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.

Top Ten Goals

This advice came from a book by Brian Tracy called GOALS!   I recently started doing this again on a daily basis.

Every day, write down your top ten goals.   Don't refer back to your last list, but start from scratch every day.   Try to frame them in a positive manner i.e. (Be fit and healthy, rather than Stop eating too much) Don't worry if they change from day to day.  Don't worry if they seem too big.  Just write them down.  Every day. 

Here are mine for today.  Share yours if you wish. 

1.  Become debt free.
2.  Be productive, organized, efficient, calm and peaceful - feel that I'm doing the right things at the right time.
3.  Be fit and healthy
4.  Encourage my daughter to be happy and healthy
5.  Be on top of all financial and legal stuff
6.  Have a clean, well-organized, well-maintained, comfortable, loving home.
7.  Become a top performer at work.
8.  Become a better public speaker
9.  Learn all I can about x (work goal)
10.Enjoy a creative hobby.

Goals/habits to change

Hi all,

There are a bunch of habits that I would eventually like to change in my life.  These are not immediate goals -- I find I do best if I take the advice of Leo at ZenHabits.net and tackle only one change at a time.  So these are things that I want to work on -- one at a time -- in the future:

  • Take healthy lunches to work
  • Drive no faster than 60 mph (for environment & to save on gas) and related to that. . .
  • Leave on time/early for things so that I don't have to rush or be late
  • Get up on time
  • Keep up with the news
  • Be involved in activism/changing the world
  • Be involved in community service
  • Join a spiritual community
  • Explore ways to earn money through freelance writing/editing
  • And, the one I'll be working on next:  Meditate regularly

Falcon

e's friday top ten

get out of debt, lower credit card rate, rarely if ever use credit/charge cards
visit egypt
do work I love that is honorable, interesting and helpful
be on top of things
feel good in my skin
maintain a loving relationship with my spouse
live in the moment
be a consistent, fair, respectful and supportive mother
live in an environment of simplicity and beauty
have a life of balance between work, rest, play, creativity and growth

Journey's Top Ten March 14, 2008

1. Get out of debt, starting with paying off the "little" credit cards and store cards.  One down, three to go. 

2.  Become a linux expert - next step is to pass the Linux+ exam and get certified.

3.  Be fit and healthy by exercising daily and eating healthy foods.

4.  Be more productive at home and at work by using ZTD.

5.  Improve communication skills - sign up for that next Toastmaster's speech in April. 

6.  Encourage dd to be happy and healthy.

7.  Stay on top of all financial and legal matters.

8.  Have a clean, comfortable, and loving home.

9.  Peace of mind - feel calm, efficient, organized.

10. Enjoy my family. 

“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” - Stephen Covey

e's march 2 top 10

top ten
to have balance between work and play
to experience all my senses and all my feelings
to be surrounded by beauty, order and calm
to have a loving relationship with my spouse
to have children who feel supported and respected and are accountable for their actions
to get out and enjoy the weather, whatever the weather is!
to have good friends
to gget rigourlously honest with myself about things
to speak my mind in a respectful, thoughtul way
to live a life of usefulness

e's march 1st top ten

to have a minimalist household
to take pleasure in friendships
to be a happy and productive worker
to keep my relationship with my husband fresh
to say what I mean and mean what I say
to be consistent
to have a place for everything and everything in its place
to travel
to take time out everyday for me
to be happy

scarlett's goals 2/26/08

Carve out time for personal creativity
Be a conscious consumer
Stop loathing myself
Focus at work
Be social
Keep a tidy home
Do my rehab
Work out
Research careers
Meditate daily

Become aware of resistance, and let go.

