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.

In what area(s) of your life do you procrastinate?

None - never procrastinate
0% (3 votes)
School homework, studying
11% (85 votes)
Writing books, articles, papers
3% (22 votes)
Getting ready to leave (chronically late)
2% (16 votes)
Work- or job-related tasks
6% (48 votes)
Filing tax returns, accounting
1% (11 votes)
Handling bills and insurance
1% (7 votes)
Housekeeping
3% (25 votes)
Exercise
2% (18 votes)
Seeking medical care
2% (17 votes)
Following medical advice (e.g. taking medication)
0% (3 votes)
Other (please specify by posting a comment)
0% (3 votes)
Three or more areas (post comment to explain)
11% (88 votes)
Five or more areas (post comment to explain)
10% (81 votes)
Seven or more areas (post comment to explain)
10% (77 votes)
Procrastinate in all areas of life
37% (299 votes)
Total votes: 803

Comments

I am late to most things.

I am late to most things. Not by much, which is more annoying. (in fact I should be going in the shower now )

 I put off making decisions

I put off buying things

I put off exercise

I put off cleaning (who doesn't?) 

 I put off stuff at work all the time. Mainly unpleasant task that involve any confrontation, or things that are already late.

I even put off replying to emails and texts because I'm thinking of everything I can say, rather than sending something so that people know I'm alive and I care. 

Loooads of stuff

Studying, writing, jobseeking, accounting, housekeeping, exercise, seeking medical care (even though it's on the NHS and therefore essentially free), catching up with friends/phoning people, getting things fixed that need fixing. Incidentally, my anxiety levels are rising just writing this!

Procrastination scale

Starting with the worst

Decluttering 

house and garden keeping

Making phone calls

Writing books and articles

Dealing with correspondence

Exercises

Seeking medical care and to lesser extent following advice.

Going to bed 

I don,t procrastinate  on being punctual meeting people or catching trains, planes, etc.

I procrastinate on...

definitely:

- study

- getting ready -> always late

- sometimes work

Housekeeping I do as procrastination instead of study and exercise I use as a means to gather energy to get back to study :D 

procrastinations

Everything except medication and being late.  The only timing I chronically procrastinate on is getting packed for my holidays, so I almost invariably leave late unless I have a specific train/plane to catch

 

H.

re: procrastination list

It looks like I procrastinate on most things, but especially

-anything work-related

-anything money-related

-anything maintenance related: my body, my car, my home

-anything involving a phone call, and esp. calls regarding money or services, or acquaintances

In other words, anything involving some type of *mundane work* or *socializing with other human beings* because I prefer pleasure and living in a fantasyland and avoiding what seems to be potentially scary! Surprised

On the plus side I dfon't

On the plus side I dfon't tend to be late,or at least never more than a couple of minutes, and I don't generally let other people down. If I say I'll be somewhere to do something I do turn up.Got to remember the positives....

 

never late

Hi - I'm never late either. In fact I'm usually ridiculously early. But I think this is partly because by running out of the house early I can put off all the things that need doing there!!

E.BE

procrastinations

So - things I do and don't put off

I procrastinate around:

Work admin tasks

Domestic tasks - particularly cleaning. So I have to admit that my partner does most of it!

Phoning and emailing people - work and social

Organizing social things that I actually want to do! Ridiculous!

Writing - a central part of my job

Marking/grading papers

Exercise

I don't procrastinate around:

Teaching - well, you have to actually turn up to do this! But I also don't procrastinate too badly around teaching planning. 

Going to bed and getting up. Generally getting places - am always early.

Cooking. And eating what I've cooked.

Er...anything that gives me instant and immediate pleasure...but that's the main source of the problem!

E.BE

 

For me it's writing

For me it's writing reports/work related stuff, anything financial, taxes to paying bills,housework, exercise...I have even been known to procrastinate sex. Sorry, spouse! I only just understood now what all that was about....lol

 

Easier to say where I DON'T procrastinate...

My areas are: housekeeping, bill paying, tax returns (last minute always), exercising, sleeping, writing (I've got several articles, short stories, novels started....)....and finishing projects...I'm a quilter....too many kits....too many started, unfinished projects!

