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 17 February 2009
One small step instead of doing nothing. I can give myself credit for every effort and keep going. Courage Serenity Wisdom
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Recycler CI 5:50pm EST
Hi Pro Buddies!
I can't tell if I might need to turn on the furnance tonight; I'll have to check the weather forecast to see if the temp is going to drop.
I did my elliptical, ab crunches, & leg stretches at the gym. There is more to my routine than that, but I only had time for the basics today.
At work, I accomplished my Big Projects, so that's what counts. I could have done more on some smaller projects, but at least I have them lined up on my assignment list for tomorrow.
During lunchtime, after I ate, I did a phone errand related to a prescription issue. ((sigh)) It seems like each action I do related to this, doesn't accomplish anything. But I make the choice to follow up on each instruction as it is given to me; otherwise I will have to pay $124 for the prescription on my own; which would be ok, but if the insurance company will pay for it, then I'm in favor of that ;) Anyway, I've got a couple days or more of pharmacy ring-around-the-rosie, but I will keep trying! lol
After work, I have eaten dinner, and am now doing my CI. Next: shall I try running a load in the dishwasher? I have a small wire-frame storage unit I *might* try to put together -- I have to see if I feel enough emotional energy for that. Maybe I can just open the carton & see how I feel when I look at it ;)
6:35pm. Whew, fortunately I had success with the wire-frame storage unit. Fortunately the instructions were simple enough that I could follow along :) I bought these wire units last autumn, but only had enough nerve to try them now, lol! Some days are better than others. Anyway, next I need to change clothes before going to my 12-step meeting.
Last night the Valentine candy was only 50% off, so I decided to wait. Tonight's meeting in my other program is near enough that I can swing by the store on my way to the meeting. Fingers crossed for 75% off!
Have a great night, everyone! :)
Recycler
Recycler
Thank you, gals & guys, for being here! :)
Edge's CI - 9:52pm
Today I:
x finished everything at work on time
x picked up sis
x visited ATM
x went grocery shopping
x bought kitty food and litter
x bought med
x put away groceries
x cleaned kitty litter
x put in a load of laundry
And now I'm going to sleep. Night, all :-)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Nothing diminishes anxiety faster than action - Walter Anderson
wb edge
hi again edge. nice day u had there. gratx.
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the touch of the master's hand: http://procrastinators-anonymous.org/node/1898#comment-27748
"fall down seven times, get up eight" - japanese proverb
New member Looking for information and a sponsor
Hello - I have been looking at the site occasionally for a year or so. I am looking for a sponsor or (less of a commitment) anyone that is in "recovery" from procrastinating. How did it work for you?
I was involved with DA - the tools are helpful - but do not qualify. I do not buy compulsively. I do however put off tasks that feel unpleasant or have imagined neg consequences. Esp. paperwork, contacting people I have been out of touch with and looking at my finances when they are bad. I have seen the tools and have been working on perfectionism and getting intouch with the feelings which often get me stuck ( I let them get me stuck). this helps alot.
I am a very hard worker and determined to improve in this area of my life.
Goals for today bal ck bk, study, get call from ykp forms (on vac this wk)
tom: call Joseph,
check in
Have not figured how to do check ins yet - progress not perection.
Di the ckbk and styduyibg Did not find the YKP form and did not chk or the call from WBG. That's 2 of 4 on an ambitious list: good. No very good!
Goals for Tom: find YKP form, call Ir, Joseph ( a big one), ck no bills due now find discrep (i itme) study for 4 hours ( agoal) record my time (15 minutes) Put tax forms away. set up Boa pay.
fu check in
studied 2.5
Y resp for YKP and Otank form
called Joseph (the big one) and IR
take off tax forms from list
did not look for discrep, ck no bills due or ste Boa
3/6 2/2 for the big ones Great day
ohter accomplish: kids to bed w/out anger (alone), spoke to spouse about taking over the bill pay, helped nephew with his accotng, msg w/ KK for nephew,
tom: make a daily plan
still on BoA set up ck no bills due done not yet
do one proactive job hunting thing per day done
Future: call Robby ( abig one) and the Mays
call at least one friend did on thurs
dotnow
or shd i call u ".now" :)
well, as byGodsGrace said, you're a good fit. You sound like most of us here.
And if that's the case, you would probably benefit from what most of us have and that's frequent check-ins and pep talks. posting what you're going to do (you did that--kudos) and then reporting back--especially the failures. Accepting failure and retrying helps me immensely and others have told me helps them.
In fact, i just wrote this post reply. I guess it triggered me to look back over the past year, because i'm similar to that person too. It's really remarkable how similar the people post here are-- that we are so similar, and yet so rare in the general population.
Here's my "what's helped me" post: http://procrastinators-anonymous.org/node/1947#comment-28496
Pls do come back--those that do make progress. It's a daily--even hourly--fight against the procrastination monster.
