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.
Where to begin? Is there an end?
Hi All,
This is my first post to the forum; however, I have lurked here for a long time.
I have been a major procrastinator for a very long time, and it has affected many, many areas of my life. On a good day, I'll be able to complete small tasks, but I have always had trouble completing major projects. Consequently, I do not have a career, no serious relationships, and am in debt. I will be 35 next month, and I am sick of being a procrastinator. I am sick of the panicky paralysis of worrying about what I need to do, yet doing nothing at all. I am sick of all of incomplete projects, broken promises, lies, and sadness caused by my procrastination.
Having said that...
I am really encouraged by the support and progress of all the people who post to this forum. It is nice to know that I am not alone, and that my life can be better.
What I want to do:
I want to chart my progress for the rest of October to see where I spend most of my time. I have created morning, evening, and weekend checklists to create structure for myself. Also, I want to complete 5 mini-projects a day that will help me to complete some of the major projects in life. At the most, each of the mini-projects should take 15 minutes to complete. I don't want to overwhelm myself with doing too much too soon--I have done that too many times before. Also, I have a tendency to beat myself up if things don't turn out the way I want them to, so when charting my progress, I want to look at how I am performing as objectively as possible and without shaming myself if things don't work out. I hope to use the bookending forum everyday to keep myself honest. ;)
Sorry for the ramble, but I am really glad that I have made this post. Any comments, suggestions, ideas, or criticisms are most gratefully welcomed.
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great plan, RIF!
Hi RIF - I posted responses to you on the bookending board, but I only just read your intro post.
I can relate only too well to what you describe in your first paragraph (or is that your second paragraph?). It's so sad that we do this. So much is lost.
I think your plan is great - tracking how you spend your time, breaking down projects into subgoals, etc. Just be careful not to overschedule your time. If you schedule things too rigidly, you set yourself up to fail - or to feel you failed. Also, note that even though you've procrastinated for years, you are still entitled to evenings and weekends off!! :)
Thank you!
Thanks everyone for your kind comments. :)
I really do feel that I am taking a step in the right direction.
By the way, in the bookending area, I will refer to my Morning Checklist, Evening Checklist, and Weekend Checklist. I have hardcopies of my lists so I can check off items that are done. Consequently, I won't list the items in the bookending area unless I have missed them, but if you are at all curious, I am listing my checklists below with comments in parentheses:
Morning Checklist:
-Bed Made (Stow PJs, books, CDs and glasses and dishes in the sink)
-Exercise (usually 30 minutes of sit-ups/push ups or running)
-Breakfast
-Vitamins
-Dishes
-Shower
-Shave
-Brush teeth
-Floss
-Medication
-Lunch to go (when I work in an office, I usually bring my lunch, so I won't do this every day)
-Tickler file (I put my to do's in this file, and I have a file for every day of the month)
-Bookend morning (log on to PA and write out what I need to do for the day. However, I'll try to post more than twice a day)
Evening Checklist:
-Dinner
-Make lunch for the next day (again, this is dependent upon my going to an office the next day)
-Set Vitamins out
-Store receipts for the day
-Hang up clothes and set out clothes for the next day
-Wash Dishes
-Clear out inbox
-Write out 5 project items for the next day
-Evening Bookend (to see how I did for the day)
-Stretch
-Set Alarm Clock
-Brush Teeth
-Medication
Weekend Checklist (basically, this checklist runs through the entire weekend)
-Weekly Review (review outstanding items on my to do lists)
-Laundry
-Ironing
-Groceries
-Prepare food for the upcoming week
-Change bed sheets
-Clean apartment
-Long run (usually a 5 mile or longer run)
Welcome, Rise
Reading your post (Not rambling! Thorough and sensitive!), has really brought to mind the anguish that used to be very much a daily part of my life. I'm by no means out of the woods, but, I think I can safely say that I am changed greatly by the techniques and ideas I've learned here and other places, and by the work I've done. It is possible to recover and function, and thrive. Congrats on emerging from the state of Lurk! Glad to see you!
Gnothi Seauton ~ Know Thyself
Hi!
Welcome, and I look forward to seeing you in the bookeneding thread. ;)
Welcome Rise in Flames
The way I have found it and what helps me:
Starting where I was. You might not believe how much I wanted to start from some other place.
Keep it simple. I'm a complex person and I need something simple to follow.
Take it easy. Be kind to yourself. That is something I've found most difficult.
For the moment thats it. I've been helped so much by people on this site and I'm deeply grateful.
Regards Rexroth
Welome Rise In Flames
I hope this site helps you as much as it has helped me (that's alot by the way.)
Jump into bookending, no more putting it off ;)
Logging is a great starting point, too. I got so tired of writing "nothing" down every 15 minutes that I soon moved into action.
hi RIF
Logging your time for a while is a very good idea. I did it for a while, and that's how I discovered what an absurdly large portion of my day was spend on email. I don't do that anymore!
Welcome to the forum - glad you're here. :)
Welcome, Rise in Flames
Well, you couldn't have picked a stronger starting over image than the Phoenix. Yes, you can improve. I relate to what you say, and I'm sure nearly everybody here will, too. Your plan sounds like a good one. We have all taken big strides some days, backslid others, but probably overall made progress. At the very least, we've slowed the getting worse! ;) The bookending will be a big help in accomplishing your goals. And whenever you goof up, just keep starting again. Finishing is nothing but continuing to start.