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.
Thursday 14th May 2009
What comes first, motivation or action?
If you said motivation, you made an excellent, logical choice. Unfortunately, you’re wrong. Motivation does not come first, action does! You have to prime the pump. then you will begin to get motivated, and the fluids will flow spontaneously.Individuals who procrastiate frequently confuse motivation and action. You foolishly wait until you feel in the mood to do something. Since you don’t feel like doing it, you automatically put it off.Your error is your belief that motivation comes first, and then leads to activation and success. But it is usually the other way around; action must come first, and the moviation comes later on.
David Burns, Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy
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Great Quote
Thank you - I cut and pasted it.
Progess not pefretcion
Recycler CI 3:20pm EST
Hi Pro Buddies!
Yesterday wi-fi at home didn't work! Wah! I didn't remember to CI before the end of the workday + was thinking I would do it at home, but wi-fi didn't work! Talk about Internet withdrawal. Condo HOA says wi-fi is working today, so I will see if it is when I get home. Maybe during the week I should routinely do my CI before I leave work, in case wi-fi difficulties become more frequent.
This morning I walked to the gym, did additional cardio, stretches & ab exercises. At work I have chosen to stay focused, and mostly kept plugging at projects today. I walked at lunchtime, then ate lunch. Was able to mark a bunch of completed stuff off my project list this afternoon :D Next: I'm going to continue to try to finish up some things by the end of the day, then walk home. I have a volunteer activity + dinner tonight. I'll try the computer to see if it works, but probably won't be able to be on it much tonight anyway.
Have a great night, everyone! :)
Recycler
Recycler
Thank you, gals & guys, for being here! :)
Agnus 2:35 pm, 3:15pm
Not my best day ever so far. Had sponsor and sponsee calls and breakfast, but some workmen arrived before my prayer time so even though I tried to work, interruptions were frequent. Aside from some personal emailing and web-work, I got nothing done. Ate lunch after they left and tried again - and they came back! By this time, I'm surfing aimlessly between interruptions. Need to stop that now and get on it. Back in a sec with MITs and MUTs.
OK, back and here I go:
Personal stuff that needs attending:
byGodsGrace todays CI
Word and prayer for the day: Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.Jeremiah 32:27 Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?My to do list:
Read Bible/ Pray, Dd school, ck mail, call jobM pickup, print added ordercan't get the format/text to work right today -try later!
Thank you
I love David Burns, it is amazing how he can graciously identify the false thinking.
For me, also the willingness comes before the action.
Then before the willingness, praying to my HP< God, make me willing to be willing......
I am doing it now, and by his grace, one step, one day at a time- progress not perfection.
Thanks for being here.
willing to be willing
Thanks for reminding me of this brilliant phrase. I'm having the kind of day where I might need to back up a few more steps to get to rigorous honesty - "God please make me willing to be made willing to become willing to be willing to be willing!"
sigh
Ditto
Yes, all I can say is me too!
katia CI
Busy day today! Moving into a new apartment.
Unfortunately, I have a gazillion things to do!~
MITs:
-Get a doctor's appointment
-Call student
-Call the bank about debit card / credit card / checks
-E-mail Advisor
-Fill out financial aid forms
-Move to new apartment
Things that would be nice:
-Read a little?
-Look at textbooks
-Make plans for tomorrow
-Register for classes?
katia CI continued
MITs:
-Get a doctor's appointment-Call student
-Call the bank about debit card / credit card / checks-E-mail Advisor
-Fill out financial aid forms
-Move to new apartment
Things that would be nice:
-Read a little?
-Look at textbook prices
-Make plans for tomorrow
-Register for classes?
Other stuff i did though-
Contacted cousinContacted person for recipeContacted housing officeSent listhost linkI actually got an appointment for today, so now I have to go to that too. . .
I am feeling very overwhelmed.
I also feel like I have a case of "structured procrastination". Luckily that means i'm getting things done. Unluckily it means I'm not getting the important things done.
babarino ci
Copies of info (done)
Cont. to organize info (new project 1)
Emails from sc (done)
Cc report
1 para for r (done)
follow up TD (done)
follow up on change to pplan (done) (left vm and sent email)
12 step at noon (done)
run tonight
15 min declutter At work (done) and home
I finally finished project one!
