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.

Monday, March 21, 2011

/files/images/springflowers.gif has sprung!

/files/images/snoopy_happy_dance.gif   Time WE sprang into action...

Check in for Tuesday

Was much more productive today although I need to sepnd far less time on the Internet, checking my email and visiting social media sites.

Finished query letter that I started one month ago! Yikes. :O

Applied for 4 jobs today. There are only 4 outstanding jobs on my "to do" list.

Plan for Tuesday

email checking -8:45 am, 1:00 & 5:00 pm 

8;00 - get up, have shower, get dressed, style hair, put make-up on, eat breakfast

9:00 to 12:00 - Look for organizations that hire freelancers, trigger points

12:00 to 1:00 - Lunch

1:00 to 2:00 - Invoice client (should have done on the weekend). book networking events for Friday, send LinkedIn info to ME, email Shelley & Adel

2:00 - 4:30 - email queries

4:30 - 5 - read seminar handouts 

5:00 - 5:30 - dinner

5:30 - 7:00 - go downtown, buy book, walk for 45 minutes, go to seminar

7:00 to 10:00 - seminar and networking

11:00 - arrive home and do daily check-in

3/21

Work 8AM-5PM: 

-Figure out fix for low c (test low r, test high r, test add c)

After Work 5PM-Sleep:

-Document stuff for insurance

-find all tax documents

-choose cpa or ea

-get oil change

-remove discon items

-order postcard thank you cards

-finish spreadsheet of c products 

-clean out garage 

-caulk hole and windows 

-go through all docs and make sure new os recorded in spreadsheet 

-call dr 

-prepare weedwacker for warranty*** 

Findingaway check in

9.10 am Tuesday

Thanks for the thread 11th hour.

Day

  1. phone L
  2. phone re C
  3. E project - 1 hour minimum
  4. phone JD
  5. finish desktop
  6. insurance quotes for J
  7. visit L and post docs
  8. pick up bike
  9. phone NP
  10. E project - another hour - part done
  11. book seminar
  12. other jobs on list if time

Evening

  • swimming or bike ride
  • phone EC left message
  • phone M re lunch
  • washing
  • phone J or L
  • plan for Wednesday - part done
  • other jobs on list if time and energy

forgot to add . . .

That I started my diet today . . . one day at a time . . . :-)

It's what I call the "pizza and doughnuts diet". No calorie counting, no giving up favourite foods (although I do try to eat a little more healthily in general!). It's cutting proportions down to size. So, if you want a doughnut, you have one - BUT you only eat half of it. Ditto for, say pizza. If you usually have two slices, you eat one. This applies to all foods except fruits and veggies and, maybe, yoghurt if you use the individual servings.

Vic 3/21/11

 Show up (done), basics, plan

Woke up to snow, taxes done, not perfect but done,thank you hp.Looked at calender, thought my classes were wednes and thurs, but they are tues and wendnes- thank goodness I checked.

Journey 11 am

Got to the gym at 6:37 this morning, that's a 4 minute improvement over Friday. I was 10 minutes late to work. Still working on this! I'm shooting for leaving my house at 6:15 in the am, that will put me at the gym at 6:30.
Once I can make 6:30 I'll start working on 6:15 :)

This is going to be a busy week. I've been working this morning but it's already 11:00 and I don't seem to have made much progress. I'm still working on my todo list, and I have caught up on email from the weekend. My lunch meeting has been cancelled, so that's a good thing. Maybe I can make some progress on my project today. I've been spending more time on planning and analyzing lately and less time on doing actual work. Planning is good, but I've gotta set some limits. I'm overthinking and overanalyzing.

So, off to finish my tdl and get some work done. Later!

