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 February 17, 2011

Happy Thursday, Everybody!

Have a great proactive day!

Peace

Smile Smile Smile Smile

Late check in

I didn't make it here this morning before class. Work kept me too busy, AND I was trying to sneak in reading the 2 articles I forgot to read last night. I don't think it really counts as having procrastination as I REALLY forgot them altogether until this morning. That is very weird for me. My studies are one of the few things I DO stay on top of. I think it exemplifies my expressed need to take a break from classes for awhile.

No harm done, I was able to read one and skim the other and to make intelligent comments after they'd been presented in class, and that's the main thing.

Did not do physio again last night :-( But did print some research for reading later. Did walk home last night. Did not walk to work this morning, but have been getting up in time to walk almost every day this week. Hopefully next week I'll actually DO the walking :-)

Today:
- yoga after work
- physio before bed

fudoshin : day 31: 11:17am

Please do not leave advice.  Thank you.  Prayers welcome. 

                                                                                                                  

 

This is the 31st day that I have followed through with the following:

I'm making a pledge to quit using the dating site(s) and Facebook for
90 days.  I had written this on my 43things account, but I wrote that I
wanted to avoid dating sites for a full six months, so I think 90 days
is reasonable for a dating site.  I also have a penchant for looking at
and stalking certain people repeatedly on the dating website and online,
which has prevented me from sanity.  Just all out stalking certain
people has been all out crazy; if I'm not stalking one person, it's
another person.   During times I've tried to quit the dating site before, I
have visited people's dating profiles, even while not registered on the
dating site.  So part of my whole thing with quitting dating sites is
also quitting stalking people's profiles that I've tried to date in the
past.  If I accidentally load a dating site, b/c I accidentally clicked
on something obviously that doesn't count.  You can hardly hang a cat on
the Internet without hitting a dating site ad.  Intention is
everything. 

In other words:

  • 90 days away from dating sites and facebook
  • 90 days of not stalking people's profiles of people I've tried to date in the past
  • 90 days of not stalking people online that I've tried to date in the past. (I am now back on day 13 for this).
  • Not using IM, aside from employment or twelve-step.  (I'm on day 3
    of this.)  This includes not stalking people on AIM or other chat
    networks, whom I've tried to date in the past.  I thoroughly embarrassed
    myself on IM before in ways I never would over the phone.
  • 56 days of exercise: I'm on day 12 for this.  All I need to do is
    exercise for 30 minutes a day: walking, swimming, hiking, biking,
    running, jogging, karate, yoga, a dance class.  Anything of those for at
    least 30 minutes.  And nothing else.  I can do the running plan, but I
    assure myself that each day that I show up to run, I will be okay, if
    all I do is ultimately choose to walk.  Whatever I feel comfortable with
    when I do. That way I don't intimidate myself.


READING   The Enemy

READING

 

The Enemy Is Fear

When
we are afraid, we tend to shut ourselves down. We don't reach out to
others, we don't feel our real feelings, we don't communicate our real feelings, and the resulting
isolation is painful. We may be stuck and we don't even know that we're stuck due to fear or anxiety. We're so programmed to run from the fear by doing other mental or activity diversions.

Then what
do we do? Compulsive procrastinators often attempt to fight fear with procrastination.
We ignore or run from our anxieties and hope that if we bury them deep enough
they will disappear forever. Unfortunately, c
ompulsive procrastinating does not make
fear or pain go away. What does diminish is self-esteem. And the further
we withdraw and isolate ourselves and avoid our fear, the more our fears increase.

There
is a way out of this vicious circle, the way of abstinence, discipline that works for us, finding ways of conquering and confronting fear that works for us and
unconditional love. Each of us is different and we need to address our own fears, anxieties and issues. One similarity is that we each have an additional tool that when we turn our will and our lives over to the care
of a Higher Power, believing that we are given just what we need each
day, our higher self shows us how to fight fear with the weapon of love.

Everybody
wins. Using this one tool it will help us be convinced that the universe loves us, we can take the risk of
reflecting that love to those around us. Unconditionally, we can accept
and love ourselves exactly as we are right now and accept and love life
as it presents itself each moment. When we're filled with love, we're
not afraid and we don't need to compulsively procrastinate.

