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.

Tuesday 16 December 2008

MSS CO 12am

No luck with doing Part B.  I was so tired (after not getting any sleep last night) so my sleep schedule is all f*cked up.  The sad thing is that, for the last couple of weeks, I delayed starting on a really important project (which I need to finish by Sunday) until Part B was done.  It never happened so I'm far behind on what matters.  I have no choice but to do Part B tomorrow since it's due (and somebody else's career depends on it).  So I'm not sure when my important work will begin.

Thinking about it, I suppose this is an example of "waiting for big blocks of time" to get started.

pro's checkout - 11:30pm

Partial checkout, really. I'm still in the chatroom while I install software on my new computer. But my teeth are brushed and I can go to bed anytime. I'm watching the Biggest Loser Finale, which I recorded earlier this evening. I love that show.

Good night, everybody. See you tomorrow (and especially thanks to my fellow chatters - the chatbox is saving me lately).

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

tiptree 6:23 PM EST CI

need to move foreward on the current iteration:

1254 in test
om. munge done
1367 query done
1408
bad breadcrumb
start grid research

clean office
read 1 JB story
read 1 ch. programming book
practice guitar

Convalaria Wednesday, 10.15 am

 Puter is fixed!!!!!! :
Network connected at home but still cannot acess internnet.
Try the IT boys or try provider again at home.

Goals for today at school.

  1. Stick to eating plan
  2. Get prezzies for people at school after work
  3. work on PD project
  4. Work on curriculum project
  5. Work on getting stuff into car.

NOW at 10.15  CHOOSE TO:

  • check the net for some materials for curriculum project still going!! I am not going to find the short cut I am looking for!
  • get the puter to IT boys again they cannot help me
  • go to morning tea party and make wise choices  done
  • check in at 12.00 noon  it is 2.30
  • have eaten lunch
  • have checked results
  • take some books to car!
  • look up negotiated tasks

2.30 check in

"Recovery from procrastination means doing what you say you're going to do, when you say you're going to do it."

Recycler CI 4:20pm EST

Hi Pro Buddies!

I'm doing another end-of-the-workday CI here, because my evening may get busy.

This morning I stretched & did my routine at the gym, then showered & got dressed for work. Did a project this morning, then went to staff holiday lunch. Have been working on some other stuff this afternoon.

Tonight/goal: going to 12-step meeting. I also need to straighten up stuff around the new condo. Admire my new Barbie doll, but not to that point where I totally stop working.

Have a great night, everyone! :)


Recycler

Thank you, gals & guys, for being here! :)

GeorgeSmiley 1:40 PM

Out of my office today, vsiting client M for the day, so focusing work on projects for Client M.

Have my day's calendar printed out w/ tasksto help keep me focused.

But a lot of stuff on that list is for others and I don't feel I should really do that here.

MIT#1: Explore possible new Project F

MIT#2: explore possible topics for Project P-3, which I should finish in about 2-3 weeks.

I'm also feeling sleepy right now. We didn't get anywhere near enough sleep last night. Going to get a Coke. and maybe a candybar, and check in at chatbox. 

 

The Hero's Code:

Show up. Pay Attention. Speak the Truth. Let Go of the Outcome.

Journey 2 pm and question about boredom

Arrgghh what a boring day so far.   The 10 am meeting lasted until 11:45, then had my noon lunch and learn which lasted until 1:30.   I had some lunch and a cuppa tea (trying to cut back on coffee again) and now going to try to get some actual work done in the next three hours. 

Here's my question about boredom:  I figured out through using this site and forum that two things lead to procrastination for me:  fear and boredom.   Now, I haven't mastered fear by any means, but I have learned to recognize when I'm procrastinating out of of fear and learned to break down the scary task into such tee-tiny steps that my grandmother could do them.   And I've gotten better at facing the scary stuff, especially if I bookend those tasks here. 

But I haven't made much progress on boring tasks.  I can't stick with boring tedious tasks for very long at all.   Folding laundry drives me totally freaking insane.  Spreadsheets cause temporary brain freeze.  Any ideas for making a boring task seem less boring?   

Jo

"Hard work must have killed someone." - Charles Gregory

re boring tasks

i'm with you. I call them mind-numbingly boring tasks.

I use music--it occupies my mind while i'm doing the task.

I also give into the dread. I have convinced myself that my life will just be like that sometimes. I go thru the task like a zombie on autopilot. I take some solace in the fact that i'm serving.

---
hey, my sig is gone.

btw, jo, love the sig

Journey 2:30 and beyond

2:30 Going to work on Task O for the next hour.   That should be enough time to complete it.  My reward for finishing it will be 15 minutes to write in my journal. 

