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.
I got everything done on the list except cutting out the doll costume. Since it's 9:15 and I just got all others finished, I'll start that in the morning and work on it 30 minutes.
This is great, has really helped me stay focused and slide into having a to-do list again. Thanks, peg
I feel like I'm off track but my arm/shoulder is killing me, so maybe I needed to not be on the computer a while. Plus, Grandmother needed me to do an errand.
Anyhoo, have 1 more email to do today but must start thesis and presentation now!!
Type up homework assignments and turn them in. Work 2 hours Football game (might go depending on time)
Amy's To Do List for This Week
1. Give Larry and George a bath 2. Helpful landlord tips- MUST COMPLETE 3. Finish gift 4. Put to do lists in binders 5. Pledge 6. Finish vaccuming 7. Put laundry away 8. Do 2 loads of laundry 9. Get Larry and George out 10. Put dishes in the dishwasher 11. Get mouse traps 12. Put grades online 13. Bring binder to school 14. E-mail BD agenda 15. Call dentist
Need to be completed but can wait
1. Get jewelry box 2. Work 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 hours 3. Make Christmas list 4. Clean out garage
Type up homework assignments and turn them in. Work 2 hours
Amy's To Do List for This Week
1. Give Larry and George a bath 2. Helpful landlord tips- MUST COMPLETE 3. Finish gift 4. Put to do lists in binders 5. Pledge 6. Get mouse traps 7. Put grades online 8. Bring binder to school 9. E-mail BD agenda
Need to be completed but can wait
1. Get jewelry box 2. Work 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 hours 3. Make Christmas list 4. Clean out garage
I'm still really scattered, but I know I should check in. Things are getting done, thank goodness, and I need to stay on track today. This afternoon a client called to "see how things were going", and I almost instantily got a case of "demand resistance". There was no problem till I started to create one, so I need to get rid of that stuff. For the rest of the day, I need to:
focus on my main project for work paint drawers for storage cabinet go to meeting, work on glitches in kitchen walls.
DONE: -Gym (only one minute late today!) -email -change planning meeting -scheduled 1st test of Project #2 (this is the one that's way behind) -Observe S's test at 10 -Lunch meeting (had stuffed pizza yum!) -Attend demo this afternoon for Project #1 - dialing in to web meeting and multi-tasking (if I had Project #2 ready to go I could have attended this meeting in person :( ) -Test #1
TO DO: -update change planning doc -status report -set up printers and network drives on new computer -order club manuals -SL form 2 of 6 -Budget - planning -personal email -dishes -pick up milk on the way home -prep for tomorrow -Schedule Test #2 -Part 1 of Test #2 - Part 2 might have to wait til tomorrow
Yesterday i had 4 objectives, which i managed to stay focused on because i listed them here (big improvement!). I didn't get all done because I was interrupted by other things, but did 3 out of 4. That is success!
Today: Continue cleaning desk (30 min.) Cut out costume Change thread Supper Clean kitchen Take Rx's 1 laundry
To do: breakfast stretches email (1 hr) begin defense presentation - reorganize old presentation first (45 min) continue thesis edits (45 minute increments w/5-10 min breaks) go running?
Here's something I've been trying to do lately that seems to help:
I've started to sometimes recognize when I'm about to procrastinate on a work project. It's like I get a certain feeling of dread when I think about tackling a piece of a big project. It feels sort of like hitting a wall. Does anybody else feel this way? I hope you're not all thinking "yep, she's gone off the deep end."
When I'm able to recognize that I'm approaching that "wall", I imagine a real brick wall in front of me - the bricks are the things that are keeping me from working on the project, like fear, shame, boredom, resentment, all that crap.
Then I imagine going through that wall. The method depends on my mood. Sometimes I imagine a door opening in the wall, and I just walk through it. Sometimes I take it down brick by brick, and sometimes I drive a bulldozer through it and just knock it all to heck.
Anyway, that may sound a little silly but sometimes it works.
