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 last check-in - 11:10pm
pro's CI - 11pm
'Night pro
I'll be away for an hour now, so you'll be in bed before I get back.
Nice chatting with you - don't stay up too late!!!
good night - see you later
pro's CI - 10:40pm
pro's CI - 10pm
I've been watching TV. I need to start my bedtime routine now. I'd like to be in bed by 11pm (knowing that I'll then stay up an hour to watch Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert - can't help myself).
slider's 8 pm CI
DD and I agree: the drive-thru food was gross! We gave ours to the dogs. Interestingly, DS thought it was great. Go figure--and his even sat around in the box for longer than ours did!
Thanks for the feedback, you all. Am still not in a good mood, feel agitated and blue. But I have at least gotten through a little more. Now I'm going to have the kids load the car with the recycling and finish my last (4th) load of laundry. To think there's still lots more!
You guys are right about my needing to say no. My problem overall is that I take care of everyone else, respond to everyone else, or at least think of everyone else, before me. I do not set limits so that I have the time and energy to take care of my own needs. Then I get so far behind I cannot catch up--and eventually my lack of self-care finally gets in the way of other-care, too. And that sometimes makes people mad at me. If I were less codependent, I would learn that saying no when I need to makes people less unhappy with me than saying yes and then never doing it or doing it half-assed. If I could say no and take better care of myself I might not dislike my work, my life, or my family as often as I do. But I cannot possibly convey how hard it is to say no. Sigh. I need to work on this. I will start with my prayer journal.
Done:
--Collected all recycling
--eat healthy lunch (maybe buy a salad instead of further messing up kitchen?)
--sorted, washed, dried, folded/hung up 3 loads of laundry
--sort some socks
--read about 2 hours (escapism)
--talked to Council president 35 minutes (lack of assertiveness)
--picked up DD
--roped myself into dropping off meal instead of just ticket (an extra trip and more to deal with)
--pick up dinners
--take one to dmil
--pick up DS after drive-thru is finished
To Do:
--pack recycling into car
--put final stack of folded laundry away
--sort a few more socks (need some black ones)
--DD take benadryl
--kids feed pets
--kids to bed at 10 pm
--bedtime routine (include bath and journal)
--go to bed. Do NOT stay up! Lights out at 10:30! (Hmm. I know that won't motivate me. That will just make me madder and more resentful and my inner brat will come out with fangs showing. So how 'bout this? "Sweetie, you're tired and weary. You will feel so much better if you get enough sleep tonight. Why don't you finish your chores, then relax, unwind, journal and soak, and close your eyes by 10:30, sooner if you can?") Yeah, that feels more inviting and disarming.
Roll over to tomorrow:
--read IRS letters
--start walking again, just one lap for starters
--call accountant
--do whatever follow-up is needed for accountant
--drop off marriage license at courthouse
--take recycling
--stop by hospital to pay bill
--in morning make communion visit appointment (E. & E.L) for 2:30 tomorrow if suitable
--in morning call (I. M.) about possible visit, too (1:30 if suitable)
--clean up porch
--clear off table (again)
Finishing now--2:30 pm Wednesday
Printed out what remains so I can finish it as I run errands this afternoon. I am probably not going to do communion today--but I might do it after I get home from all the errands, if it's ok with the couple.
Done
Completed last night:
--pack recycling into car
--put final stack of folded laundry away
--sort a few more socks (need some black ones)
--DD take benadryl
--kids feed pets
--kids to bed at 10 pm
--bedtime routine
--go to bed (I honestly don't know what time, but it wasn't too late, though it may have been after 10:30 pm)
Done today:
--got DD up at 6 (then went back to sleep)
--got up at 8:10 (not so good)
--read IRS letters
--call accountant
--do whatever follow-up is needed for accountant (today it was just dropping off letters--she'll call me if she needs more info; she did suggest finding any info on student loan interest. If it's in file, fine, if not, too bad. Not going on any wild goode chases looking for it!)
--drop off marriage license at courthouse for couple
--take recycling
--stop by hospital to pay bill (there was a slight didcrepency between billing agency and hospital. I will have to go back and pay another $51. Would have done it now but I ran out of checks!)
To Do: (Moved to Wednesday, October 18)
setting limits, saying no
I have big problems with this, too, and one of the reasons I'm so concerned about this renewed contact I've been having with ex-20 is because I historically never set any boundaries in this relationship, and I'm showing signs of behaving the same way now. I had no business spending nearly 2 hours on the phone this afternoon when I had planned to work on my back accounting. This person will continue to pressure me to do this kind of thing. I can't explain in more detail, but it's serious. I thought about sending an email saying I'd like to stop this now before it goes any further, but I didn't. I thought it would probably better to say it on the phone if we have another conversation. Except when when we talk on the phone it's pleasant and I get sucked in.