Jo  

"Hard work must have killed someone." - Charles Gregory

I sometimes coax myself

I sometimes coax myself into boring tasks by audio-bribery--set a good work music  CD for three tracks and do the task for just that long. Or set the computer to play a radio show that I like and missed, and promise myself to work as long as it's playing. When I choose the music or radio well, i feel as if I'm giving myself a reward.

This would be good while ironing and for some routine mental tasks, but perhaps not during othes. 

boring tasks

 i make deals with myself: I either tell myself that I will work on a boring task for a very limited time period as fast as I can and then walk away for a long time to do something else, or I do the opposite: I act as if I am really into doing the task, give it 300% of my attention and that there is no deadline for doing it. That is what I can 'dishes meditation': Both work for me, because I either get a lot done in a little time, or I get some done in a lot of time, but I don't really think about it. Spreadsheets would probably be a bit more difficult to zone out on, though...

pro's CI - 10:55am (heading to chatbox)

I'm dressed.

I'm not going to pull out the pile papers today because I'm not going to do that today. Today I'm going to work on the setup of my new computer, and read info on dot-come businesses (during long data copying periods).

Heading to the chatbox now to stay on track...

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

pro's CI - 10:15am

Application for very excellent freelance writing job is sent. Hope that works out! It's a very good fit for me and it pays really well. We'll see...

I need to get dressed now - not healthy to not get dressed, even if I'm not going out.

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

pro's CI - 9:45am

I'm still doing stuff with my new computer and really struggling to tear my focus away, even temporarily, so I can apply for this very good freelance job. Must do that now!

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

Journey 9:45

Good morning . . . have a huge quarterly meeting at 10 so no real work will get done til after lunch today :)  I've been to the gym and read email, now heading to the meeting.  I better get a gigantic cup of coffee to take with me. 

Jo  

"Hard work must have killed someone." - Charles Gregory

MSS ci 9:16am

 

OK, 3-1/2 hours since my last check in.  I complete part A of my two part plan.  Now on to the tedious part.  I'm debating taking a nap first (I know that's a scam but I'm really tired).  No sleep last night.  Took an hour breakfast (McDonalds--so much for eating healthy).  Anyhow, let's see how this CI works today.  I'm optimistic.

e's Tuesday

 A sleepy good morning to everyone, and a hello and thank you to MSS for starting the thread. I am feeling a bit better today, although my cold has decided to settle in my left ear, which is painful. However, the rest of my body is feeling 'better than the average bear', which is to say that my body aches are at a minimum. I have some uncomfortable tasks to attend to today, and also a physical to prepare for. I have had very little sleep, so would like to get a little more in before the day is really started.

call mr. C about C's schoolwork (ugh)

prep for dr.'s appointment and plan to walk over from 2:15

ask Alex for help with moving items to the basement.

process a load of laundry or two

swish and wipe the bathroom

set out donation bags on porch

spend some time outdoors, perhaps doing 15 minutes of yard work. 

take meds, drink water, get to a meeting

be present in the chatroom today, so I feel motivated to make headway

 

e again

 well... i just woke up. I have a half an hour to get myself clean and dressed if I am to walk to my doctor's appointment. But, I feel good in my body. And little things, very little things, are moving along. I wrote an email to a friend at 3 am last night, so I am hoping that I will hear from her. It is kind of like the first ice breaking after the long winter....

e re-again

 I am clean, moistened and dressed for now, and I set the timer so that I know when to head out the door and also to call my son to remind him to get his missing school work! The living room is slightly picked up, but I will do more of that later. Now getting socks and medical records and notebook to remind myself of all that is broken in my body....

e back from doctor

 I got to the doctors in very good shape: I had all my files with me, my medications, and all the old medical tests from living overseas. I think I have given my new physician the impression that I am a hypochondriac, because she began to doubt the medical history I had given her. I was supposed to have surjery to remove my gall bladder, but postponed to get a second oppinion here. Now I feel as if she is doubting my need for the surgery, and everything else. Sheesh! I can't imagine better news than not having to have surjery to remove an organ!  So I am feeling irritated. I came home, have done some dishes, and the broil pan I finally got clean (after three days of scrubbing) is now going to be used again! argh! The scale at the doctors showed my weight as 3 pounds heavier, I had to get a flu shot and blood drawn, both of which hurt, and I am feeling like I have had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad  couple of hours and am ready to be done with it. 

Now that that is out of my system, I think going to a meeting tonight would be good. I continue to be relatively patient with my family, which has been very good. I am not feeling vicitimized by comments (which I get defensive about, because they point out things I ought to have done). So I am happy about that. Getting to a meeting will help me abstain and help my obsessive, compulsive, addictive, escapist tendencies.

Excercise would be welcome, if I were not feeling quite so chilly. 

