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.

Finding New Strength Intro

Hi

I am a chronic, serious procrastinator who  can easily spend a day in bed watching DVD's rather than doing what I need to do to avoid creating problems, let alone have any success in my life. I have recognised quite how chronic I have become in the last six months and have been looking into tools and techniques for changing this before I end up on my deathbed full of regrets for a wasted life. I have just finished a series of meetings with a life coach and through that I have discovered how to manage my time. I use MS Outlook with its calendar and to-do list, but of course I still struggle with my behaviour because it isn't about logic but rather, for me anyway, about emotion. 

I am a good student but I do my assignments at the very last minute giving myself a lot of stress and I am not really realising my potential because of this. This self sabotage extends to paying bills on time, tax returns and other practical administrative and  financial matters or really any task I dislike! 

 Until recently had a problem with excessive anxiety but I seem to have found much improvement (a cure even !) with some acupuncture sessions followed by emotional freedom therapy. EFT has been stunning for me and I have dampened down a lot of unwanted emotions from past traumas and difficulties. I was draining myself of energy every time I thought about the past and was in danger of becoming very bitter. Now I have freedom from that and I am fairly serene much of the time.

So now, having less emotional problems,  I am able to  make  progress on this procrastination problem of mine. Slow, frustrating, progress with plenty of relapses but in the past two months I have increased my productive hours per day from almost zero or a random amount,  to on average  at least 5-6. I have been attempting to increase my productive work by one hour every week, planning and charting progress. I will be attempting seven hours productive work per day next week, providing I am well.

 I got the tax return in on time this year avoiding the fine and have started to tackle my long list of to-do administration. I have started and stalled with my decorating and I really need to get out there and get a job, any job. I am still avoiding that because I am scared of feeling the anxiety that interviews cause and just plain scared in general but I need to remember that I have tools to handle that and I won't relapse into a pile of mush. Baby steps.

I am really fed up with how I am.  I don't do what I should do, cause myself problems and then give myself a horrible time because of it. I really want to change. Why is change so difficult? 

I am very pleased to have found this site and I find the daily check-ins useful. It is comforting to know that I am not the only one with these issue. I have read your daily schedules and I feel in awe and a bit daunted as you all do so much. However it  does give me hope that I can change and start to live a life little affected by this problem,the life I was meant to live. I have had these issues for a long time so I suppose I can't expect overnight success but rather slow progress. 

 

Thanks for listening

Helen

 

P.S. There is a free (open source , cross platform Outlook look-alike called Sunbird, http://www.mozilla.org/projects/calendar/sunbird/

 

 

Welcome Helen

Thanks for sharing. For me, being here is helping in finding a "NEW NORMAL" , for me. What works for someone else may not work for me and vice versa, it is so awsome to be on this journey together. Keep coming back.

Thanks Helen

Thanks Helen for your Mind-map . I'm learning to use it and it's
useful. Helps me know where I'm standing and what needs to be done

Helps me with my studies.

Warm regards,

vali

Helen's intro

Hello Helen, I empathize with you. My mother was alot like yours only not a hurricane, she's still a gentle soul. I take responsibility for my own behavior tho at this point I don't know how to change it and that's why I'm here. Thank you for sharing and allowing me to see how I am very much so not alone here.

I want to live life and not spend so much time trying to organize it to live it.

Hi Helen!

Wow, what a great introduction! The good news is that you are young enough (I peeked at your profile) to really make demonstrative changes that will allow you to enjoy the rest of your life. In contrast, I’m over the hill and gaining speed rapidly down the slope!! I think the most important thing is recognizing the problem and doing something – anything – about it. Since one of the problems of procrastinators is apparently initiating action you have taken a very important first step. I appreciate your expressive and insightful introduction as a procrastinator. It is truly comforting to know that others understand the challenges and experiences that we face… we are NOT alone! All the best to you in your recovery! Glowlite

At Least We're Still On the Hill

First, let me add my supportive thoughts to Helen. We're glad that you took the step to join with us, and want to be here for you as the group has been for us.

Glowlite, I can also relate to your "over the hill" statement. I'm just a couple of years behind you but am sitting on one of those dreadful milestone years. At this stage of life change is intimidating - I've accumulated so many bad habits, unfinished plans, and accumulated Stuff - that it's all the harder to see how to get past it. But I refuse - even when it seems overwhelming - to believe that I can't do something about it. I suspect you feel likewise because you are here... but I just wanted to say out loud that the Old Dawgz don't need to give up on learning new tricks!


-=-=-=-=-=
"Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of."
Benjamin Franklin