I have to try this. My unique recent experience with "artificial walls": I've been recovering from 6-month illness, have learned that lots of the walls of overwhelming things I used to have around me were things I'd erected myself by my habit of "making mountains out of molehills". Suddenly I could do NOTHING, family kicked in and did everything, I also had to quit job, (very hard) to just "be still and heal". I learned how many things I did were things I signed up for that I didn't really need to be doing but I was doing out of guilt, "shoulds", my unending desire to martyr myself for others' needs (only slightly exaggerating!). Now I see the REAL walls -- big eye opener -- and they are few and smaller. I also dumped a few walls on other people -- shock! they did a better job than me! For instance, dumped all tax stuff on accountant and it was done in no time, had been hanging over me like huge weight. I will NEVER get myself that committed again, period! Some walls are meant to be climbed and actually get you somewhere; some walls are only obstacles to your vision. They are artificial walls that only existed in my mind, and they were the biggest energy drainers.
Excuse my discussion, I know this is for check-ins, but I used to almost smother with that "walled-in feeling". Other people seem to know when they are over-extended, but not me. I am Superwoman, a legend in my own mind!
I also feel that "backing up feeling" when coming to a wall. I love the visualization and will try it today with cleaning my desk. Thanks. p
I can really relate to your feeling of dread as procrastination sets back in - I do that, too, and often then get anxious, feeling overwhelmed, which just compunds the problem. I like your visualization idea for breaking through the wall, and will try it today!
My first time to try CI is now, so I will try a fairly short list:
Office:
call DM re estate call MC re mortg call DB re lease call BH re mtg
Okay, just called the person I usually check in with and got to talking and forgot to commit my day to her, so I'll do it here! Thank god for program and this thread.
To do: 6 hours of work got to 12 step meeting
Been putting off actually doing the writing assignments from my dissertation coach. I'd like to commit to at least opening up those files on my computer and working on my outline.
Thank you all for being here and have a great day.
DONE: -Gym (only one minute late today!) -email -change planning meeting -scheduled 1st test of Project #2 (this is the one that's way behind)
TO DO: -Observe S's test at 10 -Lunch meeting -Attend demo this afternoon for Project #1 -update change planning doc -status report -set up printers and network drives on new computer -order club manuals -SL form 2 of 6 -Budget - planning -personal email -dishes -pick up milk on the way home -prep for tomorrow -Test #1 -Schedule Test #2 -Part 1 of Test #2 - Part 2 might have to wait til tomorrow
Next checkin following the lunch meeting - allow a 30 min break after the meeting then check in by 1:30.
Now if I could get inspired by your username, well at least the moving part, that would be great. My first check in hasn't been a success. I hope to do better next time.
When I started just checking in was a success for me and a starting point for a long journey with support from friends. One day at a time and please be gentle with yourself.
I sure know how to "spend" time (I was going to say "waste"). I didn't work on my pile. What I did instead was update my resume, and send it to a company I'm interested in working for. I've got some stuff going on at my job that's making me very unhappy. I want to get out of there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.
Once again, the first hour after I woke up slipped away and I don't know where it went. But I got up an hour earlier this morning, so I had that hour to piddle away and don't need to feel bad. Now I'm going to open up the table and work on my pile for a little while while I have my coffee.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.
Sometimes when I've had trouble working, if I wake up in the middle of the night pretty awake, I get up and work till I'm tired again. And sometimes working the next day is a little easier. :)
But actually, this was so long ago now that I don't really remember what happened. :P
I got up at 6am this morning. I almost turned off the alarm and went back to sleep, but then I thought about how pleasant it would be to have that extra hour in the morning so I can get where I need to go without being late and without rushing. I can work on my pile a little, whatever. The only problem is I woke up with a migraine.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.
Hope your migraine is better! They are such a bother - they just make everything pile up that much more and feed the procrastination beast -at least they do for me!!
Woke early as worried about court cases etc and went through all of my mail. There is a date set for the end of October and I need some legal advice before then. Also I need to contact one credit card company. Otherwise all seems to be fine. I have a lot to do. I've made a big list for the next ten days and am prioritising for today.
finish unpacking
wash clothes in machine - two lots
food shopping
clean up a bit
rest
Hope you had a good journey. I read your posts on yesterday's thread and today's. Wow, you just got home .... and have already checked email, postal mail, unpacked, and started laundry. Awesome!