I don't fully trust myself to keep out of this. I should never have initiated contact.
Rehearse an 'out'
for just phone calls, decide how long you have time to talk. Set a timer for that time. When it goes off (make sure they can't hear it) say "I'm sorry to finish this call now, but I have a meeting to go to now" and don't let them keep going. Rehearse it before you or they call.
I have a friend that wastes my time on the phone and I just pretend there's someone at hte door, or a kid has bitten the other one, or some kind of emergency!! Mind you, I don't enjoy conversations with her so it's easy to do.
good idea
I'll do that. Instead of saying I have to go, need to get work done, I'll make it sound like I have a real time deadline - some place I have to be or something. I don't like lying, though. :?
naw...
I'm not going to lie. I'm going to say the truth. I'm working during the day, so I can only stay on for a few minutes. That's the truth.
I will do it!!!!!
Saying No is REALLY hard
I understand. I am a yes person, too. DH gets mad - he says I put the rest of the world before my own family. He's often right - but I think he is also too insensitive to other people's needs. I guess a balance is healthy.
But I've been practicing, and saying no more. It helps to first say yes to yourself, which means you then need to say no to someone else first - you have a reason for saying no (even though you don't need to give them a reason - in fact avoid doing so if you can manage it).
I hope you get some relaxing in tonight, slider, you need it :). Please listen to yourself when you know it is time for bed, as you said, you can't look after anything if you don't look after yourself first.
slider's 5:30 pm CI
I am in a very dark place. I was a little disappointed in myself because I spent over an hour and a half reading (reading "while eating lunch" turned into a time binge), and then when I was on my way to get DD from school, the Church council President drove up and gestured for me to pull over. I did, hoping he'd be quick, and fearing he'd rant because of his aggressive manner. He was not aggressive, but he would also not shut up. The more he talked the more depressed I got about this little church, about the Church as a whole, about Christianity, about my life, you name it. Then I was late to get her, and since then I have done nothing productive: hid in the bathroom and read some more. That's true escapism. In a little bit I have to go pick up chicken fried steak at the Student Council drive-thru fundraiser. I agreed, this morning (the first I had heard of the event--DS forgot to tell me) to buy 5 tickets. The extra one is for DMIL. I had DS call her for me while we were on the way home form school to see if she wanted the ticket. She said she wasn't feeling well and asked if we could drop off the meal instead. Stupid me, I said yes--and I will hate it. I hate her. I do. I try to be nice to her, but I just hate her. She's obnoxious and awful and sucks up all the pity she can garner. Peace on earth good will to all. }:(
Done:
--Collected all recycling
--eat healthy lunch (maybe buy a salad instead of further messing up kitchen?)
--sorted, washed, dried, folded/hung up 3 loads of laundry
--sort some socks
--read about 2 hours (escapism)
--talked to Council president 35 minutes (lack of assertiveness)
--picked up DD
--roped myself into dropping off meal instead of just ticket (an extra trip and more to deal with)
To Do:
--pick up dinners
--take one to dmil
--pick up DS after drive-thru is finished
--clear off table (again)
--read IRS letters
--pack recycling into car
--sort a few more socks (need some black ones)
--make communion visit appointment (E. & E.L) for 2:30 tomorrow if suitable
--call (I. M.) about possible visit, too (1:30 if suitable)
--clean up porch
Roll over to tomorrow:
--call accountant
--do whatever follow-up is needed for accountant
--drop off marriage license at courthouse
--take recycling
--stop by hospital to pay bill
slider...
Instead of locking yourself in the bathroom with a book, how about you run off to a coffee shop with your journal, and spend a few hours really thinking about your life, and how you can make it better. Decide what you can stand, what you can't stand, what you are willing to do to change the way things are, and then do it. Really. You can make whatever changes you need. You have the right to be happy, and you're strong enough to stand up for yourself.
Poor slider
My, My, My
You are having a dark day. It seems as if when my day is dark we are the author of all darkness because every single dark thought seems to conveinently come and line up in an annoying but organized chain. But for some reason may be this site and facing my life, I wake up why joy and hope. Let me share some with you and maybe we knock some darkness down.
When things seem dark at my church I erase the people for a moment and give thanks not just that I have a church but that I have a faith. So many people are out their in the world with nothing no one no God head.
It is my faith and my relationship with my God that has brought my through dark times I figure church folk and church mess is just the sacrifice we have to pay and for me it is a small one.