Show me how to be filled with the love that conquers fear.

Adapted From Food for Thought: Daily Meditations

BASICS TODAY:

 

 

 

tracy-la

I relate to this . . .

I can remember many times when I have done this, i.e. put off doing taxes because I was afraid I owed money.

I think there is another angle to fear and procrastination as well, because I know people will sometimes put off doing things even when that idea excites them (i.e. applying for a new job) because of the duality of excitement, which often seems to contain an element of fear. I think it may be a fear of failure or disappointment? Like, will it end up being "golden" or "dross metal"?

Jeff-11:24 Central time February 17

I'm having a difficult time being productive this morning.  ADD-thoughts are all over the place.I did attend a morning meeting, I've done some reading on this web site, and a small glance through on my priority list

I'm starting to feel irritable and frustratedand.

I'd like to learn how to post my daily action plan on this forum. and be able to update it  by coming back to it as tasks are done. Could anyone please tell me how to re-access my postings and how to draw a line through accomplished tasks?

Next step is to set a timer and prioritize my list-play guitar for a couple minutes reward and then set the alarm again and do a task.

Jeff

Thank you,

Ian!

Jeff

@Jeff

  • Click "add new comment" on the day's check-in thread to create a post with your task list.
  • Once you've posted it, at the very bottom of your comment you should see "edit" and "reply" links -- click edit to reopen your comment, add new material, apply strikethrough, etc. (One catch: if someone replies to your task list, you won't be able to re-edit the list. I think most people here know not to do that, but sometimes it happens.)
  • to apply strikethrough, look for the "ABC"button on the toolbar
  • I've noticed that strikethrough doesn't "take" when I'm using Chrome browser. (I now access this site in Firefox.)

 

Scribbler's Thursday CI 9:52 a.m.

I didn't do well yesterday.  Got distracted, grew reluctant to tackle a sizable project, and then basically cratered after about 6 p.m. Trying to do better today....
Prep:
  • Get up at 6 *slept until 8 due to tossing and turning until about 2 a.m.)
  • Make bed
  • Exercise (skipping this due to late start, may make it up later)
  • Coffee, paper
  • Healthy breakfast
  • Sweeps (skipping)
  • Check-ins

Morning

  • Update Quicken
  • Send query
  • Music marketing
  • Do cruise interview
  • Email re: support mod
  • Complete homelow

Afternoon

  • Send homelow FC
  • Healthy lunch 
  • File homelow
  • Draft discriminate
  • Grocery shopping
  • P/u B at 2:45 p.m.
  • Do 1 BN
Evening
  • P/u C at 5
  • Soccer
  • Healthy dinner
  • Oil car
  • Fun w/Kids
  • D/O kids at 8
  • Read, relax
  • Bed by 10:30

hope4meandu day 18

Hi All!! Thanks lennon!!!

Not doing well, praying for my paranoia and my drama queen defects to be removed.

Didn't work out yesterday (my only consistent action) because there is no $, netflix froze the account, so I couldn't get my workout videos on my computer. Feel out of control.

IAN, I so relate!!! Hopes this helps with the glasses:

♥"Careful the wish we make, wishes are children. Careful the path they take, wishes come true..." From "Children Will Listen," by Stephen Sondheim.♥

@hope4meandu :)

thanks. It's one of those self-care-comes-last things — I've had the same lenses for several years, they really needed to be replaced 6 months ago but I just go through day after day without taking steps. Part of it is I'm not making enough money (consequence of this disease) and I don't feel like I deserve anything. But this is really not an optional expense.

 

(((IAN)))

Maybe I shouldn't have posted the picture. I so totally relate, especially to the tone and frustration with oneself. Self-care, hmmmmm, I have about 5 dr.s appts. that I haven't done and have put off for years, so REALLY, I know exactly what you mean, and I was trying to be a lightener of sorts, if that makes any sense?

♥"Careful the wish we make, wishes are children. Careful the path they take, wishes come true..." From "Children Will Listen," by Stephen Sondheim.♥

kromer 10:25 CI

Kind of late, which is not good. (I did have exercise and prayer time this morning, so it's not a disaster, but this is awfully late to be getting started.)

