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.
Idea for rolling tasks over
Hi all. I had this idea when CUOP.
I noticed a lot of us use "rolled over", "deferred", "ditched" etc for things we didn't get time for during the day.
I have also noticed a lot of us have the same things appearing there often days in a row. Or they disappear altogether without getting done ;).
I thought that from now on I might keep a record of how many times a task has been deferred, rolled over etc by putting a number after it. Ie: - filing (3) to indicate how many days it's been rolled over. I'm going to do the same on my weekly plan.
Just an accountability check for myself that I thought others might like to try, too.
- Login to post comments
Dates on list items
When I put an action on my lists, I include the date. This is partly to provide some pressure (this has been on my list for how long and it's still not done?), but also as a reminder that things can be let go. If a task is still on my list after a month, for example, it's quite likely to be something I really can choose not to do -- so I can take it off my list on purpose.
I also keep a "someday/maybe" list of things I want to do that aren't pressing enough to be worked on right now, so my project list and action lists only have "current" items on them.
--
flexiblefine
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheNowHabit/
Rollovers etc
I know some people use this technique because after they see they've deferred something a couple of times it motivates them to get things done. Personally I found it had the opposite effect and just made me feel guilty.
I tried a while back numbering each item with a job number that included the date, but that only lasted about two days, LOL! Was worth a go I suppose - I never know what's going to work for me until I try it!
I also had the idea (not original - I picked it up from a suggestion here I think) of aiming to get different priority tasks done within a certain time-frame, so that 'important not urgent' things didn't keep getting deferred. Seemed like a good idea at the time, but it seems to have fallen by the wayside.
What I've taken to doing now, which is very simple, and gives me a sense of how long the job has been waiting, is to write the date I put the task onto the Task List next to the item. I don't understand why I don't find that demotivating too, but I don't.
It's definitely worth considering what happens to these roll-overs etc - even if it ~is~ to make a decision to ditch them!
I like this idea
Mostly because I keep an avoidance list of tasks I can't seem to face.
The bottles were on that list. They tend to pile up. Everyday I try to do something from that list.
This would let me know if something should go on that list. I would most likely use a range of time (rolled over for a week or so) rather than counting because when I put a number on something my OCD makes me think I have to do it in that order. crazy right- God's not finished with me yet.
I'm not organized enough to count, but...
...I do think it's a good idea to keep a separate list somewhere for things you want to do eventually, but not today. It makes me feel bad to see things on my rollover list that I know for sure I will not do today.
I have that with my email backlog, for example. I've been putting it on the rollover list because I don't want to forget it, but there are other things I want to finish before I start that. Maybe I'll put it on my October Big List. I didn't do one for September.
Could not agree more
I've made lists, remade lists, transferred lists, made important lists, lists in different colours, lists on computer, lists on the wall. For myself, what I need(ed) is(was) to be honest and if I did not intend doing a job then not listing it as something I was going to do. That said, there are many things that I have been putting off for years and I need to relist these and decide if I ever, actually intend doing anything about them.
Some things I have decided not to do and that is fair enough. I've written most a book on travel and decided that it is not something I wish to see published. It would still be good if I completed it, or does it really matter?
An example, in 1988 I bought a camping stove and it did not work and it still does not work.
Anyway I'll make the list and post it.
I now remember that the record, if that is the right word, is an account of a trip abroad that I did write up a little and then lost. It dates from 1962 and that is not a mistake.
Regards Rexroth