS
Clean desk 20 min. GTD style (10 min)
EXEC SUMMARY (20 min)
demo review (20 min
Plan approval
Wilson – windows? Call Kelly
update start/finish grid
sort mail
update $$ on each tab in spreadsheet
Tonight:
TA }:)
haircut
feed cats/scoop pan
rehearsal
pro's CI - 11:35am
Checking in
It's a good thing I'm checking in these days. I was headed off on a tangent at work. }:)
*reeling self back in*
Well done 1Focus!
Easily done to go off at a tangent, not so easy realising you've done it ~and~ reeling yourself back in. :)
good job!
Good for you for catching yourself!
I realized this morning (anew) what a powerful thing it is to post my to-do list here. I made the change in my business because I was sick to death of having the same stuff on my to-do list day after day. It was harder to ignore. Posting that list here prompted me to take necessary action that I might have put off a lot longer otherwise.
1Focus 11:20
It turned out my contractor didn't really do the kind of work I was looking for. :( Made a contact, though, and he gave me another name of somone who does do the kind of work I'm looking for.
Proudly Accomplished:
Morning Routine
Work Routine
• Meet with staff/general plan
• CUOP
• Time Sheets
• Specific plan for the day
• Clear my head
Work Plan
• Meet with contractor 9:00
• Clean off desk and inbox
I want To Do:
Work Plan:
• Prioritize project list
• Misc stuff
Evening Routine
One big focus:
Clean up financial responsibilities
• Stay on top of “always
contractors in rural areas
When I lived in the country, finding a contractor to do work on my house (fix things, like leaking roof and rotting window sills) was all but impossible. They're too busy, they're too lazy, they don't show up, etc. Drove me CRAZY. Don't know if it's that way where you are.
Rural
We're not that rural. We're in the middle of an area where all the land is getting bought up by developers. Lot's of 2nd homes going, lot's of contractors around too.
As far as contractors go, I'm making sure that the ones I talk to primarily do commercial work. They seem to be more...proffessional.
Too busy, too lazy, didn't show up
Hmm, perhaps they were procrastinators? That's what people say about us.
rural contractors
No, rural contractors aren't procrastinators. There's just a different culture in farming areas - kind of an anti-professionalism. These people are not concerned with career or getting ahead or any of that, and have contempt for people who are. (This is one of the main reasons I didn't fit in there.) They work as little as possible.
scarlett CI 10:55 am
Definitely gotten off track the last few days. Having a hard time getting back on it, starting to feel that nasty panicky feeling. Even harder to focus today for a couple of reasons.
OKAY! This is an opening bookend. I am going to work on Frog 1a from yesterday, then make two phone calls, then work on 1b. I will check in BOTH and TOTH, probably taking a quick break for lunch around noon.
Last night: bedtime 11:40 pm (target 11 pm)
This morning: wakeup 8 am (target 7 am)
Already done:
Take pills/allergy meds
Eat breakfast
Get parking pass
Check work & personal email for urgent stuff
call D
To Do:
Frog 1a
call John B
call work study
Frog 1b
PLAN SITE VISITS
LEAVE SLIPS
Clean desk 20 min. GTD style (10 min)
EXEC SUMMARY (20 min)
demo review (20 min
Plan approval
Wilson – windows? Call Kelly
update start/finish grid
sort mail
update $$ on each tab in spreadsheet
Tonight:
TA }:)
haircut
feed cats/scoop pan
rehearsal
change in plans
I'm going to make my phone calls and then work on 1b - have to wait for someone else in order to finish 1a.
Norm 3pm BE
Well, I went to the hygienist's and she said, 'I don't see you very often - you must be doing a good job' and I said, 'I hope so'. It was like seeing a kid with a Christmas present - apparently she doesn't see many people with mouths as clean as mine, LOL!
pro do you remember some time ago you asked my why I had 'brush teeth' before 'breakfast' in my Morning Routine, and I said it was because I didn't want to damage my enamel (I'd read you're not supposed to brush your teeth for half an hour after eating/drinking citrus, and I have a smoothie with POJ in it for my brekky). Well, I asked her about it (I wasn't sure if it was wishful thinking on my part!), and she says it's correct - can even be 40 mins to an hour before it's OK to brush teeth because the citrus opens the tubules in the dentine. She says grapes can do it too. So she says I'm right to brush my teeth before breakfast unless I want to hang around for an hour after my breakfast to brush my teeth, and I know what would happen then!)
~~~TaDa~~~
*I'm up!
*Cleared spam (~lots~ of spam as I'd not been on the computer for days)
*Checked Emails and responded to two (been offered some more work at the Uni, yay!)
*Breakfast meeting - discussed running yoga and massage day
*Teaching (been offered more cover)
*Went swimming (forgot to mention this before!)
*Shower and change
*DDog's laundry
*Mobile phone on charge
*Lunch
*Gave DDog worm tablet (every three months)
*Brush teeth
*Banking
*Hygienist
*Bit of shopping at chemist's
*Human laundry (warm and windy out there - perfect!)