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the touch of the master's hand: http://procrastinators-anonymous.org/node/1898#comment-27748
"fall down seven times, get up eight" - japanese proverb
encouragement for dotnow
Hi! I am new so wouldn't be a candidate for a sponsor, I don't know if that is what they do here, if so I probably need one! I just wanted to tell you I could copy and paste your post and make it mine! I have same struggles and same determination so hope you stick around and enjoy the fellowship, insight, accountability and hope that I have found here in just the last few days! Be encouraged!
thanks
check ins are great for my personality. Do you know of anyone that is "in recovery" for a while?
welcome to new ones :)
Hi!
Welcome to you new ones :)
Keep coming back! :)
Recycler
Recycler
Thank you, gals & guys, for being here! :)
rec ci 11:50 am
Well, another later start than I had planned. I still procrastinate on getting in to the office and need to do better in that area so I can get more done in a day at work. I have had 1 meeting, have another later and will have to leave to pick up daughter at school at 3 PM. In the meantime, here is the following "to do" list:
Call GB, work on GB file
Finish FL file; call or e-mail FL re docs
Call BH re T. and meeting
Send letter to MK re SK
Call HP
Call PN
Cannot get into chatbox so far today...will keep trying.
rec
how i got chat working
how i got chat working < http://www.procrastinators-anonymous.org/node/1571#comment-22606 >
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the touch of the master's hand: http://procrastinators-anonymous.org/node/1898#comment-27748
"fall down seven times, get up eight" - japanese proverb
Sammy ci :: 11:30 am
Thanks for the starter, Chickadee. Those are my favorite. :-)
Tonight I have flash classs, so i definitely need to finish (start) my homework for that. I also need to get a jump start on my Econ and Psych homework, and 2 papers for Ad Design on Friday.
Also need to check to see if my client emailed me the files i need to get started on the project i'll be working on.
Just spent way too long talking to a friend online....but he's a real close friend, and we don't get to talk much, so i can justify it in my mind. Just found out he might be deploying back to iraq in may. :(( (he's a marine)
Now its time to get started! Microbursting begins....now!
sunflower's day
To do:
Finish Cleaning
Read
Email
Agnus checking in 11:35am
Late Friday we got news that may force an immediate end to my job and that of 5 other people today. Between then and now, anyone but a PA'er would have spent every possible minute producing billable hours, right? I spent it resting, praying and doing family stuff. I'd like to think that was spiritual wisdom and trust. But more likely it's been panic-driven procrastination...sigh.
In either case, I need to leave for the airport at 9am tomorrow, and be prepared to generate new business Thur-Fri. I'll stay with Mom, help her finish quilt, visit Dad, and love up on my sisters. I also need to honor the reality that my neck injury cannot heal without 9 hours of sleep every night. One thing that's been helping me is to plan a full 24 hours, including sleep-awake cycles. So today's MITs:
GeorgeSmiley 8:45 AM + Updates
Love the graphic, chick...
I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. I worked for some 16-plus hours straight yesterday -- 7 or so hours in my home office, then close to 10 (when you count commuting time) in my part-time job. 6 hours of sleep, shower, breakfast, time to read the funnies, and now hear I am again.
And that's one situation that puts me at risk for procrastination--wanting to "steal" just some plain relaxing time but unwilling to openly take it, so instead I pretend to work but put things off.
That said:
I'm going to set a timer and spend 15 minutes doing something pleasant just for me. I'll be back.
Update, 10:45 AM
My personal relaxation time got interrupted by a long-awaited phone call for Project P-4, so I dealt with that. Then there were a series of other task-related calls, one of which required me to run out to the PO and then the Bank. Dealt with them. I have a pile of email and a pile of stuff on my desk and a pile of too many tasks in my task pad.
I've bounced back and forth among a few different things.
Probably my most Urgent MIT today is a phone interview at 11:30. That's very likely to take an hour, and I'm inclined to do my transcription immediately afterward. [I believe I'll also have to be making screen shots of a computer program that's being demo'd for me as I'm conducting the interview. For that reason I'll probably be off line here during that time.]
Anyhow, immediate MIT is going to be trying to winnow and sort email and tasks. I'll be in chatbox.
Update 2:25 PM
Completed conference call (took nearly 2 hours). I don't have it in me to transcribe now. I'll make a task and timeslot to do that tomorrow morning.
I need to leave in about 30 minutes, so I'm going to winnow email and my task list
The Hero's Code:
Show up. Pay Attention. Speak the Truth. Let Go of the Outcome.
isabo 1030 am
My dd is sick today, so life will mostly revolve around her - I hope she can sleep lots :)
I had prepared for today to be gone in the am, because of dd's preschool, and then playdate this afternoon, so I hadn't any tasks set out for today.
