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.

hiring an assistant to help with backlog

The "getting up early" idea hasn't been working because I've been having problems sleeping. I've been waking up at night, unable to get back to sleep until just before I'm supposed to get up.

I simply must handle my back accounting and file my back tax returns. So I'm going to try something else - and keep trying new things until I'm able to solve the problem.

I've had this idea before, but now I'm really going to do it. I'm going to hire someone to help me. This person will enter data in Microsoft Money while I do sorting, filing, and other things. Or vice versa. I'm looking to hire someone for 8 hours a week - 4 hours on Saturday, 4 hours on Sunday. I've already started looking for someone - talked to someone who might know people, and will call someplace later to list the job.

Just as hiring a trainer gets me to the gym when I'd never do it otherwise, hiring an assistant will help me to get things done that I never would/could otherwise. I simply need help. I've been struggling for years with this, and I'm not making progress. Apparently I can't do this alone, and the kind of help I need isn't meeting with a coach once a week. I need someone here helping me and talking me through stuff while I work.

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

re. hiring a helper

I recently hired someone parttime, and it's working out okay. I can't afford to pay alot, so the hours are low. Just having someone around sometimes motivates me. While my helper is doing something I don't like to do, I can do tasks I actually enjoy. Also, it motivates me to do stuff like "clean up" duty when I know someone is going to be here, and there's no "manic panic" putting things away when someone just pops in. I often have trouble finishing things, not starting them, and having someone finish stuff has been great here. Good luck.

lark - how did you find the helper?

What you describe is exactly what I had in mind. How did you find the person?

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

Hi Pro

I did some networking with folks who do the same type of work as I do. Thank you.

having second thoughts about hiring help

I'm having second thoughts about hiring help. My apartment is extremely small - very hard for a second person to be working in here. And also, to hire someone I have to have the work somewhat organized. If I'm able to get that far, I can just do it myself - maybe. There's also the invasion-of-privacy issue since this is all financial stuff, and a general feeling of vulnerability to have someone in my home and my finances to that extent.

So maybe I'll try working on things a little this morning - see if I can make any progress by myself.

Geesh - I just go back and forth and never seem to move forward. :(

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

Trusting employees, etc.

I know what you mean. I basically work and live at the same place, and I've not hired several folks over the years just because I didn't feel comfortable. With personal info and that of my clients, I've found that trusted employees are MUCH beter with that than trusted friends. Recently some "delicate" stuff came up with a client, and my helper didn't give a crap. A friend who droppoed by at that time is still talking about it. Sometimes this requires some common sense planning, though. When the client showed up for the business part, I naturally did it when the helper wasn't here. Employees only need to know what they need to know.

hiring friends

That's a great example and tells why my experiments with hired help have had checkered results: I've always hired (actually subcontracted) friends. One time was a dismal failure and the other time just OK. In both cases I had trouble with the "boss" role, communicating clearly what I wanted done and holding them accountable for doing it, and they lacked many of the skills actually needed to get it done.

 "It’s very dangerous to focus on doing things right. I think it’s much more important to do the right things." Randy Pausch R.I.P.

Thxs Pro/ Need different hired help??

Hello again,

Thanks for your response but I think that I need more than someone to enter stuff in the computer...my paper world is chaotic and I am drowning with it. I guess I need someone who would help me start sortiong stuff and DECIDE what to do with it and DO IT. I don't know how to go about finding this kind of help...

Good luck with your hired assistant!

Takeachance

takeachance - try a personal organizer

There are people whose job is exactly this. They are called personal organizers. I thought about hiring a personal organizer, but I think what I need more than anything is a baby sitter. Years ago I used to hire someone to clean my house. When she was there, I used to magically be able to work. It was the same thing when I was in a relationship. When my partner was over - even just watching television - suddenly I could work. Babysitters cost less than personal organizers, so I thought I'd go with that. :P

If I'm paying somebody to come over for eight hours a week, I will work on my backlog for eight hours a week. When I'm by myself, I can't figure out how to start. When someone is over, it calms me down so I'm able to figure it out.

I think also I get lonely when I'm home alone, and that makes it hard for me to work. I turn on the television for a social substitute, but then I watch TV rather than working.

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

Thxs Pro

Will look into it!

I wonder what the difference is between a professional organizer and a bookkeeper? Any info on this?

Thanks for your help...for the first time, I am somewhat inspired to look into getting help in this area. Even if I don't do it, it is a first step for me.

Takeachance

professional organizer versus bookkeeper

Professional Organizer and Bookkeeper are completely different professions. Try googling - you'll see what they do.

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

Hiring help?

Hi Pro!

Thanks for sharing this, my coach has told me that I would benefit from hiring someone like a bookkeeper to go through my backed up financial stuff/papers etc... but have not been able to do this yet.

Where do you start to look for someone like this? What do you ask them to know if they will be the right fit to help out? How much do people charge for this kind of help?

Please keep posting on your updates re this as it might inspire me to move this forward in my life.

Thanks,

Takeachance

board for hiring students

I just found this site, which looks promising:

http://www.barefootstudent.com/

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

how to hire help?

Takeachance - I'm guessing on this as much as you are. I'm going to list the job at local colleges - I figure a college kid would be a good fit for the job. I thought I'd offer $20/hour, which may be high outside of NYC, not sure. Maybe $15 would be the better amount, but I figure I'll get what I pay for so I decided on $20. I want someone who knows Microsoft Money.

I also mentioned the job to my trainer at the gym because she knows many people. Her brother is a bookkeeper looking for work.

And I'm thinking of posting the job on Craigslist - though I'm less sure about that because you don't know who you get.

How do I know the fit will be right? I'll interview them, of course, before hiring.

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.