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.

Saturday 21 March 2009

 

The day is a gift.

My attention is a gift.

I can choose where to focus it.

 Courage                 serenity                wisdom                  hope                         I can take one step.

byGodsGrace todays CI

Thanks for the starter today chickadee, I love the message :-)

I choose to focus my attention on joy today, God help me to enjoy everyday life and give myself a break!

Word and prayer for the day: Nehemiah 8:10 message, Proverbs 17:22 amplified 

“Don't feel bad. The joy of God is your strength!”  “A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing…”

Reading today to put into practice... from The Secret to True Happiness, Joyce Meyer

 “Life is not perfect; we have to deal with it as it is, we can choose whether to enjoy it or not.” Lighten up! The average child laughs 150 times in a day, while the average man or woman only laughs 4-8 times per day…God knows -and has always known-everything about you. He knows what you will think, do, and say every day for the rest of your life on earth. He also knows how He will help you, teach you, correct you, encourage you, and give you grace for all your faults and failures. He is always for you, never against you, no matter what you do. This truth should set you free to lighten up, enjoy being whom God made you to be, and have a laugh at your own expense.

Music: Barney and Veggie Tales, dd choice!  (BUT, I am committed to taking a music break for myself every few hours!)  dd likes this one and it also speaks to my goals today http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDazz4HVsU0 

My to do list:  MIT… laugh, enjoy the day!

Read Bible/Pray

Daily CI

call A

sweep/mop/straighten toys

library

babysit /playdate

clear out email inbox of old unchecked emails  went from 60 to 5, not perfect but happy for progress! Goal now is to check those last 5 next week and stay current!

call c/m

continue clearing email for day habit!  

planning next week  - started

clothes for church laid out

Hope-Faith CI 10:41

WOW I have finally made it back. Many different obstacles' have kept me from post and participating in our forum (lack of computer time, sick me and sick children, depression, to busy not being busy) I have missed it. It is my life line to recovery. So here I am today full of hope and joy and ready to begin yet again.As I embark on my journey today, as that is what it is I will focus on small steps that will get me back to my routines that worked so well. My thought for the day will be focus on being reasonable with the tasks (TKS to BGG). I will have to work in time frames so that I can keep tabs on being productive and stay away from avoidance.

11:00-1:00 task that are reasonable to master are.

  1. Cook Brunch/clean up kitchen (60 min)
  2. Wash and hang out 2 loads of clothes (20 min)
  3. Put away clothes that are folded (10 min)
  4. Clean out Van (20 min)
  5. Sort mail and pay Bills (45)

Off I go to accomplish task set. CI at 1:00. Will work in Chat to stay focused and motivated.

CI 1:10  Well I got all but two things accomplished in set time. I did not pay bills and I was short one load of clothes. As I was hang the 2nd set of clothes I the line at 1:00 I was trying to determine where I went wrong and why I was of my mark. Then I relaized I had sch. 3 hours of work in a 2 hour time frame. So I am actually a bit ahead of where I wanted to be.

Next set of task. from 1:30-4:30

  1. Decided what to have for supper (15 min)
  2. Sort mail and pay Bills, update financials, check e-mail(60 min)
  3. Hang out 3 loads of clothes, wash 2 and put away 2 (45 min)
  4. Clean bathroom (30 min)
  5. Pick up house (30 min)
  6. CI 3:30 need to check in an hour early to deterermine where I am at with my time sch. The financial bill are taking longer than expected (very stressful) I have not been procrastinating it is just a bigger can of worms then what I thought, I have many items I need to take action on so I will not get bathroom or house picked up and will not finish up the bills until later in the evening. On the upside all clothes are washed and I am getting ready to put away 2 loads. (:

    I am going to set a new time sch. now to take me until 4:30 CI then and post next time frame.

    1. Put  up 2 loads of clothes (15 min)
    2. Get supper started (roast in the oven, go to store get cheese) (30 min)
    3. Work on bills/financial/family matters (15 min)

    4:15-8:15

    1. 4:15-5:00 Finsh working on bills/financial/family matters (60 min) Still working on it not yet finished will have to finish the rest later.
    2. 5:00-5:30kids walk goats (30 min)
    3. 5:00 - 5:30 finish putting away clothes (30 min)
    4. 5:30-6:00 Clean bathroom (30 min)
    5. 6:00-6:30 Pick up house/Kids Shower  (30 min)
    6. 7:00-Super/Unload dishwasher/clean out frig(50 min)
    7. 8:00-8:15 ebay (10 min)
    8. hope-faith 

Where to focus my attention

Thank you Grace for Joyce Meyers comments- so true, she is great.

Yesterday I picked up my car- a complicated round about way to get it but at least I now have it and hopefully it is fixed.What helped me was

Procrastinator's code - unrealistic assumptions that perpetuate delaying.

everything I do should go easily and without effort. Getting my car was NOT easy and took so much effort , I don't know why I thought it should but procratinating did not make it any easier- it just made me resentful at others for not making it easier for me.

 I got to a meeting and we read p 82-83 in the big book. I was in awe at how quickly and unconsciously I moved back into the "driver seat." and "control". 

My son just said it all- he said "I'll be nice, ok"? after he woke up cranky and we laughed.

I said, yes, all we have to do is decide.

Today I plan to put my program first.