Where I procrastinate

1. Filing my income taxes

2. Paying bills

3. Housework

4. Getting ready for work and appointments (improving here!)

5. Going to bed

6. Getting up in the morning

7. Volunteer position

8. Confronting people when they have said or done something to hurt me

9. Applying for work

The only area where I'm not bad is my healthcare.

7 or more areas

Always late for things or 'just in time', but getting better. Even turning up early for some things!!

Have missed trains, planes, boats...

Library fines, late charges, penalties...

Never used to see the beginning of the movie...

Have had to be let in at the intermission at the theatre...

Put off taking pets to the vet...

Still haven't made dentist appointments for me and my daughter, it's been way over six months now...

I also need to get her a new passport as we're going on holiday in a month, and passports can take a while!!

Forever putting off big jobs like decluttering, filing papers, backing up the computer (have never done it...)

Haven't redecorated in about eight years, apart from the living room, which had to be done.

Postpone food shopping! Make do with what's here in the freezer or a quick expensive trip to the local shop. Have had a very unhealthy diet as a result of procrastinating about making dinner...

Put off deleting unread emails, my gmail inbox is nearly 50% full. That's a lot of emails...

Haven't even mentioned the stress I put myself under procrastinating about studying and essay-writing etc. 

Put off having fun :(

I probably have many more examples (most of which cost me money) but that will do for now.

From sun up to sun down

From hauling myself out of bed in the morning to returning to it at night, there is no shortage of procrastination in my life. How long things are avoided is the only concern, not whether something's being avoided.

- "A procrastinator's work is never done."

Three or more areas

I tends to procrastinate in 

  • school homework,
  • writing 
  • getting ready to leave.

and in most of those tasks that involve with writing, computer, and internet.

My procrastination on writing has gotten worse in last year. :(

The exception to my procrastination is writing an email.

Any obligation :\

even things I decide I want to accomplish just for fun... if it's an accomplishment it goes on the back burner.  wtf, me!?!? ;p

Exactly!

I ticked I procrastinate on all areas of my life, but not all the time. Only if they become an obligation or I make them into one. If there is anything more pressing to be done, I will do everything else brilliantly. If I have to make an important phonecall or apply for a job, I study. If I have to study, I clean.  If all I have to do is cleaning, I get into this really dark place where I just surf the internet.
The only things I do not procrastinate on are the ones costing me money, so I bring back books, pay bills on time etc. But that also after putting it off.
 
You cannot run away from a weakness; you must sometimes fight it out or
perish. And if that be so, why not now, and where you stand?
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 - 1894)

Anything the requires delayed gratification

 

I can not perform any task that requires any short-term sacrifice of pleasure, gratification, or comfort UNTIL I experience a visceral panic at the 11th hour.  Only then does my attention become focused and efficient.  However, when I say 11th hour I really mean 11:59 (and 59 seconds).  

Of course, the tendency is to always underestimate the amount of time it takes to complete a task.  Therefore, I'm basically f*cked most of the time.

3 or more

I procrastinate with basic housekeeping

all paperwork

frequently late to work

sometimes laundry

dairy2mama

 

Areas of my life where I procrastinate

I procrastinate in just about every area except appointments.

Work, dates, tasks, taxes, letters, meals

I make sure that I am not late for appointments. It might be the attention I receive, which is something I desire. 

Used to be late on paying bills, but I learned the hard way about not paying them on time. I use automatic bill paying for just about all of my bills.

Poll answer

I'm late with work assignments, bills, taxes and financial work, and housework.

"It is never too late to be who you might have been" - George Eliot

"Fall seven times. Stand up eight." - Japanese proverb

Chronically Late

Constantly late - now for work, in past for school.  Makes everyone around me crazy and is massively unprofessional.  I will make myself late even wwhen I get up early enough to get everything done and leave on time. I feel like it almost cancles out my skills and talents, so that I am terrified to ever have to look for another job (how do I explain, or expect others to tolerate this bullshit??).

    Lots of clutter around me -  reflection of the general internal chaos.  Been in drug/alcohol 12 step recovery for MANY years, but seem jnable to apply steps to this area of my addiction.  