e's Tuesday top ten

to addopt an attitude of progress, not perfection
to like how I look
to feel good in my body
to complete tasks
to put things away where they belong
to be responsible fiscally
to tell the whole truth
to parent consistently
to have a loving, affectionate relationship with my spouse
to stand on my own two feet

a's top ten - monday

1. shift my attitude toward feelings of security -- there is enough time; i can afford to prepare and take care of myself
2. masters degree in 2008
3. gain confidence in public presentations
4. allow myself to LEARN about these topics that I love; claim them as my own and make my own contributions of value
5. appreciate my little one -- his cute nose, that smile. enjoy this gift of holding his wonderfully precious childhood in my hands
6. learn about the inner workings of waste-water treatment plants and recycling centers
7. get him more magnets to play with
8. continue to be the good mother I am: keep on holding him in my arms, talking to him, and relaxing with him a few times every day
9. secure funding and develop a financial plan that works
10. make those "other" goals (e.g., new neighborhood, new community, travel & rejuvenation, life dreams and aspirations) more tangible, real, and possible

e's a new day top 10

be honest with myself
work the program
keep my commitments
be happy with my appearance
be strong and healthy
try something new everyday
have a peaceful home environment
laugh lots
do great work at work
produce!

RR

This is a great idea.  I hope, though, that I don't end the day feeling like I've failed if I didn't meet all my goals in some form.

1. Get out of bed when I wake up, instead of staying in bed and consequently feeling groggy all day.  Remind myself that I am a morning person!
2. Keep in touch with friends and family; ovecome my reluctance to talk on the phone and go out.  Socialize more.  I do not want to turn into a hermit!
3. Read international news weekly.
4. Read/watch/do something beautiful everyday (be it lit/movie/art museum, park, etc.)
5. Exercise daily.  Spend some time out of doors everyday.
6. Kick the sugar habit.  Eat less chocolate. Carry Stevia in my bag. 
7. Eat more vegetables and drink more water.
8. Find a city that fits me.  Change from being a nomad who moves every few years into a person with a home base who travels a lot.
9. Write everyday.
10. Change the way I relate and react to my nuclear family.  Disentangle myself and develop a more functional, long-distance relationship with each of them. 

e's top ten 2/19

feel good about the quality and quantity of the work I do
feel good in my body
live a life of usefulness
be a great mom
have a loving respectful relationship with my husband
stay in the moment
be frugal but not cheap
have good friends and socialize with them
finish my masters
speak and read Greek fluently

Top 10

Wake up earlier
Healthy breakfast
Keep positive attitude through and after morning meeting
 Make 15 calls asking permission
Call 10 new leads
Healthy lunch
Mow thru calender to do list
Walk
Healthy supper
Sleep by 10AM

kaoba's top 10 18 Feb 08

  • beat procrastination
  • choose action always
  • say yes
  • take good care of myself
  • take good care of my family
  • take good care of my home
  • take good care of the environment
  • develop persistence
  • finish learning French
  • finish learning Italian

kaoba's top 10 17 Feb 08

Dispute the following beliefs, which effectively keep me paralyzed:

  • Everything is difficult and complicated. There is a right way to do everything, and I have to do it the right way. I have to figure out that right way before I can move.
  • Before I can act I need to have the full panoramic view of all that I have to do laid out, I have to know where the new action fits, how it relates to all the rest. I can't just "randomly" go ahead and just ... act.
  • Each task is infinite, it will never be finished and it will require all my time. Each possible action is a black hole into which I will disappear, never to be seen again.
  • There is no room for learning from mistakes, as mistakes are not allowed.
  • The reward for working is ... more work. It never ends.
  • It is not worth acting, because the amount of things to do is infinite, so no matter what I do, the mountain never shrinks, in fact, everyday it grows bigger (infinite doesn't mean static).

To round off the top ten:

  • To choose movement over paralysis.
  • Keep that kitchen sink empty, everything washed, dried, and put away.
  • Dress better: define this. What do I mean by "dress better"?
  • Finish getting it into my thick head that I cannot "beat" procrastination alone. This problem has a life of its own, a momentum of its own. I am not driving this bus.

