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.
Let's get started!
newbie
This is my first post. I am writing an undergraduate thesis. In the past, my procrastination seemed "manageable"-- I was bright and resourceful and usually got things done on time. Now, procrastination is a way of life. I have missed so many deadlines for submitting drafts and revisions, I cancel appointments with very short notice, I can't complete work obligations to pay my rent on time.
Thankfully, I have kind and sensitive people in my life who want to see me succeed. They are so patient with me (my thesis sponsor and advisor, my therapist, my parents, and even my landlord).
But the weight of all the new "failures" due to my procrastination, is creating a self-image of ineptitude and failure. It has sent me into a deep depression. Graduating is the least of my worries now. I just want to be able to function normally again.
That being said, the practical demands go on if I want to accomplish anything:
Today I have overslept tremendously. I must:
go to my therapist at 2:00
upon my return, work in the yard for 2.5 hours (rent labor)
by tomorrow morning: finish a section of a thesis draft that's already at least 1/3 finished
Now I will start hitting the thesis.
Hope everyone is productive today.
I'm writing my undergrad thesis too!
And, like for you, when I started my thesis is when procrastination started to be a big problem (for me, I think just because it was the first real big project I'd worked on)
This site has helped me a lot, hope it helps you alse.
Welcome!
c/i
I went to brunch instead of starting to work. Now I will just go to the appointment and have to stay up late again...
I guess it's the price to pay for sleeping in.
for us, there is only the trying. the rest is not our business.
-t.s. eliot
freer 8:30
Still waiting to hear follow up on job interview. Looked at a house last night, considering a move. These are two large, looming issues that beg for my shutting down consciousness and coping by engaging in unfocused activity. Even writing this, I feel the pull of overthinking...procrastinating.
Today, action over overthinking:
--check in
eat
Step 11
shower
meet with O
arrange V pickup
schedule I move
invoice, invoice
pay bills
enjoy swimming with kids
visit B?
Journey 9 am - and MITs - and FROGS - and running late
Good morning! I like the way some of you have been setting MITs for the day, and I think I'm going to try that. I often finish many things on my todo list EXCEPT for the most important ones. I'm going back to eating frogs too. I know Leo recommends only having 3 MITs and I have 8 - but most of them are just 15 or 30 minute tasks, so I'm going with it.
I'm feeling really energetic today so hopefully I'll be really productive if I can harness my distractibility and focus on one thing at a time. Sometimes these "hyperactive" moods are counterproductive because I want to do a million things at once . . .
I've gradually gotten back into the bad habit of being 5 minutes late every morning because 1) I stay up too late, 2) hit the snooze too many times, 3) don't allow extra time for unplanned delays - and unplanned delays often happen - the missing shoe, the spilt coffee, the empty gas tank, the unexpected phone call.
X - Gym - 5 min. late
X - Daily Planning
- Froggie and #1 MIT: resend all doc for SL - 30 min
(I swear for all the work I've done to get this money I could have gotten a part-time job instead)
- Read email - 30 min
- MIT - order checks and ask about new account - 15 min
- MIT - Charge phone - 5 min
- MIT - remind Em to call Dell - 5 min
- MIT - work on AO - 15 min
- MIT User directory - 4 hours
a - user.new?
b - fix m&t userids
c - add linux userids
d - start install if time
- MIT - re-rinse and put delicates in the dryer - 10 min
- MIT - load dishwasher
a - user.new?
b - fix m&t userids
c - add linux userids
d - start install if time
- microcode meeting - 30 min
- SOA/WPS meeting - 1 hr.
- mainframe planning meeting - 1 hr.
(I'm not really invited to this but I'm crashing it lol)
First up, read email, which is not an MIT but has to be done - then make some progress on my work project before I eat the frog. I'll eat the frog for lunch. yum.
Journey
“Clearly there's the lesson to be learned here,” said zoo spokesman Sam Singer. “The lesson is that it's not a good idea to drink, it's not a good idea to be high on dope, and it's not a good idea to taunt a man-eating tiger.”
pro's CI - 9:25am
I want to try to be as efficient as I can this morning - given that it's already past 9am. I want to get to work soon. Must keep moving - stand up from computer, etc.
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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.
kromer 9
Today's a pretty calm day.