This is what hit me in the Big Book yesterday and what I "thought" I was doing, but boy was I off the track.

 "So we clean house with the family, asking each morning in meditation that our Creator show us the way of patience, tolerance, kindliness and love.
      The spiritual life is not a theory. We have to live it.

Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves. "

I hope to put one foot in front of the other and get out of my head.

I will do the basics first (reading, writing) , then my "focus list" and walk.

The taxes are done (thank God!) and now the next issue ...patience, tolerance, kindliness and love- those are where I want to choose to focus my attention today,  then....... 
.....I am not sure but will check in later.

I must say (write) , the truth is as I am writing all this , "it feels all wrong"- but I need to "act as if" for it to feel right again.

The Hero's Code:

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


 

 

PM check in babarino

I have to get cat to vet and plan to go to am yoga.need to pick up dry clean maybe a load of laundry or two.

I am at the vet with cat now. Went to yoga earlier.picked up dry cleaning.not going to worry to much about laundry because is beautiful day! So proud of self for getting cat to vet!

Falcon CI Saturday

Hi pro buddies,

Yikes, I've got a lot of stuff to do today!  Most of it small tasks, but there's a bunch of them.  Let's see if I can think of everything:

For tomorrow:

  • Get directions DONE
  • Put music in order DONE
  • Write blurb
  • Wrap birthday present & sign card DONE
  • Find dress & decide if it's warm enough to wear Partly done

For today:

  • Tidy up before friend comes over this evening: clean kitchen, straighten island, tidy living room  In progress

For upcoming week:

  • Do laundry - regular, delicates, light & dark colors  In progress
  • Get groceries  DONE
  • Look up stuff for Project S.  DONE
  • Gather books & return to library  DONE

For myself: 

  • Do exercises
  • Take shower DONE
  • Practice?

 

And I haven't even had breakfast or gotten dressed yet (though I did sort the laundry already!)

O.k., forget it.  Too much stuff, too complicated, I don't wanna, I'm going back to bed. Tongue out

(Not really. Taking a deep breath.  Going to put in a load of laundry, then eat breakfast.)

Falcon

Recycler 7:05am EST

Hi Pro Buddies!

I'm going to try to Remain Calm, and have a Regular Saturday today.

Fortunately from being on PA, I have a small checklist for Saturday mornings. I'm going to do a couple of those tasks, before going to the store for provisions. I also need to accomplish some more things today, like coloring my hair, but I will add those in later.

11:15am CI. During the morning: I opened the blinds, put the reusable shopping bag in the car, did the bathroom swishies, took out the trash, took high blood pressure medicine, put the things for Goodwill in the car, and started a load of clothes in the washer. Then I bought provisions for the week, put gas in the car, did a couple of errands, and bought a small repair item from Home Depot. Back at home, I have put away most of the groceries and started something to cook. Cried a bit because I am missing at least one thing that I purchased; while it was only $3, I don't know if it was the store clerk, or if I left a bag somewhere. I will try avoiding this store clerk in the future and see if I get home with all my items. Even going to the store takes a lot of emotional energy for me, so that depleted it. Fortunately I don't think I have to go out again today until a social activity tonight. I think I will color my hair tomorrow instead of today.

2:35pm. I've eaten a late lunch, and now I've started another load of clothes in the dryer. I think I can putter around here a bit. Also, start packing for my vacation trip for next week :) [Note: this was a lot of why I was overwhelmed yesterday at work, because the vacation policy changes were appearing less than a week before I go on a planned trip! Aiieeee!!! ;) However, I think everything will be ok. So I need to enjoy my weekend, and get things ready so I can be in a vacation frame of mind on Thursday :)

8:40pm. I'm back from my activity. On the way home, I bought gifts and cards for the friends I will see on my trip. It makes me feel happy to get something for them :) During the afternoon, I washed/dried another load of clothes, fixed & ate dinner, etc. Next I will surf the net a little, then go to sleep soon.

I have also edited my CI from yesterday.

Have a great day, everyone! :)

Recycler


Recycler

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

Chick CI

I'm trying to plan deliberately to create a finite list of important things that I can finish well before a nice evening activity. It's up to me to plan the day so that I can feel that even my day off is a success. --First off I paid the heating bill instead of not doing that.

make list of priorities.food errands done. cleaning in kitchen-first phase done. hall floor. done. to do: kitchen phase2, eating room floor. Make a start my remving 3 things from table

I did all those things on plan rather than impulse and without lettting other tasks jump on the way, even though there is much more to do. I'm totally convinced by the concept of the closed list.And of stopping when you say, leaving yourself eager to get back to something.

  I can choose my attitude for this day.

When I make and finish a closed list I can feel satisfied with what I accomplish.

 

I can do some  things, but days and energy are not enough for doing everything. 

Hey Chickadee - what do you

Hey Chickadee - what do you mean by closed list?  Is this just making a small list of must-dos for the day, instead of a never-ending running list?

a closed list   The

a closed list

 

The idea comes from Mark Forster. Yes, it's a list you make carefully and deliberately that you don't keep adding to. And you finish it.

I used to have trouble with lists--feel resistance and fear, or let them keep growing, or I would only feel good with a done list. The essence of the MF plan is choosing very carefully what the most important things are and doing them, only disrupting the list when it is truly unavoidable. He says that that way you can be calm, working with the rational brain rather than the stress/reactive brain.