As a believer they say we should love everyone. I say pray for me God's not through with me yet. Trust me he still has a lot of work! I look at people like MIL and think when God looks at her (and we know God loves all) he must see things that I miss. Younger me would have left it at that, but older me (unfortunately not wiser) takes a moment to thank God for seeing what I can not for tolerating what I would not and for doing so in good faith which I cannot. I take it as a sign of God's infinite wisdom and mercy, because I know there but for the grace of God go I. The trick is to refuse to let others steal your Joy.
Then I smile and think I'm glad its her not me things could be worse I could be worse. GRIN (See God's not finished with me yet)
Take the dinner and Thank God for the wonderful gift this miserable woman has given you, your wife and lifemate.
Some of us are alone, In it on our own.
In Joy and hopefulness
HOUSERECLAIMER
Thanks, Housereclaimer
I appreciate your kindness.
you're welcome
Hope you're having a better day
hope you are choosing joy
HOUSERECLAIMER
((((slider)))))
You need to look after yourself in positive ways, not through escapism!!
Learn to say no, plleeeeeaaasseeeee! Have you read First Things First?
pro's CI - 5:45pm
Once again, I've somehow managed to be busy and productive all day doing everything BUT my back accounting. I spent today going through my pile. There are things in there I really needed to take care of, like my quarterly tax returns, but if I had to do anything but back accounting, I'd have procrastinated on the pile. I've got to really not like something for The Pile to seem more appealing!!
Well, tomorrow I won't have the excuse of the pile. There are no piles, and nothing else I have to do.
Of course, I could skip the meeting tonight since it's raining. It's small to begin with - there might not be people there. And then I could do my accounting this evening. Hmmmmm.....
Hi pro.....
I'm very disappointed! Between 8am and the next check-in, 'the pile' appeared on your list. I KNOW, and you know of course, that the pile was put there on the list(conciously or not) to avoid the back accounting.
Yes, the pile needed doing at some stage, but you wanted to do the back accounting today.
I wish I had've been here to kick butt.... ;).
try again tomorrow?
All I can do is try again tomorrow. That pile has been sitting there, growing, for about two weeks. I couldn't take care of it last week because I was sick.
I'm really mad at myself for talking to ex-20 for so long. This is a bad thing - I need to stay away.
Yep, tomorrow is a good start
Just try again tomorrow! SURELY you won't be able to find any more distractions!
I am being a bit of a hypocrite telling you off, because I do exactly the same thing.
So of course I expect YOU to tell ME off!!!!!!!!
P.S.
I'd tell you off, but I don't know what you're procrastinating on. So Milo, what do you REALLY need to do that you keep putting off??
Well.....
Most of it's on my big list in the October thread!
And I have some client follow-ups that are nasty frogs, too. I'm sure you can guess, they are loose ends from clients I have 98% finished with. Sigh! The finishing thing.....
Okay, then...
...I'll start asking you if you have any follow-up to do with clients, loose ends. }:)
What's your plan for today?
NOT THAT!!!!
I've already got my plan, and I shouldn't change it }:)
Nag me another day!!! :lol:
okay, tomorrow?
Hee hee...
I was tempted to log out now so I didn't have to reply to that.
Tomorrow is a busy day (payroll during the day and it's a housework night).
But I will add it to next week's plan, and try to do it possibly earlier.
sounds good
We can make a pact. You follow up with some clients, and I'll do some back accounting. Deal?
Deal
:) :(
(the first is that I will have to do it now, the second is because, well...I have to do it now!!!!)
me, too
:) :(
it's okay - keep nagging me
I don't mind at all if you rag on me. I've got to get this done, and I'll put it off forever unless I feel some urgency.
I got a scary letter from the state demanding I file within 30 days, and that was about 20 days ago. Maybe if I think about that I'll get fired up?
that said...
...It's important for me to acknowledge that if I hadn't spent one hour and 40 minutes talking on the phone with my ex from 20 years ago, I could have used this time to work on back accounting. Didn't I try to wiggle out of this last week by sending a nasty email? But I still got the phone call. And I still talked. This is not a good thing.
pro's CI - 4:55pm
scarlett self-tattles
It has NOT been a productive few days for me. I'm tired and cranky, and I get on the wrong track in the morning and "can't" get back off.
Tomorrow I try again.
telling on yourself
It's good to tell on yourself. I always do it. It helps keep me more anchored to earth than I would be otherwise. I have a tendency to float off into the stratosphere.
