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.
Pyrotecher 5:10 pm PDT
Except for one response to new member reallyneedhelp, I haven't posted a CI since last Sunday: http://procrastinators-anonymous.org/node/2021#comment-29599
This is partly of necessity and party by design: my one day Jury Duty actually landed me in a three-day trial, and so I had to work my life around that. I'm someone who actually values Jury Service, and this is was my third time actually serving as a juror. I'm into the civic duty aspect, meet a lot of people that I wouldn't otherwise, and sadly see situations that open my eyes to realities of life and help me value what I have a little more.
From a procrastination standpoint, it shook me out of my way-too-flexible-for-a-procrastinator work routine and put me into the hurry-up-and-wait, carefully clocked court system. I was "late" on the first day to the jury pool (but had learned from the jury service office how late I could be and not be in trouble...) but afterwards I was pretty much on time everytime I had to report to court, literally showing up within a minute or two of when I was due every morning and every break. It was a little frightening how quickly I could move into an unfamiliar environment and learn what it took to be just barely on time, consistently. I think I have a very accurate internal clock and use it to abuse my situation something fierce.
As for my work schedule, the panic to address critical tasks I had been procrastinating about at work around this new externally imposed time roadblock was telling. Seems like I take time more seriously when I see it being taken away from me. The first day I showed up with my work laptop and case stuffed with papers, and naturally never found time to do anything with them. The second day I brought a maniila envelope with technical papers and magazines to read, and ended up with about 2 minutes quality time with those. The last day was all deliberations, and I finally learned not to bring anything, and rather focus on what I had to do at court.
-=-=-=-
Now that I'm back from that, I need to address the next crises. Today I tried to rush a job that I'd tried (unsuccessfully) to do before the jury service. My boss talked me down from rushing it (happens to be one with expensive consequences if done wrong, so he made a rare intervention). Instead I was given some guidance in the steps I needed to do to get the task done right, 90% of which I had already figured out on my own but was willing to gloss over to try to make up for time I'd lost procrastinating. Now I'm setting out to get that job done the right way Mon/Tue of next week and touch base with the boss Wednesday (and show up a little earlier in the day, he pointedly suggested) before making a real decision and commitment.
Aside from the need to make progress in this project, I've got another motivator to do this Most Important Work Task right and timely. A health crisis among my in-laws is absorbing my wife's attention and I need to be there to support her and possibly break away from work to help some point. So I need to focus on what matters most now, both at work and home. One consequence: If I get the whole weekend this weekend it will be tax preparation weekend - too risky to delay it.
So as for jury duty, the realities of everyday life again counsel: pay attention to what's important now, for something more important may be there tomorrow.
[In parting, I've got a new signature line. I don't know if this is my favorite procrastination quote or the most appropriate, but it's one of the earliest I remember. When I went to college it was engraved over the entrance to one of the dormitories...]
-=-=-=-=-=
"Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of."
Benjamin Franklin
isabo ci 431pm
Finished my bookeeping, looked up some fruit and veggie smoothie recipes for kids, slept for two hours, mad dashed to p/u son, shined kitchen, read half of hubby's friends book....average american male - so far, main character has lived up to stereotypical young male image - thinks of sex in favorite positions and does not seem to work, and bullshits girlfriend to no end... hubby is home, I am glad I at least cleaned the kitchen. I asked what he wanted for supper, he said he doesn't care, so pasta marina it is! I am still tired, and have no real ambition, despite that though, fairly good mood, just tired. We will see what tomorrow brings!
Nothing is worth more than this day - Goethe
GeorgeSmiley 2:30 PM
I've been working all morning and skipped my Friday AM breakfast group to work. But for the last 2 hours or so I've been caught up in a computer cleaning binge that has diverted me from an urgent and important task.
Now I need to get back to that task. Project S
Starting now.
The Hero's Code:
Show up. Pay Attention. Speak the Truth. Let Go of the Outcome.
Journey 9:20 lots of insightful posts this am
I'd love to stay here and give deep thoughtful responses to all of the great posts today, but that would kinda defeat the purpose of the checkin lol.
I'm feeling really sleepy this am so I went for coffee first thing. I have my coffee and honey bunches of oats, I've been to the gym and the nursing home, read email and checked my calendar. Now to make the todo list. See you all in chat.
Jo
There is a proper balance between not asking enough of oneself and asking or expecting too much. - May Sarton
What I "did" do
Today, I did not get much sleep and am emotionally drained, so I just want to shut down.
For me, it's easier not to shut down and spirial down, than it is to get back up. I guess I will need to FEEL, ugh.
I need to pray. (My one friend and I always used to say "Doesn't that sound PATHETIC- pray............" Surely I can do something more than that! And yet I am alwayed amazed at how much more I get done by praying.