*Check Unofficial SHE Board
~~~ToDo~~~
*Give friend a lift to DIY store (I can do some shopping when she' in there)
plus regular Thursday stuff:
*Morning Routine
*Daytime Routine
*Start of Workday Routine
*Business Finance/Accounts
--Print last year's accounts and file
--Check refund is in account
*Planning 3: Gentle Yoga/Pranayama & Relaxation class
--Think of options for when I might start the course
--Begin Course Outline
*Business Admin
--Buy books for competition (when am I supposed to do that? I'll move this to tomorrow when I'm in town)
--Follow up on order cancellation
--Begin purging filing cabinet
*Queries/Enquiries
*End of Workday Routine
*Before Bed Routine
Hopefully, there will be some time before 'end of workday' and 'before bed'!
~~~Not ToDo~~~
*Weekly Review
That's a Friday thing - getting mixed up!
pro's CI - 10:35am
I don't feel like handling my mail - it's tedious. But I also realize that I "want to" because I want the benefits of handling my mail. So I will. :)
pro's CI - 9:45am
On consideration, I've decided not to make myself do Pilates this morning. I have a migraine hangover. The pain is gone, but I'm nauseous and my body feels low energy and shakey - partly from the migraine and partly from the meds. I need to be flexible about this. If I try to make myself do Pilates when I really don't feel up to it, I'll start to hate it rather than look forward to it.
milestone
I'm realizing what a significant milestone this is for me. I feel very good about it.
What I would have done in the past:
Tell myself I "should" exercise, regardless of how I feel, because it's on the list for morning activities. Not actually do it because in truth I'm not up to it. Feel guilty and furious at myself for not doing what I "should" be doing. Fight with myself about it for hours, doing nothing else in the meantime. Finally recognize, after having lost hours in procrastination due to the internal struggle, that I'm not actually going to exercise and move onto other things, but feel angry at myself and full of self-recrimination so I don't work well and feel like crap all day.
What I did today:
Reflect on how I feel, recognize that I'm physically under-par and not up to exercising, make a positive, guilt-free decision to not exercise, and immediately move onto the next item on my to-do list with feelings of self-respect rather than guilt - no time lost due to procrastination.
This is an improvement!! :)
That's really great.
It's definitely a struggle for me to know the difference between slacking and respecting my own needs, and not to second guess that. It sounds like you made a wise and caring decision this morning and I'm glad you could recognize that fact. WTG!
Me too
It's definitely a struggle for me to know the difference between slacking and respecting my own needs
That's why I occasionally ask people here on the boards - you may have spotted me getting up to one of my old tricks when I haven't spotted it, or give me some sound advice. Sometimes, though, it's not obvious to others either, and I just need to muddle along with it myself.
asking others if you're slacking
I remember you once posting a question about this, me saying only you can know, and you being annoyed with me for answering in this way. But I think it's really true - only you can know whether you are slacking or respecting your needs because you are the only one with the information to make this assessment. Only you know what your priorities are in life, only you know the consequences of doing or not doing certain things, and only you know how you feel about the consequences in the moment.
The problem isn't so much doing the right thing (or not), but learning to know what the right thing is for you at any given moment. Identifying the problem implies the solution - learning to look within for the answers. The answers lie within - you can't get them anywhere else.
Twice today I have been able to connect with what's been going on within me and make the choice that best suits me in the moment, and I have never felt so good about myself and my ability to function. It's very self-affirming. Not only am I not procrastinating today, I'm not fighting with myself. That's new and very big. What a relief!
We don't agree on this
So there's no point in telling me - yet again - that I'm wrong. I'm telling it how it is ~for me~ - just because it's not the same for you doesn't mean I'm wrong.
just adding another viewpoint
We can agree to disagree without getting angry, right?? (I hope??)
I didn't repeat my viewpoint to badger you, but just to add my viewpoint to the thread, since you'd already re-posted yours.
You're not the only one who's reading the messages in this thread. People can read your viewpoint and read mine and decide for themselves which they think makes sense. Or maybe they're think we're both wrong. :P
We can agree to disagree about opinions
But what I said was personal, about me, and what you said was personal, about me, too. I agree that what works for me might not work for you, and vice versa, so I'm quite happy for both viewpoints to be expressed, so that other people can reflect on them and try out what they think might work for them. What I was taking exception to was you saying ~I~ can't derive benefit from the support of others, because I know I do, and it's a major reason this board works for me.
sharing experience, strength, and hope
I'm sorry you took it as a personal criticism. I didn't mean it to be.
I described what works for me, and explained why it works for me, because I hoped that what works for me may work for someone else. My intent was to help, not insist on my "rightness". That's what we're all about here - sharing our "experience, strength, and hope" (in 12-step terminology).
In the end, everything is a suggestion - there are no rules in 12-step programs. If asking others to tell you when you're procrastinating has been an effective strategy for you, then great. I was just saying that wouldn't work for me. I need to look for the answers within.