MUST DO:
*Take train to interview location
*Fall term grade report
*Finish fellowship app (due tomorrow)
*Review profs' research
*Make list of possible interview questions and answers
SHOULD DO:
Get some allergy med
House contact list
Deal with email
House jobs stuff
Comparison to canonical pathway
WOULD LIKE TO DO
Compute concentrations for scanning
15-30 min exercise
Start reading youth group curriculum
Plan:
1)Deal with email, send out contact list, fall term grade report
2)House jobs stuff, tidy room/make bed
3)Train to interview, review profs research and think of possible interview questions/answers while on the train. If extra time, start reading youth group curriculum
4)Go to hotel and check in again
kromer 2 CI
OK, was doing pretty well, then started getting motion sick on the train and couldn't get much work done. Oh well, it happens. I did get allergy medicine, read some of youth group curriculum, and read some about profs research.
Plan:
1)Go mail grade report & pick up soda/snacks at convenience store
2)Finish reading about profs research, note down some interview questions
3)Finish draft of "contribution to society" fellowship essay
4)Spend 20 minutes on "other activities" fellowship essay
5)Comparison to canonical pathway
And then we'll see
kromer 4:40
Not doing so well productivity-wise...(this interview trip is my first time ever traveling alone/staying alone in a hotel, it's weirding me out more than I expectd).
I unpacked, which calmed me down a bit, and am *finally* making good progress on my essay draft.
I'm going to take a short walk to clear my head, and then am going to come back to working on my essay. When the essay draft is done, I'm going to read about profs research.
kromer
Good luck on your interview! If you are anywhere near as productive in person as you are here, I am sure you will get what you want.
Thanks for the encouragement!
I didn't do great this afternoon, so it's nice someone think's I'm productive.
(I was lonely, so I turned on the TV, and that's always a bad plan. I did get my essays done, though, and go over profs' research; essays aren't as good as I would like, but at least I've got something.)
e's thursday c/i
This morning has been a continuation of last night: I got to sleep at 3am and woke at 7:30 and lay there for 40 minutes, wanting to sleep, afraid to sleep again for fear that I would not wake up. I spit-showered and dressed and have lugged a giant box of my mental anguish to work. I think I will need to work this weekend to make up for lost productivity.
Today:
fafsa MIT
profile MIT
tax 2006 MIT
tax 2007 MIT
Fax to MG MIT
abstract of annual report
dr. p photocopying
read Dr. P manuscript
pharmacy
dinner/chicken
laundry
alex pack
patches the dog
e checkback
I am plugging away, but there is a long way to go. I am feeling badly because I am putting off work to complete personal things. Usually, it is the other way around and neither is healthy.
elisaveth
Good work so far - it'll be done so and things can go back to normal! Keep up the good work!
Journey
“Clearly there's the lesson to be learned here,” said zoo spokesman Sam Singer. “The lesson is that it's not a good idea to drink, it's not a good idea to be high on dope, and it's not a good idea to taunt a man-eating tiger.”
Best of luck elisaveth!
Sometimes personal stuff or work stuff has to take priority, as long as they balance out in the end I wouldn't worry too much about it. Good job sticking with an unpleasant but important task so far, best of luck!
e's re-c/i
Thanks Kromer and Journey, I need all the encouragement I can get! I began my day rather slowly, but by noon was on a bit of a roll. Sadly, I STILL am working on the 2006 taxes, and I am freaking out because the tax guy won't be able to work on my stuff until tomorrow, but I was able to fax him a bunch of questions: one thing that is good about being 7 hours ahead of EST is that I get a head start of him.
I am going to chunk a bit:
work expenses
automotive
ci with tax guy for answers
estimate taxes for 2007
register for profile
begin filling in Fafsa
begin filling in profile
e's late c/i
It is almost 11PM and I would like to stop for a while. I have called the tax guy, got a lot of good information and now need to follow up by computing the missing numbers, adjusting some figures and writing the fax.
I leapt ahead of myself, wanting something less strenuous to work on for a while and started filling in the basic information on the FAFSA. I am now at the yucky part there, too, and have to complete a fake tax return for 2007. I am feeling really scared about the outcome, although I am less freaked out about being late: however, I chronically underestimate how long things take, so I better keep going. However, the bed is looking very cosy right now.
In case I don't come back again, here is my gratitude list for the day.
Having work to myself today so I could focus.
I put in a lot of effort to push through a lot of paperwork
I asked for help when I needed it, making some potentially unpleasant phone calls or asking potentially conflicting questions, and no one got upset
I had a better rapport with my SIL, who can be very difficult
I had a sober day (for the past three days now)
I ate a fairly healthy diet today, including four pieces of fruit..
I was able to enjoy my son play guitar for me and not get distracted from my work.
The children did their chores today and I did not have to harass them
My husband made a simple, tasty, healthy dinner.
Finally, I am thankful for everyone's encouraging words here: without this forum I would not be functioning well tonight.
Goodnight!