GeorgeSmiley 8:25 AM; UPDATE 4 PM
I've been working for more than an hour. Actually just took a brief recreational break. But now it's time to check in.
On the plus side I'm already off to a good start on today's MIT#1, Project T-C.
The other MIT for today is Project P-7.
Plus a few other smaller administrative/housekeeping items.
On the downside I've drifted away from my habit of daily meditative/spiritual reading. So that's the next thing I want to do this morning.
BTW, I always love the day-starter comments here, as varied as they are. And today's is no exception. Thankyou for it!
UPDATE, 4 PM
pretty much wrapped up Project T-C, and got the ball advanced on P-7.
Done for the day.
The Hero's Code:
Show up. Pay Attention. Speak the Truth. Let Go of the Outcome.
kromer 9 CI
A little late checking in (try to CI by 8), but I'm already in lab, so that's not too bad.
Scheduled today:
FINAL EXAM 11-12:30MITs:
*
30 min last-minute review for final*
Better list of TFs*Review 6 stats lectures
*
Laundry, **finish organizing papers***Harambee planning (call rollerskating rink, email other leaders)
*Try to resolve correlation issue by: a)
comparing results I get w/ 4 methodsb)Seeing how many genes affected my method choicec)Trying a less stringent cutoff+LRT d)Jackknifing to chose btwn methods in a principled wayOther tasks:
*Background reading plan for DP's project
*Buy hard drive + memory
*Prelim. list from STRING
*
Investigate improved averaging for TFs.Breaks:
*
Lunch*
Grocery shopping+cook dinnerRight now, I'm going to do last bit of studying for final, then get an improved list of TFs (should take about an hour), then take final! and maybe have lunch with friends after.
Thursday's e
good morning all. had a great beginning and then fell into old bad habits, stayed up late playing solitaire, ate too much, etc. Today is a new day so I am trying not to chastise myself, just trying to observe myself and learn from it.
Today I would like to stay mindful, work on my MITs in 15 minute intervals: taxes, resume, job applications, health care, student loans, and so forth. Have a good day, everyone
noon checkback:
definitely am making progress. kitchen is half done: the pots are feeling like they are looming, but that just means that I feel that way about them, not that there is inherent suffering in scrubbing pots and pans. In fact, one large pot really does not take much longer and is visually larger. noticing this and going to do the rest of the dishes anyway....
asking for help to do the next right thing
3 pm checkback. I am not quite sure what happened in the past three hours as I don't have a sense of real accomplishment. The dishes, all but one charred spot, are finally done. Had conversation with Mom regarding sister in HK who has been sick. Then had follow up conversation with other sister to see if my head is on straight. Went to facebook to see if the first sister had info up and wrote her a note and then GOT SUCKED INTO THE VORTEX OF FACEBOOK.
in midst of the call my son phoned to say he had crashed his bike and was hobbling home with its chain off. It had started to rain and he skidded out. He is fine but shook up, and a little bruised: can't feel his palms very well, so I will have to keep an eye on that. Made him lunch and stuck him in the tub to relax. Could not fix the bike.
then the desire grew to eat sweets and I ate 4 cookies. Considering the past three hours that is to be expected, but I would really like to feel my feelings instead of substituting hunger! Now trying to load up movie to watch while I work on taxes and can't seem to do that. Lots of anxiety.
Sammy ci :: 7:40 am
Good morninng, and happy Thursday!
I made really good progress on my paper last night. I'm really glad I made an outline, because now when i start feeling anxiety about writing, I can just look at my outline and microburst each little part. got 2 pages done last night, and am making good progress this morning.
Now I'll go eat breakfast, but then its back to the grindstone! (this is my LAST project of the semester!)
Today I am thankful for the sneaky ways that God finds to speak to us in our times of need. :-)
Sammy ci :: 9:50 am
Thanks, Jo. :-)
I just finished page 4. I've been feeling a little distracted, but not allowing myself to act on those impulses! Also hoping posing here will get me back to full concentration.
I'll check back in a while.
Sammy :: progress
starting page 6!
Sammy :: 11:45 am
Well, I've just begun page 7, but I've also covered everything on my outline... I still need to write an introduction and conclusion, but the paper needs to be 8 pages long. *sigh* back to research, i guess.
Sammy ci :: 12:45 pm
After that last post I floundered about a while more, trying to come up with a good start to my introduction, then decided I was wasting my time and went to eat lunch.