We are talking insantity and compulsion here.

Welcome Birdlady

I have a problem with being late too, luckily at the job I have now they are quite flexible, but I have a tendency to be at least 5 minutes late for EVERYTHING.  I've been working on this, so maybe we can work together!

Jo 

Every time you get up and get back in the race, one more little piece of you starts to fall into place - (from "Stand" by Rascal Flatts)

oops dupe

removed duplicate

5 or more

1. School homework, studying

2. Writing Papers-goes along with #1

3. Work-or job-related tasks-including applying/searching for work being I am unemployed

4. Housekeeping

5. Exercise

Same Here

These are the exact same areas of my life that I procrastinate in...

where do I procrastinate

1.- Big projects

Start my own business

2.- Things I dont have the habit of

Cooking

3.- THings that require paying contant attention

Keeping my purse and my car organized and decluttered

Just last night

I have a project due today. Could've worked on it last night, didn't.

And it's not a project I dread, am poor at, or there's a lot of pressure around it.

Just didn't do it.

Consequences of my procrastination - lost my profitable business after 7 years, lost my home, my marriage of 23 years, relationship with my kids intact but - divorce is divorce, and those relationships effected.

Living in a rented room, with a few grand to live on.

The kicker - I'm a smart, personable, witty guy. I just procrastinate constantly. Since I can remember. By sheer will I make it through life, but not a life of quality.

I know what I need to do, but knowing it is not doing it.

Procrastination has always been, and continues to be, my Achille's heel. It's taking me down. If I could figure out how not to procrastinate I would be a different person.

chronically

im always late

take a long to seek medical help when needed( i often over exaggerate in my head)

 

late on studies

 

i definately put off tasks at work i dont want to do..or just simply say"I'LL DO IT LATER JUST LET ME DO THIS FIRST' ha ha

 

HOUSE KEEPING

 

EXCERCISE

more of the same* do it later or do it twice as hard tomorrow *

 

gees i need some help Undecided

Writing and, er, writing and, um, writing

Procrastinate in exercise, writing, schoolwork, and job-related work.  But the schoolwork and job-related work is all writing as well, so they should just be lumped together.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task. 

~William James

Writing is much pain for me, too

Gosh, crayon0. It's exactly the same for me, too.

I really find it hard to write and write and write for whatever reasons.
In my current state, I find it really hard to write more than 30 minutes.
And further discouraging part is that I tends to write very slow and sloppily
than any other students in my grade.

And yet there are many writing assignment that I have to do
that probably takes a large sum of my time that I fear of not completing it.

I guess that's my reasoning for procrastinating
but I should find a way to deal with this somehow.

 

7 or more..   Really

7 or more..

 

Really out of those, the only ones I dont procrastinate is most bills/insurance and tax.

Although I have to a minor degree at times with both of those.., generally i dont. 

 

Everything else.. definitely.

 

Where don't I procrastinate?

I clicked "5 or more areas" but could have justified a higher number. A matter of interpretation.

Anything "work" related, certainly. That includes work/job tasks, studying (when I was in school, and now any self-directed study), and planned writing.

For me at least, anything to do with accounting: bill paying, checkbook balancing, tax preparation. (My very first post to this group was the day after getting the very last on-time postmark at my local post office on Tax Day, 3 years ago now.)

Late for appointments - yes yes yes. Ask my (punctual) wife.

Some areas depend on circumstances. Some household chores get done because they are fully routinized. Sometimes they are convenient sources of procrastination for the truly important activities. Even in handling the routine items though, little distractions creep in and they often take longer to finish than they should.

One of the few areas above where I have relatively little problem with procrastination is health care. Generally when I decide a problem deserves a doctor's attention I handle it, because I don't want the potential complications of putting it off. Funny how I don't give the other aspects of my life the same respect. Maybe my body is better than my brain at letting me know when it isn't going to put up with any B.S. and stonewalling.

poll - areas procrastinate in

housekeeping

bills/ financial things

exercising

gah.