Try checking in more. It helps me!
pro's CI - 4:10pm
I would have checked in a while ago, but for the last 1 hour 40 minutes I've been on the phone with ex-20.
I got through my whole pile - I feel good about that. :)
Housereclaimer 1:00PM
Anyone caught up in tax drama my want to look up tax@about.com. for
tax reduction, elimination, back returns, free income transcripts, Amnesty etc.
Pro if you have heat problems again just call 311 they will give you the info free and send someone to check if necessary. Also try ceiling or chalking your windows.
wash/teeth/hair [done]
dress [done]
take meds and vitamins [done]
make eat breakfast [done]
wash breakfast dishes [done]
Empty drain broad [done]
talk to dad [done]
Call the post office to make sure package is on the truck
will try to clear a 1/3 of the foyer floor in the next two hours
while waiting on a postal delivery.
HOUSERECLAIMER
close quotes
HR - Your images weren't displaying because you didn't close the quote around the file name. I fixed it.
slider's 11 am CI
Slider has to stop sliding. I have a week before my mom comes (I had been thinking it was 2--eek!) and I want it to be pleasant and sanitary. Right now, it's definitely not! There's so much to do that I don't even know where to begin. But I certainly want to have these results: clean porch, bathroom, living room, and kitchen; no clutter blocking walkways or preventing us from using furniture; recycling gone; kitten's crate clean and fresh; plenty of clean sheets and towels and neatly arranged. There's lots more I'd like to do something about, but anything beyond what I've listed is gravy. DD has her room very neat right now in preparation for grandma.
All I've done so far is tend the kitten (who evidently had been neglected since yesterday--DD needs disciplining for that), two loads of laundry, and some reading, plus drink coffee and take morning meds (good for me that I remembered that, though!). Well, actually I am pleased that I took the kitten outdoors and drank my coffee while he played, soaking up the beautiful morning and reflecting/praying. That was an excellent thing to do--it was VERY good for me!
To Do:
--clear off table (again)
--read IRS letters and call accountant
--do whatever follow-up is needed for accountant
--pack recycling into car
--hang up clothes in dryer IMMEDIATELY when finished
--transfer clothes in washer to dryer
--drop off marriage license at courthouse
--take recycling
--stop by hospital to pay bill
--eat healthy lunch (maybe buy a salad instead of further messing up kitchen?)
--hang second load of dry clothes
--start one more load
--sort some socks (more important than it sounds because I am having serious trouble with my feet lately and the socks are an important factor)
--make communion visit appointment (E. & E.L) for 2:30 tomorrow if suitable
--call (I. M.) about possible visit, too (1:30 if suitable)
--clean up porch
How long will all that take? I dunno. I'm not sure what order to do some of it in. But I will just start and keep starting. Gee, this post took me half an hour to complete (there were a few interruptions, though).
visit from mother
Does your mother keep an especially clean house? Just curious if that's adding to your anxiety. Do you get alone well with your mother?
hospitality, not anxiety
I just want to offer my mom a nice place to visit. She does keep her place pretty neat and orderly, though she's not a neat freak. It would be embarassing for ANYONE to see the usual condition of our house, which is why I don't have people over. Also, I had an aunt whose house always looked like this (not the crazy one, either!). I hated going over there. So I don't want to be like that when I have a guest. It seems wrong to have somebody over and not make their stay as pleasant as possible. Not to impress them (I don't go for that) but to make their stay enjoyable.
An idea.
Hi slider!
Have you tried Flylady's Crisis Cleaning routine?
Good idea
No, I haven't done it, but good idea. I'll look it up tonight after I get done with all the chauffering.
I've emailed it to you
:)
Surprise!
Wow, that HUGE pile of recycling turned out to be mostly air--wrapped in empty food boxes. And the pile, once flattened, easily fit into the big cardboard box it was all SUPPOSED to go in! And it only took a few minutes to go through the entire stack and flatten it, and pick out all the bottles and sort them by color and put them into containers to carry out to the car. From now on anyone who puts a food box into the recycling bin without flattening it will be shot!!!! }:) (Of course, I still need to take it out to the car. And to do that I must find my shoes....).
Ah, yes.
From now on anyone who puts a food box into the recycling bin without flattening it will be shot!!!!
My roomie does this ALL THE TIME and it drives me nuts. She also puts bottles in the bin without rinsing them. Among other things.
And kitty doesn't help
DD feeds him in the kitchen and lets him run around a little. (He lives in a large dog crate in the garage at the moment). That's ok. And he likes to play with all sorts of trash--wadded up balls of paper, bottle lids, strings...and once played with those things become official toys, so of course they must remain....