I am going to:
1. Listen to phone meeting.
2. Make calls.
3. Read my meditations and journal. Write what I DID do. My head tells me that since everything is not all done, I didn't do anything.
4. Be gentle with myself. I am pwerless over others.
kromer 8:40 CI
Today is a danger day...I have nothing scheduled until 4:10 this afternoon, so it would be very easy to just let myself drift.
Instead, I'll try to put together an achieveable set of tasks:
*Comparison to Transfac
*Look for motif conservation
*Read paper for WG's lab
*
1 stats problem*Send 2 emails re: who I want to work with in grad school
*1 hr work on csb project (start figuring out how to evaluate a graphical model)
*15 min prayer time
*Clean kitchen (started)
*Organize papers
*
Email tutee about IDE/compilerOK, that's a bit ambitious but doable. Right now, I'm going to try and do a stats problem, then email tutee and send emails about who I want to work with, then do dishes, then organize papers and head to WG's lab
beecharmer4 to dos
Go to Lily's PPT
Write letter explaining insurance issues
Grocery shop
sweep
vacuum
fold clothes and put away
lesson plan for next week
Have a great day and happy Friday!
isabo ci 915am
Already today I worked, made ds's lunch, dropped off at school, ate breakfast, got dd to eat her breakfast, and have started on todays major task of bookkeeping and organizing. I feel good today, silence in the house except for the buzz of the fridge, the fish dredging her pebbles, and the birds outside. It is a bright cloudy day, and very humid, lots of drizzle. I am going to continue my bookeeping now...
Nothing is worth more than this day - Goethe
check-in Babarino
1) Still have project two from Tuesday to complete.
2) get project ready for next Tuesday. Project 1
3) follow up on items from yesterday. Project 3. Panels and letters.
I avoided project two yesterday because I just don't know how to complete it.But it is my job to finish it so I will ask for help and take an action to get it moving.
Falcon CI Friday
Overslept this morning - hit the snooze button WAY too many times & missed exercise. Getting my act together to go to work.
Thanks, everyone who has posted so far today! Good thoughts to go on with. I was drifting into enemy territory in my head; no need to do that. Ignore the stumble and look at the progress and the view. Progress, hope, joy, victory. . .
I have 3 MITs to do at work today. Want to see if I can get them all done. Have a good day, everyone!
Falcon
Falcon CI humid Friday
Hi pro buddies,
I did my three things at work today! Even finished the long boring task (stayed 10 minutes late to finish it.)
Now I'm home & it's really humid here. Bleah, makes me want to not do anything. Tonight I need to:
Going to head to the chatroom to keep myself on track.
Falcon
Recycler CI 5:35am EST
Hi Pro Buddies!
I'm posting early this morning. I had to do something on the computer before going to the gym.
Today: rather than a Go For It/push-it-to-the-limit day, I am going to keep my focus with "the next right thing." So: more than just going through the motions, but pacing myself to keep from getting overwhelmed.
I've got one or two things I have to do today. So I will do those & it will take some resolve; but I will make sure to get those, and with the rest, do what I can.
Probably by the end of the day, I will update my CI.
6:20pm. This afternoon featured one other transitional event. On the inside, I managed to have some freak-out moments about it. But as each thing I needed to act on came along, I was assertive and contacted the appropriate person, and used my checklist. Did things go ok? Well, they are accomplished, so that is a relief. (Actually they went as well as could be expected, or maybe better, so thanks, HP!) Could some more shoes drop? Oh, I do have such a fear of any potentially dropping shoes!!!! (sounds like maybe the Serenity Prayer will be in order ;)
This week I have had to do a lot of stuff, whether I was emotionally ready or not. So tonight, I'm not going to do "anything." I am going to hide on my recliner chair. I have a nice PA list for Friday night. I might look at it. I might not! ;) But I am going to do what I can to relax and decompress for tonight and this whole weekend!
Have a great day, everyone! :)
Recycler
Recycler
Thank you, gals & guys, for being here! :)
Friday list
Written 7:30 AM here, Friday morning:
This is my first full day post, so I’ll give a teeny bit ofbackground. I have three projectsthat I’m working on. Each shouldtake about six months to complete. I have broken them down into small parts, but as you all could guess, Iam behind. Additionally, I’m alittle afraid that when they are completed, they will not be of as high qualityas expected. This causes me someanxiety which I think is the main reason I procrastinate- just to not thinkabout it. Then I start to get downon myself and feel depressed, and when I’m at my worst, nothing gets done fordays. So this is really the firstday after a week of unproductive time. On top of all that, like the rest of you, I’m also struggling to stayhealthy (gym, cooking my own meals) and stay on top of fairly minor domesticchores. And I have a fourthproject that is much farther on the horizon, but I enjoy working on it. Sometimes it is a source ofprocrastination and sometimes of rejuvenation. My main ways to procrastinate are to day-dream, surf the netand watch movies, all really mindless. The odd thing is that when I’m actuallyworking on what I should be doing, I really enjoy it. It’s just about mustering up the effort to get started andto focus.