I didn't even know what procrastination was! I always thought it was a family thing. We are sort of that people that end up doing things last minute cause we get "inspired" when we feel rushed. I spend most of my highschool year doin things last minute and now that i am starting college, I just feel lazy. I don't feel "inspired" to do something.

And that is bad.

I used to have some much energy and I never gave up...but know I feel like if I am not doing it at the moment...why do it at all.

I used to be a superb writer and sometimes inspiration comes and I get this grea plot...but then I can't even find a motivation to write so i just do other things and then i never get anything done.

I really wish i could explain this better.

But english is not my first language...so it is sort of difficult to express what i feel.

Gosh...i can't even get the energy to finish this.

I procrastinate in:

School, homework, studying, writing, doing stuff or even going out with my friends...(i am always telling them "lets go out" but i never seem to get around the idea)

Areas of procrastination

I voted for the wrong one by accident, but what I procrastinate most on is excercise, schoolwork, and getting ready (sometimes).

Areas of procrastination

I procrastinate on writing and other work-related tasks, filing taxes, handling bills, housekeeping, exercise, taking care of the car, planning leisure activities, writing Xmas cards, etc. Most anything that I feel I "should" do or that feels at all overwhelming/anxiety provoking to me leads to procrastination.
Mollie

I procrastinate work and

I procrastinate work and job-related tasks, seeking medical care, studying and above all, take care of my social life and friends.

Let me count the ways

First, it interests me that there are people replying to this poll who said they never procrastinate! Why are they here?

I am a minister, so I am supposed to do an in-depth bible study each week as I prepare to write a sermon. Then I am supposed to WRITE a sermon. But for several years now, I just read the lessons hurriedly so that I can pick out songs by the time the secretaries need to type up the bulletin, then read the lessons again just prior to worship on Thursdays at a nursing home, again so I can pick hymns (they use a different hymnal), and then I speak extemporaneously during the service. On Sunday (same lessons), I think about what I said on Thursday, re-read the lessons, and then speak extemporaneously again. I honestly have no idea what I will say before I say it. I joke about being inspired, and to a small degree I honestly believe that, but mostly, not planning any more than that is sheer procrastination. After church is over I always wish I had said this or that, and sometimes I am even chagrined to realize what I said wasn't quite right.

Clergy taxes are bizarre, and I hate math anyway, so I have not filed my taxes in 7 years. I have filed extensions, but I never get around to completing them. It seems so traumatic that I am really avoidant of going back. Of course, I never start them until at most a few days before the deadline, and I never have the records I need, or the forms I need, and I never have even learned all of what I am supposed to file. I just give up. I am too embarassed to admit all this to a tax accountant. I have letters from the IRS buried in a pile on my dining table from May that I have never opened. I suppose the IRS may come to get me some day, and I ocasionally get scared, but mostly I don't care. Sometimes, because I am SO frickin' overloaded with responsibilities, I think going to prison would be a relief. Then I think about what a burden that would be on my family, and I get so depressed I want to crawl in a hole. And I do--by time-binging on something like reading or the computer or tv or gardening. I time-binge on professional reading, too, trying to figure out the meaning of life. When I have housework to do, I read. When I have work preparations to do, I play. When I am supposed to be doing R&R, I work. In all of this I greatly avoid my family.

Bills, insurance--buried in pile on table. Exercise, medical appointments, medications--usually forgotten. Late everywhere I go, much of the time.

Housework, also done in binges, and then I don't touch a thing until I can't stand it again.

In many of these areas, the problem is binging. For taxes, there's also a sort of phobia and my own incompetence and unwillingness to get help.

My husband has not been any help. He took 11 years to get his Ph.D.! And he doesn't know anything about the taxes, either, after my being in the ministry 12 years, and us filing joint returns. He's a fellow procrastinator, which I have known since our college days, but which he doesn't acknowledge. Sometimes he does really well with pacing himself and using checklist, plus he sees a therapist weekly. My therapist got tired of me being late and quit seeing me several years ago. In my small town, there are reasons why I can't see anybody else here locally. I'd have to drive an hour each way to see somebody else. So here I am on this site!

slider - oh, do I relate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Some suggestions...

> First, it interests me that there are people replying to this poll who said they never procrastinate! Why are they here? Or maybe they are kids? Or maybe they are lying?