Kaoba's top ten

Hi Kaoba,

I know this is from a while back, but I just happened on it and wanted to say thanks for the way you articulated these beliefs.  I share some of them, but had never put them into words before.  I often feel overwhelmed by basic things, and you really nailed it with "Everything is difficult and complicated" and "Each task is infinite, it will never be finished and it will require all my time. Each possible action is a black hole into which I will disappear, never to be seen again."

Perhaps having your clear words for those thoughts will help me to dispute them, too.  I'll see if I can catch myself believing "everything is difficult & complicated" or avoiding "the black hole of the infinite task" and question whether my fears are based on reality!

Falcon

e's top ten Feb 17

file taxes on time
clear up old medical insurance issues
finish practicum
spend time having fun with my husband
have a household of encouragement
be happy
take the first three steps each day
live a life of good works
be fiscally solvent
leave a small carbon footprint

e's Feb 15 top ten

live a balance of work and play
nurture good friendships
be happy with my current appearance and be invested enough to take pride in it
do one project at a time, even if it is for a short period of time
Have a place for everything and have everything in its place
bless myself by giving away extra stuff to people who need it
be solvent
have a warm relationship with my spouse
stand on my own two feet
have children who are capable, independant and dependable

kaoba's top 10 15 Feb 08

  • Shed procrastination, as if it sere clothes that don't fit anymore. Leave that old skin behind.
  • That my household "runs" well and smoothly: clean clothes in the drawers, meals on the table on time. Get the basics down.
  • Be grateful about the many things that do go right each day.
  • Enough with the whining and complaining.
  • Reconnect with people and with the world. Slowly chip away at isolation.
  • Do what needs to be done to keep my business moving along.
  • Do some research again, find a way to reconnect with this side of me.
  • Learn to take pride in my appearance, learn to dress better, appearance matters.
  • Re-establish my walking routine and my long-distance walking goals. Remember how much I like it!
  • Learn to pray.

e's valentines day top 10

work the steps
finish my practicum
have a happy marriage
teach C to cook
finish work book
communicate with home often
have a hair cut that I like and I can maintain easily
have a strong, healthy body
Istanbul!
write final version of policy

kaoba's top 10 14 Feb 08

  • keep fighting procrastination. To beef this up a bit: To move ahead every day ONE project or goal that I have been avoiding
  • eliminate debt
  • to be proactive in making my small business prosperous
  • to connect, break out from my self-imposed isolation
  • set a long-distance walking goal
  • declutter with abandon, leave only the bare bones
  • we are moving in the summer, get the process going of finding a new place, prepare for moving so that it is not a last minute crazyness experience
  • get organized
  • become more religiously observant
  • learn to be more frugal, but keep it fun, like a game

Top 10 goals

Eat healthier.
Exercise at least 20 minutes per day.
Don't obsess about work.
Appreciate my husband on V Day tomorrow.
Clean at least room per day.
Get to bed by 10PM
Make at least 70 calls to cust tomorrow
Call 10 new leads
Play with my cats
Stop as many negative thoughts as possible

alexa top ten wed 13 feb

complete tasks on time regardless of quality
secure funding
plan ahead, produce ahead so i can enjoy free time
foster and facilitate my relationship with my son
create and acheive a vision for making a contribution with my career
be a true and reliable friend; enjoy my true and reliable friends
allow in and maintain a beneficial, close romantic relationship
seek out and be a source of creative inspiration
financial solvency
travel regularly

Douglas CI

Meet with B Today @ 10
complete proposal
send out resumes
join new gym
find gift for spouse for V day
find a cheap chiropractor
clean office
stack firewood
clean kitchen
dinner

kaoba's top 10 13 Feb 08

  • pare down, declutter, simplify, let go
  • finish graduate degree in some manner or form
  • walking, long-distance
  • generate more income
  • eat better
  • nurture my family
  • renew contact with friends / family that I've fallen out of touch with
  • something related to recycling
  • get organized
  • learn to work around *fierce* procrastination

e's top ten feb 13

follow my principles
learn from my mistakes
finish my practicum
go to Istanbul
file taxes by Feb 28
do more charity work
visit with friends
work in front of the tv with G
pitch in with other people's tasks
take quiet time for myself

kaoba's top 10 12 Feb 08

. get out of debt
. buy a home
. learn to manage procrastination
. dress better
. develop a taste for cooking
. go vegetarian
. then go vegan
. learn to knit socks
. declutter my home to the bone
. fix all the little stuff that is not working (eg leaking faucets, stuck doors, that kind of stuff)