So, todays todo list
put laundry away
make beds
shower
make cookies
watch two dvr shows
make dinner - orange chicken?? use the blood oranges that will be going moldy anyday now, with chicken...not sure how, will have to investigate!
will be back later :)
Nothing is worth more than this day - Goethe
isabo ci 645pm
Today I have been doing alot of web surfing, blogs on organizing time, finding zen habits....and have done nothing else except load dishwasher and shower. Its been a great day! Hubby suprised me with a gift this am, and just now a candle in a chocolate fudge muffin that I made...the kids sang 'the song'....I feel good!
I am still absorbing the video I saw about demand resistance - that really does explain so much, I think that is a huge key to my own personality formation. A friend who knows me better than myself discussed it at length yesterday, but I have not ventured into how it applies to my relationship with my husband. I guess I am procrastinating that mental process!
A thought gleaned from todays surfing is to make a todo list for the next few days. I think this may be helpful for myself because I tend to forget about tasks - I don't want to put it on the days list, because makes it too overwhelming, but if I can create a master list or some such of things that should be accompished fairly soon.....
I will work on that tomorrow. I also need to make a drs appt - I am thinking that I can lower my dosage finally. This site, all of you probuddies, flylady, all of this has helped me so much this last month. I went gung ho at first, then I screeched to a halt and now I am babystepping, looking at my actions, working through them....things seem so much clearer to me, my days aren't so overwhelming anymore...my mood overall has stayed upbeat....I want to at least try this...
So, there I am. I wrote it, and it doesn't seem foolish.
Til tomorrow then...
Nothing is worth more than this day - Goethe
Journey 8:30
Good morning, working from home today and I have a lot to do. I've been to the gym, had breakfast, and read email. Now I'm going to get cleaned up and dressed and make my todo list for the day. I'll be in the chatbox!
Jo
"Time is what keeps everything from happening at once." - Johnathan Wheeler
ByGodsGrace CI
I feel proud of myself for starting to learn the site and use it. I was wondering how the Check In worked with chat, which was better, etc - I now see they work together more! Amazing how important being here has become to me just since joining Sunday... although I was a guest for a few weeks too. I woke up thinking of my post/list!
I had such a frenzy of activity last few days to make up for procrastinating on jobs, today I am in danger a bit - tend to do too much or not enough! Praying for the day I will find balance in my life. I want to learn more about the whole idea of setting times and breaks, I think because I am not very good to myself (expectations/schedule) I set myself up to fail with unrealistic demands.
So! Today my daughter, she is 3, a joy
is home again, teacher inservice day and so I know I am going to get her to the park sometime between appointments. Then I have 5 set appointments/errands that I have to do today plus I am at the point with several design jobs in the next few weeks of potentially getting overwhelmed and stuck, so I am going to make a plan for each job so I can have visualize what I need to do and try to do a better job of breaking them down day by day... wow! What a concept, doing something a little at a time and not in a mad rush to make deadline, I can do this by Gods Grace - thats why I picked the name, its the only way I can make it day to day!
OK, so pep talk for myself, not the best post, but I could feel myself almost not wanting to make one because my list and thoughts weren't very organized and perfectionism kicked in and said just avoid that - better to not do something if not perfect - new thoughts and habits and feelings about yourself are HARD, but so is the life I have with the old ones... let the overcoming begin! Hallelujah :-)
way to GROW, byGodsGrace!
You are an inspiration, how quickly these tools and Steps can work once we surrender to Steps 1-2-3 on our comulsive procrastination. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Agnus!
Your subject made me smile! Thanks so much for the encouragement! I have put off (imagine that! lol) fixing this problem for so long, I am determined to stay on this path... so grateful to be among friends and fellow overcomers! Some of the steps are scary, so just thinking of the one that comes next! Thanks again!
Falcon CI Tues.
Hi all,
I'm taking a half-day off to go to the doctor this morning. I already know what's wrong with me (fibroids) so it's a matter now of reviewing treatment options and getting the ball rolling to have something done about it.
Luckily it's not life-threatening, and there are some fairly non-invasive procedures available, so it's not a crisis, just a large pain in the butt.
I need to eat breakfast & get myself moving. Heading over to the chatbox. . .
Falcon
Falcon CO
Hi all,
I got good news from the doctor today. She's going to try me on a different kind of meds, and if that works, then I won't need to have any kind of procedure done, at least for a while. I feel much more relaxed knowing that.
Now I'm putting off going to bed, which is a silly thing to do. I'm giving myself five more minutes to play around, then it's bedtime!
Good night,
Falcon
Constance's Tuesday
Constance's Tuesday
Got some errands done, not all of them successfully, but at least I've tried.