Don't know for sure, of course, but it might be researchers. I found a research site on procrastination (university based) and corresponded with one of the authors very briefly. He said he studied procrastination but didn't do it.

Slider - I very strongly relate to your sermon procrastinations. I used to do something similar when I was teaching. I knew the subject matter well enough to get away with it, but I knew I wasn't giving my best and it bothered me.

-Clergy taxes are bizarre, and I hate math anyway, so I have not filed my taxes in 7 years.

The last year I filed tax returns was 2003 - that's also the last time I entered my receipts into Quicken. So now I'm about 3 years behind. And this is not the first time I've gotten several years behind in my taxes. Catching up is excruciating. When I do it, I always resolve never to let this happen again, and then I do.

For me it's not about hating math. Actually, I'm good at math, and anyway I let an accountant do my tax returns. It's that I absolutely hate the tedium of keeping records. But not knowing my income or expenses drives me batty (I'm a freelancer, so I really don't know my income). It feels so good to be caught up and on top of this, and yet I continually let it go.

I, too, have sometimes left letters from the IRS unopened for months at a time.

Since you're not self-employed, you don't have to keep a lot of detailed records. You could take the whole pile of correspondence to an accountant and let him or her sort it out. Don't be embarrassed - they see this all the time.

- Bills, insurance--buried in pile on table. Exercise, medical appointments, medications--usually forgotten. Late everywhere I go, much of the time.

Yes, I can relate to this, too. I'm much better about it now, though. For one thing, I'm no longer depressed (I went on medication). Are you depressed? For another thing, I started using the "Getting Things Done" system - implemented it in Outlook - and that helped by eliminating my organizational problems. I was constantly forgetting things I needed to do or places I needed to be. Now I have reminders set up everywhere.

Another question... You sound like me in what you procrastinate in, and I know that a major underlying cause of my procrastination is adult ADD. Do you know if you have this? Have you ever read any books about it? If you have ADD, you will recognize yourself instantly, and what a relief to know this is not your fault - it's just the way you're wired. People with ADD have "impaired executive function" in their brain - it's extremely hard for them to get organized and get started. We can - with planning and knowledge of where we fall down. It just takes awareness and work - and in my case, medication. I've taken different meds, but right now I'm taking Wellbutrin, which addresses both the depression and the ADD. It helps me quite a bit.

- Housework, also done in binges, and then I don't touch a thing until I can't stand it again.

I did this when I was depressed, but I'm pretty good about housework now.

- My therapist got tired of me being late and quit seeing me several years ago.

Didn't your therapist even once bring up the possibility of ADD? Or major depression that could be helped by medication? I think you'd improve quite a bit with some Wellbutrin and some emotional support to get back on track (professional coaching, if you can afford it, therapy with someone who knows what they're doing, or simply this site).

Thanks and reply

First, a weird thing: I did not write the lines, "Or maybe they are kids? Or maybe they are lying?" Did you add it? How did it get into the part that I wrote???? Even weirder: I did THINK that!

Yes, I have struggled for years with clinical depression. And right now I am not taking anything. Just got tired of it, and tired of going to see the psychiatrist. That was more than a year ago. Seems like so much hassle to take care of it: find my insurance card (usually I have no idea where to look, but at least these days I do have a special slot in my billfold for that), call the insurance company to get precertified to see the psychiatrist (in my town, the GPs will not prescribe optimal doses, only the starter dose; I believe they do not want the responsibility of titrating the dose), make room in my schedule for a half day away from work (one hour drive each way, an hour of waiting/consulting, an hour to take advantage of being in the big city, of course--lunch or shopping, unless I have a hospital call to piggyback upon--I often have parishioners in the regional health center--of course it's the opposite end of town! It's also expensive: not just the copay, which isn't too bad (and which I can get reimbursed if I would only submit my expenses to the church treasurer; I've already gotten over the embarassment issues, and there are some steps I can take for confidentiality), but also the gas, and if I indulge, lunch or shopping! Part of me says that if I would just take the time to play, I could spend $75 on fun instead of the psych visit. Not to mention the medication--that's a problem, because my insurance doesn't always pay. You see, I was on Wellbutrin for quite awhile, but it quit doing the trick. So then I was on something else I don't even remember, and then my psychiatrist thought there MIGHT be an ADD issue, and we added Strattera to the antidepressant. The insurance wouldn't pay for that at all. But, heck, since I've been off everything for a year, maybe the wellbutrin would have a pretty good effect again. And it WAS covered. My husband asks me very pointedly once in awhile, "Aren't you taking anything? Why not?" Guess I should get a new evaluation. But I don't feel despondant, just like I'm not having enough fun or doing what I really want, which naturally contributes to my demand resistence. So it feels situational. And pastors face lots of demands and expectations!!! BTW, I am, in Myers-Briggs terms, an INFP. The P is way off the scale, and I am surrounded by J's who fully expect me to be a strong J. (If that's all babble, let me know.) It's another factor that raises my demand resistence. I want more space for creativity. Of course, when I get it, I procrastinate even more....