A little bit of time spent straightening the dining room would also be welcome.....

 

e, checking out

I got my butt to a meeting this evening and it was great. Lots of things I needed to hear and lots of things I was able to express. I have been doing little bits since I have gotten home, but my goal is to get to sleep early enough to be able to  get my sleep schedule to give me some daytime hours. I just finished the remainder of the dishes and washed counters and took out the recycling and there is a dusting of snow on the ground. 

I did not make the phone call to my son's teacher and now am concerned we won't be able to schedule a meeting. But I am not going to chastise myself, as it just does not help. I am grateful for the recovery I had today, for the work I accomplished, for the good rapport I maintained with my family all day, for being on top of things enough to think ahead. good night, everyone!

 

 

"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there." - William Penn

CL ci

9:10am. MIT 1 is done. I had til 9:30. how often have i finished early in my life. twice? (lol).

Praise be to the Great Mind Beyond for this instance of my recovery.

Now... not to get sidetracked. and the beat goes on.

1:55pm : 2 mtgs and chat is not working. =( i'm sad. I've come to depend on it. I've reloaded 6 times.

I'll use this area to check in. Now what was it needed to do? Oh yeah delete the old and restart.

I can't get into chat either

I thought it was just me, as it's kinda hit and miss from the office.  But I miss it too.  I'll do frequent checkins too.

Jo  

"Hard work must have killed someone." - Charles Gregory

try chat now - should work fine

I was working on the chat (fixing the noflood problem). It should work fine now.

Actually, I was working on a shadow chat in a hidden location, but I've noticed that when I do that, it disturbs the main chat. Anyway, it's working now. Try it again. If you can't get in, delete your cache, close and reopen your browser, and try again. I'm in there now, and so is GeorgeSmiley.

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

kromer 9:00 CI

My head is spinning a bit this morning...found out last night that someone I used to date (who I broke up with a couple months ago because of distance) is moving back to my city. I'm happy but also confused, and it's making it very hard for me to focus on my work. (And we're meeting up at 3-ish today to talk, meaning I need to be efficient before that).

Anyway, I'm going to try and stay reasonably focused on my work until 3, and keep my goals for  the day modest.

I have scheduled mtgs 10-11:30 and 1-1:30, and also want to talk w/ PF sometime today.

In preparation for the 1 mtg, I need to spend some time reading about CB's work.

And I want to get through 2 questions on probability pset, fix interactome and finish table of coregulators.

Finally, I have a toastmasters speech tomorrow, so I'd like to spend at least 15 min prepping for that.

Right now, I'm going to clean my room, pack lunch, log spending and eating and head to 1st mtg.  

 

kromer 12:50 CI

Thanks so much journey and e.

I cleaned room, packed lunch, did logs, got to 1st mtg on time. 10-11:30 mtg went way over (until 12:15), and I spend 12:15-now having lunch and reading about CB's work. I'm now going to take a 5 min break to clear my head, then I'm going to go to mtg, then finish table of coregulators and check back in.  

kromer 3:10 CI

Wow, mtg w/ CB went super-long (1-2:45 rather than 1-1:30!) I talked to AG and he's OK with meeting up a little later than 3, so I'm going to take a few minutes to gather my thoughts, then go talk with PF, then call AG and head to meet up with him...and I don't expect to get much more work done today (though I would like to take notes from mtgs and finish table of coregs)

kromer

thinking of your head spinning today and sending kind thoughts your way

Kromer's spinning head

Wow, I remember when you were going through that breakup . . .hope everything works out for the best in your relationship, whichever way it goes!

And good luck on your speech!  Toastmasters ROCK!

Jo  

"Hard work must have killed someone." - Charles Gregory

pro's CI - 8:20am

Dishes are washed, bed is made, breakfast is made. Eating breakfast...

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Procrastination is the grave in which opportunity is buried.

pro's first check-in - 7:55am

I have lots of dishes to wash because I didn't wash them before I went to bed last night. Doing that now...

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

Rolzup CI

[X] check-ins
[X] morning chores
[X] meditation
[X] writing
[X] e-mail dash
[X] check ticklers (file, e-mail, reader, bookmarks, desktop)
[ ] G work
[ ] write on M
[ ] (after lunch) GTD time
[ ] to campus:
[ ] tasks in campus folder
[ ] write on M

--Rolzup

MSS CI:5:41am

Never went to that coffee shop last night.  So my goal today is the finish what I should have last night.

I should be done with the first task in the next 20 minutes.  Will then get some breakfast and tackle part 2.  This will be quite tedious, so I'm going to experiment with the microbursting thing (although I'm skeptical).  I want to be done by noon so I can take a brief nap and then start with the laundry/dinner.

Good luck to everyone today!