As per usual, I'm feeling really behind and overwhelme. Here's everything I'd like to get done today. MITs in bold

For today I need to:
*Go through stuff on school computer, figure out if I need to recover hard drive
*deacon stuff (song, phone call, lists, email about missing Sat.)
*Place orders (h202, maybe more RA, PK, mice, timer, replacement PCR supplies)
*Check on expts, start calendar
*Write up story revision plan

*Organize bench, lab nb, and desk  (inc. washing bnech)
*figure how much of speech I can read in 2-4 min, note down phrasing ideas, practice speech
*Send out proposal+ Qs

*Plan IHC

2.17 Ian's list

TO-DO LIST

 

FIRST THINGS FIRST - RECOVERY

Toolkit: I want to make habitual use of these. Whether or not I actually use a given tool on a particular day isn't the point — it's whether I'm choosing to pick them up, regularly and often, and use the right tool at the right time. 

  • morning prayer (AA Big Book, pp. 86-87)
  • resentment prayer (AA Big Book, pp. 66-67)
  • daily renewal - http://bit.ly/gIXrq3
  • buddhist prayer of st. francis
  • call 1
  • call 2
  • call 3
  • exercise
  • journaling
  • meditation
  • meeting
  • reading: griffin, love as HP
  • 10th step inventory
  • 10th-step prayer
  • as-needed inventory
  • as-needed prayer, "we pause when agitated or doubtful" (AA pp 87-88)
  • as-needed gratitude lists

 

WORK

  • client #2: new case study - review task, estimate time to delivery
  • client #2: new case study - email renegotiating deadline - 15 minutes
  • client #2: new case study - writing - 4 hours
  • client #1: email to blogger - 30 minutes
  • client #1: daily report (5 days of catch-up) - 2 hours

 

PERSONAL / ERRANDS

  • order the damn eyeglasses

 

Vic 2/16 + 2/17/ 11

 Show up (DONE). Showed up yesterday but had to leave. Just lost everything I wrote today except the picture, thank goodness, guess it was a reminder to be humble and grateful. check in later trying to find which tools to use today.

pm- my tool today was remebering the tool of spiritual timing: divine time is beyond our comprehension. By using rest, availability, receptivity, emergence, and recognition, we cooperate with spiritual timing.

and literature BB p 30-31 (adapted to pa)

We are like men who have lost their legs; they never grow new ones. Neither does there appear to be any kind of treatment which will make avoiders/procrastinators of our kind like other men. We have tried every imaginable remedy. In some instances there has been brief recovery, followed always by a still worse relapse. Despite all we can say, many who are real avoiders/procrastinators  are not going to believe they are in that class. By every form of self-deception and experimentation, they will try to prove themselves exceptions to the rule. If anyone who is showing inability to control his procrastination can do the right-about-face , our hats are off to him. Heaven knows, we have tried hard enough and long enough to function  like other people!

 

re: dont have legs

vic, i like that analogy of not having legs. That is what it's like for me. It explains that when you try to live without legs, it's still hard, but much more successful than trying to walk, eg.

----------
the touch of the master's hand: http://procrastinators-anonymous.org/node/1898#comment-27748

"fall down seven times, get up eight" - japanese proverb

katia 2/17

Feeling more confidant than I thought :) Wish me luck!

Things to do
-Vitamins & #1 #2 #3 #4
-Pill #1 #2 #3
-#1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9
-Math midterm!
-Read essays/writing seminar
-Go to store

Not sure what else, as I need to get this test over with and BREATHE!

Thanks (vic) and (hope)

It wasn't nearly as bad as the first one, which is good. I probably wouldn't normally say I did well, but I just want to get through this class alive lol. I don't normally get nervous about tests- I like taking them if that makes sense- but this course is alot trickier than I thought. It's really easy to get rusty!

Anyway, nothing too much going on per se, so I can get some auxilery things done. And spend some time with my son :)

Things to do
-Vitamins & #1 #2 #3 #4
-Pill #1 #2 #3
-#1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9
-Math midterm!
-Read essays/writing seminar
-Go to store
-Empty garbage
-Upload photos
-Start baptismal invite
-Email R
-Email M

(katia11)

GOOD LUCK!! tAKE YOUR TIME, STAY IN THE NOW, AND YES BREATH.