dear slider...

It sounds like you are so used to being depressed that it feels normal. Please see a psychiatrist and get back on Wellbutrin. I took Adderall for a while for the ADD, but it had an unpleasant side effect for me - exacerbated another problem I have - so I stopped taking it. It worked well, though. I'd suggest Wellbutrin and Adderal XR (not that I'm a psychiatrist, but this combination worked well for me).

Please take care of yourself. That is your first and foremost responsibility in this life. God gave you life - the greatest possible gift imaginable. The way to honor this gift is to live life to the fullest - savor it, enjoy it. It's rude to throw away a gift! Also, you cannot take care of anyone else if you are empty inside and have nothing to give. Self-care is not a luxury - it's a duty.

((((Hugs!!))))

Yeah

I do need to take better care of myself. You're so right that if I use myself up I have nothing left to give--and will need someone to jump-start me again.

I'm taking some baby steps. I've recently joined Flylady, which is where I learned about SHEs in Touch, which is where I found this site. I'm starting to pull together a control journal for the house--which will help me get my family more involved and coordinated in keeping things managed-- and revising my planner. I'm not following all of Flylady's tips--including the most important one of going to bed (though reading recently that keeping the lights on late at night can contribute to breast cancer may be sufficient motivator to begin breaking that habit!), but I have implemented Swish and Swipe. I've also recently programmed my cell phone with calendar reminders to keep me from forgetting my appointments and the programs I lead. I set it to chime at times that vary with each appointment, giving me the amount of time I think I need to make it there from where I usually am at that time. For instance, if I have an early morning appointment that only takes fifteen minutes to get to, but the chances are that I will not get up on time because I forget I have that appointment, then I set it for an hour and fifteen minutes before the appointment. I thought that was pretty clever!

This coming week I scheduled chiropractic appointments I had been putting off, scheduled the hot rocks massage my mom gave me as a Christmas present (I finally located where I had put the certificate!), and Friday I am flying to my mom's for a week of vacation in lovely scenery.

Now if I can just make myself go do the shut-in visits. I haven't scheduled those yet. Once I make the appointment, I go (sometimes a little late). But I keep putting off calling them. I hate committing to a particular time for each, because who knows how long each visit will actually take? It would work better timewise and emotion-wise (sometimes it's quite draining) to schedule only one in a given portion of the day, but that would be wasting gasoline by increasing my mileage. Or so the perfectionist in me tells me (and I fear that the Church Treasurer might say so, too). Plus, I'm running out of month, so I have to do them all this week, before my vacation. Well, at least it's now (as of this moment) on my list. I will call them in the morning and set up the appointments!

It's been very helpful talking with you, Pro. Blessings upon your own efforts for the rest of the day!
slider

Hey, me too!

When I am supposed to be doing R&R, I work

I was beginning to think I was the only one! The procrastination books I've read so far seem to assume we're all swanning about doing things we like to avoid the things we don't like, but I sometimes avoid doing the things I like to. I've got the same problem pro has mentioned previously - changing from one task to another.