This particular thing I haven't been procrastinating on because I have a health problem that's... well, a fairly significant problem. I was about to write that I don't procrastinate on health stuff when I remembered I'm way overdue for a dental checkup, and I am procrastinating on that!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.
Peggy - CI
I got everything done on the list except cutting out the doll costume.
Since it's 9:15 and I just got all others finished, I'll start that in the morning and work on it 30 minutes.
This is great, has really helped me stay focused and slide into having a to-do list again.
Thanks,
peg
lad 4:30 CI
I feel like I'm off track but my arm/shoulder is killing me, so maybe I needed to not be on the computer a while. Plus, Grandmother needed me to do an errand.
Anyhoo, have 1 more email to do today but must start thesis and presentation now!!
I'll CI in 15 min...
lad 5:20 CI
First 45 min complete! Now for supper I think...
I'll CI at 5:50 unless Grandmother needs help. CI at 6:10 at the max.
lad 8 pm CI
Oh wow. That was an underestimation + a poor choice of time.
Anyhoo, checking in and back to work for at least 15...
lad 9:10 CI
Halfway through Chapter 2!!
My arm is telling me computer work may be done for the evening...
What a great day!
lad 4:50 CI
Worked for 20 minutes! Onward!
Amy's CI
Thursday:
Type up homework assignments and turn them in.
Work 2 hours
Football game (might go depending on time)
Amy's To Do List for This Week
1. Give Larry and George a bath
2. Helpful landlord tips- MUST COMPLETE
3. Finish gift
4. Put to do lists in binders
5. Pledge
6. Finish vaccuming
7. Put laundry away
8. Do 2 loads of laundry
9. Get Larry and George out
10. Put dishes in the dishwasher
11. Get mouse traps
12. Put grades online
13. Bring binder to school
14. E-mail BD agenda
15. Call dentist
Need to be completed but can wait
1. Get jewelry box
2. Work 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 hours
3. Make Christmas list
4. Clean out garage
Check in by midnight
Amy's CI 11:37
Thursday:
Type up homework assignments and turn them in.
Work 2 hours
Amy's To Do List for This Week
1. Give Larry and George a bath
2. Helpful landlord tips- MUST COMPLETE
3. Finish gift
4. Put to do lists in binders
5. Pledge
6. Get mouse traps
7. Put grades online
8. Bring binder to school
9. E-mail BD agenda
Need to be completed but can wait
1. Get jewelry box
2. Work 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 hours
3. Make Christmas list
4. Clean out garage
Check in by midnight
October 4
To do: -Write a short paragraph about my work and send it to my advisor
- Water garden
- Clean apartment
- Laundry
2 pm CI for Lark
I'm still really scattered, but I know I should check in. Things are getting done, thank goodness, and I need to stay on track today. This afternoon a client called to "see how things were going", and I almost instantily got a case of "demand resistance". There was no problem till I started to create one, so I need to get rid of that stuff. For the rest of the day, I need to:
focus on my main project for work
paint drawers for storage cabinet
go to meeting,
work on glitches in kitchen walls.
Journey CI 1:15
DONE:
-Gym (only one minute late today!)
-email
-change planning meeting
-scheduled 1st test of Project #2 (this is the one that's way behind)
-Observe S's test at 10
-Lunch meeting (had stuffed pizza yum!)
-Attend demo this afternoon for Project #1 - dialing in to web meeting and multi-tasking
(if I had Project #2 ready to go I could have attended this meeting in person :( )
-Test #1
TO DO:
-update change planning doc
-status report
-set up printers and network drives on new computer
-order club manuals
-SL form 2 of 6
-Budget - planning
-personal email
-dishes
-pick up milk on the way home
-prep for tomorrow
-Schedule Test #2
-Part 1 of Test #2 - Part 2 might have to wait til tomorrow
Peggy - this check-in thing is great!
Yesterday i had 4 objectives, which i managed to stay focused on because i listed them here (big improvement!). I didn't get all done because I was interrupted by other things, but did 3 out of 4. That is success!