Yes, Good Luck...Woo Hoo!!

♥"Careful the wish we make, wishes are children. Careful the path they take, wishes come true..." From "Children Will Listen," by Stephen Sondheim.♥

Journey 8 am

Happy Thursday!  Still trying out the new schedule.  I was here at 7:15 this morning and I'll go to the gym this afternoon.   I want to be here at 7:00 but 7:15 is good enough.  I'm the only one here anyway, so who's to know lol? 

Yesterday was an ok day for a work at home day.  As usual, I work better when I'm in the office, but  I did ok.  

I caught two mice in the humane trap yesterday!   I was about to give up on the humane traps and start putting out poison or sticky traps but I hate to do that unless it's necessary.  The humane traps have been out for weeks with no luck and suddenly today we had three mice in them!  One got away, but we trapped two of them and today they will go to live at the lake/park a few miles from my house.   I hope now that the trap smells like mice it will attract the rest of them and I won't have to kill them.    I have a cat, but he's getting a little older and slower so I guess he's not keeping the mice away like he used to :)

Anyway, I'm rambling.  I have zero meetings on my calendar today, and that's always a good day.   I'm off to make my todo list now.   I know the first thing I want to do is unzip the files that I uploaded yesterday for my new project.  

See you later!  Have a productive and enjoyable day everyone!

Jo

We won't be afraid of being sweet to ourselves.  - Her Space Holiday

re findingaway

re findingaway praying for u for both things.

----------
the touch of the master's hand: http://procrastinators-anonymous.org/node/1898#comment-27748

"fall down seven times, get up eight" - japanese proverb

more prayers for finding a way

We won't be afraid of being sweet to ourselves.  - Her Space Holiday

AND MORE!!

(((((findingaway)))))

♥"Careful the wish we make, wishes are children. Careful the path they take, wishes come true..." From "Children Will Listen," by Stephen Sondheim.♥

(clement, journey and hope4meandu) Thank you, thank you!

11.35 pm Sunday

Thank you so much for your prayers, it means a lot to me. This is the first time I have been able to post since Thursday night so sorry my thanks are so late.

Have been away, helping my son move into the university accommodation, visiting my mother and catching up with my other son. Trying to come to terms with the knee thing - makes it hard to do things which doesn't seem like great timing now I am living on my own. Grateful for the kindness /support of family and friends. And this website!

Findingaway check in

9 pm Thursday

Thanks for the starter, lennon.

Falling into some bad patterns; not quite a relapse. Things have been difficult, but I have let myself down too. I am travelling a lot to go to counselling with my husband who is not living with me now. Also yesterday a long-term knee problem got much worse and I am still struggling with that (any prayers appreciated!). And my nineteen year old son goes away to university in the city on the weekend! I will really miss him, he has been great to have around.

Yesterday did not post as I was out nearly all day but did get some field work done.

Tuesday was where I really stuffed up as I planned to apply for a part-time job (as well as continuing to be self-employed) and the application is due tomorrow. I have done almost nothing towards this (except ring up and talk to someone about the position). Tomorrow is all committed to working at my main client's office. Still don't know whether to stay up very late to get it done (I was trying to stop doing that) and feel awful tomorrow, to forget the whole thing, or to do it Sunday for Monday, and hope they accept a late application. This is where my procrastination really bites.

Thanks everyone for being here, it helps reading about how you are all doing.

mediabat 12.33 AM

  • Wake up at 7 AM

 

My Day Today

I want to thank my Higher Power for this program, this website, the telephone and online meetings, and my life.

Things I will do today

1. Go to the 7 a.m. telephone DA meeting

2. Take shower

3. Get dressed

4. Go to the therapy group at 9

5. Go to Individual therapy at 10:15

6. Eat brunch

7. Go to the Internship at 1 p.m.

8. Eat dinner

9. Send Al-Anon literature out for today

10. Make bed

11. Wash dishes

12. Do my journal for my leadership class

13. Go to the 8 p.m. face to face NA meeting

14. Write my list for tomorrow on the forum

15. Get the clothes and food ready for tomorrow.

Thanks for letting me share