I sought help from student advisory service, one kicked me out of her office (I only asked her if she knew a nice book on study techniques. She said I should know by now how to study and told me to check out amazon. Thak you, lady!). The other one was very helpful. He didn't know a nice book on the topic (I've read so many, and they are all written for perfectionists. I just wanna pass, I don't need a super grade. He talked to me about how oral exams are usually held, which calmed me down for today and helps me focus on my studying.
Have my head full of negative thoughts. Need to re-program those - ah - I WANT to re-program those thoughts:
"I still have enough time to accomplish being well prepared for oral exams, if I start NOW. And I will start NOW" (as all my errands for today are done. Tomorrow are some other errands due, but it doesn't help obsessing about them now.)
"My intelligence is average, and that is enough to pass those exams." (No need to obsess about being too stupid for the whole university-thing, expecially not when I'm almost done)
"Step by step I'll get there. Don't look at the mountain, just stick to my plan, and I'll get up there"
Got two more hours. Off I go:
O Read LaRoche
O Read Kleist
"Study how to use the symptoms of procrastination to trigger the cure!" Neil Fiore
hugs to constance!
The way you are re-programming your negative thoughts is an inspiration to me!
Glad you got some advice from student services, and best of luck w/ your studying, I know you can do it!
kromer 7:35 CI
I'm having a really rough time this week for some reason...went to bed last night before I'd done most of my work, slept too long this morning, now I'm feeling really lost and like I have a hard time working this morning.
I've had times of feeling this really strong desire to procras. before and it usually passes within a few days, the trick is to just work through it.
Today I have lots of errands I need to run, and a bunch of schoolwork, and a bunch of labwork, and it all feels overwhelming. But I know my first task is to do the breakfast dishes, back when that's done
Update 8: done w/ dishes, now I need to:
*Clean room, change sheets
*Figure out where/how to get permit, reg, recycle bin
Back when these 2 tasks are done
kromer 8:30 CI
Did the above 2 small tasks.
Now I need to:
*Get seqs for motif scanning
*Do 3 errands (permit, reg, recycle bin)
*Head to lab
Heading to chatbox now to work on getting seqs for motif scanning
Update 10:20--got seqs for motif scanning, got permit, go recycle bin.
Now I'm actually going to start the motif scanning, b/c I think it will take a while. Then I'm going to head to lab, dropping off reg. form on the way. When I get to lab, I'll make a plan for the rest of the day.
Update 11:50--wow, I'm slow, but I've finally started motif scanning, plus I've had lunch. Now I'm going to make a plan for the day and week (30 min), then go drop off reg form and head to lab
kromer 1:20 CI
I dropped off reg form (which took a long time, the reg. office was crowded), and motif scanning has finished running. Now I'm *finally* going to make a plan for the day and week
Update 2:10 made a plan for day and week
Next task are
*Email WG, RY, TJ, PR, CL
*Read 2 papers for DNA/RNA class
*Rev. notes for DNA/RNA class
*Finish GCNF seq. analysis
*Finish comp. bio rev
kromer 6:40 CI
I've been going slowly, but at least I'm making some progress.
I reviewed notes for DNA/RNA class and started reading papers for the class
Then I went to biology seminar + called a friend that had been having a rough time (both things that needed to get done today).
Now I'm freaking out about all the work I need to get done. But I'll just focus and get done as much as I can in the next hour after 8. Then, I've told friends I'll meet them at square dancing, so I'm going to do that a little after 8.
What I really need to do now is send emails to the 5 people listed above. This is freaking me out for some reason, so I'm going to turn it over to HP, then head to the chatbox to send the emails. When I'm done w/ emails, I'll finish comp bio review.
Update 7:15--finished emails. Now I'm going to spend a little time on comp. bio review (finish reading through 2nd linear algebra review lecture), then I'm going to work on reading papers for DNA/RNA class
to Kromer and Constance
Sending you both solidarity and hope and encouragement....
TY Kromer and Chickadee
Thank you Kromer and Chickadee :-)
I'm so glad I'm not alone with all this - and I'm so glad of seeing all you guys making progress. There is hope! I always believed people can't change, expecially not me. This believe has been shaken since coming here regulary.
- I've almost finished reading LaRoche
- I want to read Schnitzler till 10 pm
"Study how to use the symptoms of procrastination to trigger the cure!" Neil Fiore
Chick's CI
misc corresp1/2 hour on tstill going on thiserrand a and b
overdue finesr p for tomorrow
Chick CI afternoon
misc corresp1/2 hour on t still going on this-- made good progress, only a bit left
errand a and b
overdue finesr p for tomorrowI didn't realize that I had done this last week! Now I have some choices!minimal r
p notes
hobby
dishesexerciseHi - love the graphic and words
Just saying Hi and thanks for inspirational photo and words - very nice! Praying you have a great day :-)