So here is what today will hopefully look like:
It’s a big list. I hope to be finished with #8 by 6:30 which would give me about an 8hour work day once you subtract the time taken out for lunch, gym and chores. My husband gets off at 7, so beingfinished by then is ideal.
welcome rnh!
glad to see you back for a second day's posting.
I know what you mean about enjoying work once you start...I'm the same way! I think that's why the "microbursting" idea is so helpful...once I make a 5 min start on something, usually I want to keep going.
update
I worked hard this morning, but was not able to complete number 2. Number 3, I was distracted a few times. Wasted some time. Bummed about that, but at least I got started. Going to do number 5 now. Check in later.
Later- It's 3:45 now. I'm heading to the gym now. I really fought the urge to take a nap and got done with my first Project One goal. Unfortunately, I wasted some time earlier and did not finish the others. I'll check back in tonight.
OK, 7:45 day is done. I have one goal I didn't even get to and two that are incomplete. But, I did do more than I have done in a long time, so at least I'm back in the swing of following a schedule. I have to be honest and say that the incomplete work is entirely due to listening to a radio program and then googling all about it later. I won't even tell you the topic because it is such an embarrassing waste of time. When I'm productive, I'm happy and feel good about myself, so why do I do unproductive and self-destructive things like that?
Wolfie CI
Here we are. *sigh* An entire day wasted. Again. *headdesk* I realize that if I'm not feeling well I can have a little slack but... I have deadlines to meet. They've already been postponed. WHY do I keep hiding from things? It's not like they're going to go away! So today's list is just what has deadlines. That's it.
I WANT to graduate in time and be financially independent and have my own place to live and not be afraid of next year or next decade. Therefore I CHOOSE to:
- Do the blogs
- Complete the website
- Print out whatever I have
- Fake a proposal
I don't need perfection. I want to pass. Okay self? Srsly.
byGodsGrace todays CI
"When I'm in my head, I'm in enemy territory." Vic said in a post yesterday, and I read it as I emerged from my hiding to honor a routine (thank God for routines and boundaries) I made to post CI if up at 12 and saw that confirmatio of what I knew, I just wasted 2 hours with the enemy.
I did great all week, and all day Thursday until I got out of the Word toward the evening, and slowly, subtly my thoughts crept to that familiar feeling of weakness, anxiety - it wasn't even specific thought, just a feeling and then I thought well I deserve a little break – and after the first tv show I knew, if I watched another it would no longer be a break but avoidance – the first one was too really, and by then I was in enemy territory. Anxiety, dread, insecurity – nothing has changed for me since last few days of walking in victory – all that changed was where I put my focus. I realize that in this recovery period – I have no room to let down my guard, this is a fight and the enemy fights dirty and counts on me to help, the enemy is so familiar it is easy to agree. If I want to overcome, I must stay in the fight and keep my eyes on the Lord where my help comes from.
Staying focused on God I have progress, hope, joy, victory. Lose focus on God and think of myself and I am stuck, scared, sad, defeated. I’m back in the fight Today i wll focus on the view, the grandeur... overcoming!
Word and prayer for the day again: Ephesians 6:13
“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand…and having done all, to stand. Stand!”
Soundtrack of my day: Joyce Meyer - hope, Natalie Grant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyEMJBhCtU8
My to do list:
Read Bible/Pray
dd school early
call mrs. h
bankjob1 & job 2 continue tools: http://procrastinators-anonymous.org/node/2023#comment-29655
current step – finished big one Wed, Thur did other things – avoided tho I didn’t realize until later, Friday, back in the fight! Finish steps for Job1 by end of day.
dd school 2:30p
5p volunteer work
call k
Clear email/inbox for day
dd bday invitations – design continue
job6 proof – assembled, email photo
byGodsGrace todays ci
My to do list:
Read Bible/Praydd school earlycall mrs. h (looked up info for it)job1 &continue tools:JOb1 done!dd school 2:30pbank5p volunteer workcall kClear email/inbox for day(include new client email) Satdd bday invitations – design continueONAPjob6 proof – assembled, email photo(waiting on design ok)Thank you for the songs Grace
I learned how to downloAD podcasts, etc. but it's nice to have some spiritual music. Thank you.
yourwelcome!
I cant get thru the day without music! I like all the songs by n. grant because they are spiritual and she is recovering, bulimia I think, so her songs are about strength, overcoming, faith - speak to me!
On the other post you mention about replying - you can reply or not to anyone - justdo what feels right for you! Wasn't sure if you knew how to look for one or not - took me a little while to learn the site - so imentioned,but feel free to just post and not reply or sometimes, etc! Love the idea of God as sponsor :)
And we all use nicknames -i like grace!