I also was on the FlyLady list for a couple of years, and now I keep up with the system and don't get the Emails. I'm a regular on SHEsInTouch (which I think is where I found out about this site too), particularly on the 'Things That Have Been Put Off Challenge' thread, and the 'Daily Habits' thread (not doing so well on that this month).

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Anything that involves Work

When I was in school, I was the last one sitting down to do homework or write papers. I wrote a 50 page senior project in 2 days (the 2 days before it was due). I do the same at work - although it seems to work for me, because my bosses like what I produce. I also procrastinate doing housework, mostly because I hate doing it, or seeking medical care - because I hate going to the doctors.

However - in terms of late or early arrival - I am almost always early, and often the first to arrive.

You left out my biggest one

Dealing with my relatives. I actually like most of them, but we never talk!

Other areas on your list are problematic, but I have strategies to deal with them:
Anything that might lead to paying work
Seeking medical care (good thing I'm healthy)
Getting ready to leave
Filing taxes

paying work

>>Anything that might lead to paying work

Tell me about it... You should hear my family on the subject of my creating this Web site! I tried to tell them it didn't take long.

There's another article I want to add, but I'm trying to be good today and do things in the proper order.

where I don't procrastinate

It's probably easier for me to list where I don't procrastinate (or don't tend to) than where I do. I don't procrastinate on seeking medical advice. If something hurts and I have a concern, I make an appointment. I see a dentist regularly, and brush and floss every day. I follow through with medication if it's a short-term thing (like a course in antibiotics), but I'm less compliant in taking medication for long-term chronic conditions. "Less compliant" - who am I kidding! Not compliant at all. ;)

When I was younger I was very messy. I'm not at all messy anymore - not sure what changed. I'm now quite orderly, and habitually put things away after I use them. Maybe that's the answer right there - habit. I do my laundry regularly, wash the dishes every day, and clean the bathroom when it needs it (didn't do any of these things when I was younger). My home usually looks neat, but sometimes I procrastinate on dusting and vacuuming so it's neater than it is clean.

I didn't used to be chronically late, but lately I've had trouble getting places on time.

I solved the problem of bill payment by putting everything I can on automatic debit. Just about the only bills I have to explicitly pay now are credit cards. I have reminders set up for that to make sure I do it, and I usually do. The aversiveness of the late fees and negative credit bureau reports is a motivator. I still have a big problem keeping up with accounting and tax returns. This is a big job for me because I have a business.

In all other areas (job, school, writing, exercise) I function in bursts (time binges) and then not-at-all for a while (procrastination periods). I used to think that when I was time bingeing on a task I'd previously put off I was being "good", but I've come to recognize that time bingeing actually causes me to later procrastinate. When I've been able to break that pattern, the procrastination stops. (See the article in Time Bingeing on this Web site for more on why this is.)

Snap!

My first post here. I probably will just do this one and come back later - my timer telling me my computer time is over has already gone off, and now I'm procrastinating...

I'm pretty much the same as you ProActive. I used to be very messy but since following the advice on www.FlyLady.net and using the SHE (Sidetracked Home Executives) support boards (which is where I found out about ~this~ website) I'm much better. Laundry is done and put away, most things that are taken out get put back, housework is more or less done - and mine is probably neater than it is clean too (used to be the other way round - it's not got any dirtier, just much neater!).

I do sometimes put off seeking medical advice, though I always make and keep my dentist appointments. I think the only thing on the poll list I don't have a major problem with is is following through with the advice when I get it - I'm pretty compliant. I don't know if I would be longer term though as it hasn't been necessary.

The chronically late problem is the one which probably impacts others the most. I was recently at an AGM where they were discussing not allowing latecomers in to meetings as it meant they started late. I said I'd have to leave the group if they did that! I'd rather they just start without me - if I miss anything it's my problem, not theirs. They suggested starting later, but I said I'd still be late anyway - it's not the time that's the problem, it's me. I'm pleased to see it's recognised as a problem here, and I'm looking forward to getting some support and ideas for overcoming it.

I'm also really interested to see the time bingeing ideas - indeed I ~have~ been thinking that I've been really good if I spend three hours doing my homework/accounts/whatever when I've not done any for days (let's be honest - weeks or months).

Speak to you later!
Normy