Today:
Continue cleaning desk (30 min.)
Cut out costume
Change thread
Supper
Clean kitchen
Take Rx's
1 laundry
Thanks, and have a great day everyone!
Peg
lad 9:20 CI
Done:
did my morning reading
To do:
breakfast
stretches
email (1 hr)
begin defense presentation - reorganize old presentation first (45 min)
continue thesis edits (45 minute increments w/5-10 min breaks)
go running?
Visualization
Here's something I've been trying to do lately that seems to help:
I've started to sometimes recognize when I'm about to procrastinate on a work project. It's like I get a certain feeling of dread when I think about tackling a piece of a big project. It feels sort of like hitting a wall. Does anybody else feel this way? I hope you're not all thinking "yep, she's gone off the deep end."
When I'm able to recognize that I'm approaching that "wall", I imagine a real brick wall in front of me - the bricks are the things that are keeping me from working on the project, like fear, shame, boredom, resentment, all that crap.
Then I imagine going through that wall. The method depends on my mood. Sometimes I imagine a door opening in the wall, and I just walk through it. Sometimes I take it down brick by brick, and sometimes I drive a bulldozer through it and just knock it all to heck.
Anyway, that may sound a little silly but sometimes it works.
J.
Walls everywhere!
I have to try this. My unique recent experience with "artificial walls": I've been recovering from 6-month illness, have learned that lots of the walls of overwhelming things I used to have around me were things I'd erected myself by my habit of "making mountains out of molehills". Suddenly I could do NOTHING, family kicked in and did everything, I also had to quit job, (very hard) to just "be still and heal". I learned how many things I did were things I signed up for that I didn't really need to be doing but I was doing out of guilt, "shoulds", my unending desire to martyr myself for others' needs (only slightly exaggerating!). Now I see the REAL walls -- big eye opener -- and they are few and smaller. I also dumped a few walls on other people -- shock! they did a better job than me! For instance, dumped all tax stuff on accountant and it was done in no time, had been hanging over me like huge weight. I will NEVER get myself that committed again, period! Some walls are meant to be climbed and actually get you somewhere; some walls are only obstacles to your vision. They are artificial walls that only existed in my mind, and they were the biggest energy drainers.
Excuse my discussion, I know this is for check-ins, but I used to almost smother with that "walled-in feeling". Other people seem to know when they are over-extended, but not me. I am Superwoman, a legend in my own mind!
I also feel that "backing up feeling" when coming to a wall. I love the visualization and will try it today with cleaning my desk. Thanks.
p
Breaking thru the "walls"/ first CI
J.,
I can really relate to your feeling of dread as procrastination sets back in - I do that, too, and often then get anxious, feeling overwhelmed, which just compunds the problem. I like your visualization idea for breaking through the wall, and will try it today!
My first time to try CI is now, so I will try a fairly short list:
Office:
call DM re estate
call MC re mortg
call DB re lease
call BH re mtg
Home/personal:
call plumber
buy B'day gifts/cards for CC, dad
rec
N Bookend and Check In
Love the little animation -- very cute!
Okay, just called the person I usually check in with and got to talking and forgot to commit my day to her, so I'll do it here! Thank god for program and this thread.
To do:
6 hours of work
got to 12 step meeting
Been putting off actually doing the writing assignments from my dissertation coach. I'd like to commit to at least opening up those files on my computer and working on my outline.
Thank you all for being here and have a great day.
N
Journey CI - 10 am
Good morning everyone!
DONE:
-Gym (only one minute late today!)
-email
-change planning meeting
-scheduled 1st test of Project #2 (this is the one that's way behind)
TO DO:
-Observe S's test at 10
-Lunch meeting
-Attend demo this afternoon for Project #1
-update change planning doc
-status report
-set up printers and network drives on new computer
-order club manuals
-SL form 2 of 6
-Budget - planning
-personal email
-dishes
-pick up milk on the way home
-prep for tomorrow
-Test #1
-Schedule Test #2
-Part 1 of Test #2 - Part 2 might have to wait til tomorrow
Next checkin following the lunch meeting - allow a 30 min break after the meeting then check in by 1:30.