"all the little stuff that isn't working"

That is such a problem. I grew up in a household where everyone was afraid to fix anything and no one had the money to fix it either. I married a guy who is born organized, and doesn't understand the family craziness. One time we had been traveling for a long time together (17 months) and came home to find the vcr at my parent's house had been broken for a good year or so, but no one had taken it in to be fixed (fear of the unknown cost, etc.) He openned it up and pulled out at Pat the Bunny book that the toddler had tried to play! I try to keep that in my mind whenever I get afraid to fix something.

Pat The Bunny

Elisaveth,

I love this story! It made me smile. Neither my husband or myself are very handy, and there have accumulated a bunch of little irritating details that need fixing ...

scarlett Top Ten 2/12/08

Find new place to live
Pay off credit card
Set aside personal creative time
Eat locally
Declutter
Consume consciously
Research careers
Be social
Keep a tidy home
Drink lots of water

Become aware of resistance, and let go.

Indiezee's Top Ten Goals

1.  Get out of most my debt before my birthday in June.
2.  Be happy with myself when I've done good and gripe on me less when I haven't.
3.  Exercise 30 mins.
4.  Keep track of my bills and pay them on time.
5.  Keep my home organized.
6.  Contact one person a day (friends, family, etc).
7.  Work on my art portfolio one hour max.
8.  Do some school work one hour max.
9. Turn TV on only when I have accomplished what I can for the day.
10. Eat healthy and take my mutlivitamin.

CI Top Ten Goals for the day, & in general

This is helpful, Journey; thanks for starting the thread. It would be great to keep each other motivated on this task on a ~ daily basis.
Mine for today:
1. Read article.
2. Plan talk
3. Do my writing assignment
4. Lunch with Luka
5. Send mail
6. Key, shoes, home on time
7. Resume to Tonja and Tyson
8. Grade exams
9. Create spreadsheet
10. Respond to the emails I solicited but haven't yet responded to

In general
1. Final Masters draft submittted by Aug 1
2. Move to better home
3. Rock grad research day
4. Secure funding sufficient to pay monthly expenses
5. Solvency
6. Gratitude
7. Humor
8. Savoring, flavoring, fully experiencing my precious time with my precious son
9. Opening up to the world
10. Feeling a sense of competency, strength, courage to plan ahead and not be snowed in by fear

E's Feb 11 top ten

I can feel myself slipping into the don't wanna's so I realized it was time for an attitude change.

Today my top 10 are:
take care of my health
be present to my children
support my spouse
do it anyway
evaporate the piles
communicate in a straight forward manner
follow through
take time out to feel all my senses
learn from my experience
indulge one good whim a day

Top Ten Goals

1 Arrive to work on time
2 Read for at least 10 minutes (magazines don't count)
3 Be in bed before 11pm
4 Write at least a page
5 Memorize the names of casual customers
6 Use Internet for only 15 minutes
7 Eat healthy
8 Do physical activity for 30 min
9 Call a friend and let em know I still exist!
10 Wake up when alarm sounds

top ten for e

Top Ten Today:
use my resources
travel on the cheap
spend time with friends
accomplish most important tasks
fullfill all my roles
treat my body well
have a home that I feel at ease having friends over to
try new things
enjoy cooking
actively speak Greek

e's feb 6 top ten

It has been a week since I have done this, and I have definately felt a lack of positive energy, so here are my top ten

ENJOY cooking
walk for transportation
recycle or redistribute things I do not want
clear out clutter
try new foods
dress and groom well
stay on task and follow through
be an attentive friend
travel frequently and inexpensively
play everyday

pro's top 10 goals

This is a good thing to do - forces me to think about each day (so I don't waste it)...