Had a good lunch (as in healthy...AND tasty!), then went outside for a "vitamin D break" (needed some fresh air, and the sunshine didn't hurt one bit!). Now I'm back, and after checking my email 5 times (gah.) decided to get back to my paper and finish it....so i checked in, to commit to it.
Sammy :: TA DA!!
a couple hours ago I finished writing that psych paper. It turned out to be 10 pages long. Who knew!
Now I'm sitting waiting for my psych class to start. I'll hand in my paper, take my final exam (not worried about that at all), and be DONE!
I do actually have a class tomorrow morning, but we've already turned in our final projects and we're not having a final test, so i don't really know what we'll be doing....something worth the 20 minute drive to school, i hope!
~\o/~ Sammy!
Way to recover, Sammy! You're an inspiration.
@Sammy
Sammy, I'm inspired by your post! You are making great progress.
Soon you will harvest what you are planting today - Steve Pavlina
Journey 8:30
Good morning, yesterday I took care of some lingering lower priority items and it felt good to get them out of the way. Today back to project work.
I keep thinking today is Friday and trying to forget my Thursday meetings! Going for coffee, then todo list for the day. See you guys in the chatbox,.
Jo
Soon you will harvest what you are planting today - Steve Pavlina
Journey 9:15
Trouble getting started this morning! Everything I need to do seems boring and I don't want to do any of it. As I would say to my children, that's why they call it work. If it was fun, they wouldn't have to pay you to do it.
But seriously, I do like my work, and if just make myself get started, the motivation will follow the action. Right?
Now that I have acknowledged my resistance and reluctance, I'll go finish up my todo list for the day. At least it's fun to check off the little blocks as I get stuff done!
Jo
Soon you will harvest what you are planting today - Steve Pavlina
journey noon and updates
I'm still slow today and so is our internet connection, and I don't seem to be able to get into chat. It's weird, it seems to be google and all sites with google ads. So, instead of chatting I'll update here. I haven't gotten a whole lot done yet today, but I have my todo list in front of me and I have attended a one-hour meeting. Now I'm going to catch up email. Later.
Update 1:15 Our internet seems to be healed but I'm in post rather than chat mode now so I'll just continue. I'm cranked up now and moving along. I've been thru email, although not finished clearing out my inbox, I have spent enough time on it today. While I was there, I took care of two tasks that could be done by email. Now taking a 10 min break, then working on Project TF for one hour.
Update 2:15 got dragged into unplanned meeting about Project TF so I guess that counts as part of my hour lol. now back to the real work.
Update 4:25 worked for almost two hours on Project TF, almost done. I have made all the updates, tomorrow I will doublecheck and rename. Also met with L about Project N, which was not planned for today but needed to be done.
Now I need to get back to Tedious Task, another round of conversions coming up Memorial Day weekend, so I need to get started on that. I'll do the change request today, then go home for the day.
This has been a pretty good day.
Oh, yeah, guess what!? I caught a coffee bandit! It was one of our high-powered, highly compensated consultants!! I didn't catch him in time, I saw him walk out with a cuppa and when I walked into the break room there was the ubiquitous half cup of coffee left in the pot :) But now I know!
Jo
Soon you will harvest what you are planting today - Steve Pavlina
Hi Journey - question
You posted a web site last week that has a built in reward system - "skippd" or something like that...
Do you remeber the name?
Thank you.
Do It Now
Mansah - 12.58
Check inWrite letter
Post office
Sort notes
Prepare for Friday
Grocery shopping
Prepare one hot meal
Have shower
Scan pp
Though this be madness, yet there is method in't ~ Polonius (Hamlet)
Hope-Faith CI 5/14/09 10:55pm
YAY fun day today. Field day for DS. I am posting the night before because I want to have a plan of attack in place for tomorrow. I have a lot to do in a very short period of time in the am.
hope-faith
Deej CI 14/05
Regarding quote, actually from what I've read it works both ways.
Today to work on something thats been at the bottom of the list for a while.
Not quite to plan as I started by trying to clarify for myself the philosophy behind the new design and the definition of terms being used. Then got around to actually making changes but spent time learning new software. Upside is that I nearly finished one page and am gaining proficiency. #2 I'll do tomorrow.