J.
Bottleneck First Check In
Hi I am new here and thought I would jump right in. I am currently suffering from severe depression so my objectives will be minimal.
Morning objectives
- Do laundry
- Work on my taxes
PM
Meet the support group
Good day everyone!
Welcome, bottleneck!
Welcome, bottleneck! I can totally relate to your username!
blessings,
moving along
Thanks movingalong :)
Now if I could get inspired by your username, well at least the moving part, that would be great. My first check in hasn't been a success. I hope to do better next time.
Hi bottleneck
When I started just checking in was a success for me and a starting point for a long journey with support from friends. One day at a time and please be gentle with yourself.
Rexroth
Will try, rexroth. Will
Will try, rexroth. Will try... ;)
pro's CI - 8:15am
I sure know how to "spend" time (I was going to say "waste"). I didn't work on my pile. What I did instead was update my resume, and send it to a company I'm interested in working for. I've got some stuff going on at my job that's making me very unhappy. I want to get out of there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.
pro's CI - 6:55am
Once again, the first hour after I woke up slipped away and I don't know where it went. But I got up an hour earlier this morning, so I had that hour to piddle away and don't need to feel bad. Now I'm going to open up the table and work on my pile for a little while while I have my coffee.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.
lad 4:25 am CI
Finished Chapter 1. Going back to bed now...
odd working hours
Hmmm.... You got up in the middle of the night to work on your thesis for 15 minutes? I'm a little confused! :P Good job doing it, though!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.
well, yes, pro
Sometimes when I've had trouble working, if I wake up in the middle of the night pretty awake, I get up and work till I'm tired again. And sometimes working the next day is a little easier. :)
But actually, this was so long ago now that I don't really remember what happened. :P
pro's CI - 6:15am
I got up at 6am this morning. I almost turned off the alarm and went back to sleep, but then I thought about how pleasant it would be to have that extra hour in the morning so I can get where I need to go without being late and without rushing. I can work on my pile a little, whatever. The only problem is I woke up with a migraine.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.
Migraine
Pro,
Hope your migraine is better! They are such a bother - they just make everything pile up that much more and feed the procrastination beast -at least they do for me!!
Hang in there!
rec
lad 3:55 am CI
Still working...
lad 3:40 CI
I am going to work on my thesis for at least 15 minutes straight. I'll check back in...
Rexroth 09.27 BST
Hi Folks It's good to be back.
Todo today
Woke early as worried about court cases etc and went through all of my mail. There is a date set for the end of October and I need some legal advice before then. Also I need to contact one credit card company. Otherwise all seems to be fine. I have a lot to do. I've made a big list for the next ten days and am prioritising for today.
finish unpacking
wash clothes in machine - two lots
food shopping
clean up a bit
rest
and that's it for the moment
Regards Rexroth
Welcome back, Rexroth!
Hope you had a good journey.
I read your posts on yesterday's thread and today's.
Wow, you just got home .... and have already checked email, postal mail, unpacked, and started laundry. Awesome!
Rexroth 11.35 BST
I've unpacked and the first load of washing is rinsing. Now to make shopping list.
Rexroth
Rexroth 15.41 BST
I'm gradually falling asleep so am going to see if I can sleep.
Rexroth
Rexroth 16.47 BST
and I can't...
Rexroth 22.28 BST
And so to bed
Night Folks
Rexroth
getting ready for Thursday
I have a doctor's appointment in the morning - a yucky one. I'm getting up at 6am so I can take my time in the morning and not be late.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.
Best of luck pro
Hi pro - wishing you the best at the Doctors. Procrastination over medical stuff is one of my faults and we have a free(ish) NHS in the UK.
Rexroth
medical procrastination
Thanks, Rexroth, and welcome back!
This particular thing I haven't been procrastinating on because I have a health problem that's... well, a fairly significant problem. I was about to write that I don't procrastinate on health stuff when I remembered I'm way overdue for a dental checkup, and I am procrastinating on that!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.