- Work project #1
- Work on pile at 15+ minutes.
- ...?

I'd better finish this later. I have to get to work! But it's something to think about!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

e's 31 top 10

Top Ten for the day

feel good in my body
become an early riser
be sugar free
learn to bake bread
have company over
have a clutter free existence
have clothes that fit me and that I like, that are comfortable and attractive
work the 12 steps
become physically strong
get scuba certified

learn to bake bread

There is something special about homemade bread - I haven't done that in a long time but I really enjoyed making bread for a while.   Of course my first couple of loaves could have been used as doorstops but I got better with practice! 

Enjoy!

Journey

homemade bread

I have never baked bread that has to rise: only quick breads, which really don't count. Truthfully, I am surrounded by excellent bread here, so I don't need to, but the idea of it appeals to me. What I genuinely miss here is bagels!

homemade bread

I have never baked bread that has to rise: only quick breads, which really don't count. Truthfully, I am surrounded by excellent bread here, so I don't need to, but the idea of it appeals to me. What I genuinely miss here is bagels!

e's wednesday top 10

I am glad to see more people on this thread today: I like to see everyone elses goals!

Top Ten
Enjoy being outside on a daily basis
go out with friends
have people over
write for fun
nurture myself with healthy food, excercise and conversation
explore more
Take time out to focus on being in a couple
spend money only on things I both need and love
learn to garden
have a home that is serene

Journey Top Ten

I think the top ten list really does help.  Maybe it refocuses your mind on what's really important to you each day. 

1.  Become debt-free
2.  Become a top performer at work
3.  Live in the present and focus on the task at hand  - getting back on the GTD wagon will help this.
4.  Eat more healthy food, and continue exercise program.
5.  Enjoy my creative hobbies.
6.  Get house in shape for family party in two weeks
7.  Encourage E.
8.  Educate myself on (x) - work related goal
9.  Continue to catch up financial and legal paperwork.
10.Complete Toastmasters Compentent Communicator Certificate.

Giving money and power to government is like giving liquor and car keys to teenage boys. - P.J. O'Rourke

N's goals Tues

I love this post, Journey!  Thanks for the idea.  I just noticed the thread.

1.  Don't eat anything I didn't commit
2.  Finish my committed work time
3.  Get to sleep on time
4.  Remember that I can choose joy
5.  Get healthy, fit, rested, sane
6.  Stretch/exercise
7.  Get pregnant/have a baby
8.  Write a good dissertation
9.  Stay close with friends/keep a wide social circle
10. Have a relationship with my HP

oops

I see that it might be more positive to edit the first of mine:

1.  Eat my committed food.

N edit 2

And enjoy it!  hehe.

scarlett's goals 1/29/08

Stay focused at work
Research careers
Pay off credit card debt
Travel out of the country
Meditate
Set aside personal creative time
Eat locally
Be social
Work out every day
Practice foreign languages

Become aware of resistance, and let go.

You go!

Scarlett,

Those could be my goals.  :)  Thanks for sharing.  I know you can do it.

And re: the pebble discussion -- <3 Dorey!!!!  "I need water. Fill my trailor with water."

Best,
N

e's top 10 1/29

Be early, if not on time
speak Greek fluently
attend cultural events
Have quality time with G
cook daily, well, and healthily
finish projects
let go of bad memories
finish my Masters
Travel to Africa
love my body

scarlett 1/28/08

Stay focused at work
Explore career options
Pay off credit card debt
Travel
Set aside time for personal creativity
Ride my bike
Meditate regularly
Be social
Do things that frighten me
Eat well

Become aware of resistance, and let go.

e's top 10 Jan 28

Learn a foreign language fluently
get to know some people outside of work
enjoy my environment
Keep in touch with friends at home
let others make decisions
give massages
surround myself only with objects I love
give things I don't want to others who will appreciate them
explore new neighborhoods
learn to cook Chinese food