Jo

Self-improvement is the name of the game, and your primary objective is to strengthen yourself, not to destroy an opponent. Maxwell Maltz

3.21 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 literature related to recovery and buddhist practice
  • 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: competitor analysis - 4 time blocks
  • client #2: analytics report - 3 time blocks
  • client #1: daily report - 1 time block
  • client #2: write re additional work, bill
  • send gp application

 

PERSONAL / ERRANDS

  • call re loan - 1 time block

 

For

For 3/21

Meals
-Breakfast
-Lunch

-Dinner

Personal

-Time Grid

-Prep for Day
-Morning Prayer
-Morning Email/News Check
-Afternoon Email/News Check
-Evening Email/News Check

-Daily Water


-Wash Dishes

-Take Out Trash

-Make Bed


-Clean Room

-Organize Stacks
-Evening Prayer

Work
-Weekly Payroll
-Daily Hours
-File Feburary Papers
-Article 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Academic
-Email Draft
-Statement Revision
-Call School
-Article Brainstorm

 

kromer 10:20 CI

Late night yesterday, working on my taxes. So I'm feeling a little scattered today.

I need to, at a minimum, make a schedule for the week, read j.c. paper and go to mtg, and do shopping/cooking for the week.

Right now, I'm going to make the schedule

Update 11:20--OK, I FINALLY have a schedule:
*Email eucomm, teacher; place orders
*Check on expts, work on data entry, setup
*histogel/sub/proc samples (will do this soon)
*Prep and give lent reflection
*spec samples
*Figure out what I need for frozen sections & do orders/sign up for microtome time
(working on this now)
*Read 1 paper

 

Kickin' off the week with the Scribbler 8:15 a.m.

I've been doing fairly well on overcoming procrastination lately, with
the help of peer pressure, encouragement, support and whatever else it
is about posting here that helps me to get off the dime and get things
done. This morning I feel uncertain about the value of it all. Despite
being pretty productive for some months, I'm still behind on bills,
deeper in debt, piling up uncompleted household projects and otherwise
just not achieving many of the gains I hoped for -- indeed, that I
assumed would naturally and inexorably flow -- once I got the
procrastination habit switched to a do-it-now habit. What's the deal? Am
I just being unreasonable about how hard it is to succeed at these
objectives? Am I not really overcoming procrastination, but just think I
am while I'm actually still avoiding doing tasks? What's the point? If I
can't enjoy the benefits of succeeding, why go to all this bother?

I don't have an answer to that. I'll think it over. Meanwhile, I'll just
go through the motions this morning and hope for the best:

Prep
  • Get up at 6
  • Make bed
  • Exercise
  • Coffee, paper
  • Healthy breakfast
  • Checkins
  • Sight reading practice

Morning

  • File GM piece
  • Send query
  • Music marketing -- call Lisa?
  • call 1 re: new11
  • Voice lesson

Afternoon

  • File pricehike
  • Draft new11
  • Send new11 FC
  • Revise BN post
  • Run

Evening

  • G charger
  • Healthy dinner
  • Read, relax
  • Bed by 10:30

Just for Today

Still struggling.  I’ve been away for a while, but need to keep coming back.

Working on troubleshooting flowcharts today.  Mildly interesting, not dreading it, but complicated parts feel overwhelming at times.  Goal:  S Loss and 2nd charts.

Also boring pointless weekly reports that suck up time; need to wait for all inputs to come in before doing those.  Done.  Useless follow-on status meeting later today.

I really, really need to stay away from surfing the web today, especially news sites.  Also I do not want to eat junk to “help” me continue facing my work.  I want to choose proactivity today, which means checking in on this site when I feel I need support, remembering to pray, and then getting back to it.  Proactivity also means making decisions and moving along, instead of getting stuck.  If I don't know what to do, I want to make a note and move on.  I want to work so well this morning that I feel permission to take a lunch break at, say, 1:30ish.  Oh, and I want to be sociable.  That IS permitted and encouraged, for this recluse.  

God, please help me to stay on task, to have the inner fortitude to do this work today without empty props and escapism.  I need Your strength because mine is not enough.  Help me to do me useful to You and my fellows today.  Amen. 

"Why not get it done now?"  RexRoth

MY BASICS: checking in;

MY BASICS: checking in; support calls(1x); affirmations; gratitudes; reading; check calendar AM; check calendar PM; listen to positive recording for 20 minutes;  write down my 6 most important tasks; voicemail; exercise; manage A; manage D; use master list; use timer; track time on sheet and/or iPhone application

Affirmations (said aloud as well):

I choose to show up and start my top 6 tasks, 15 to 30 minutes at a time.

I set my mind to my top 6 tasks and I complete them -- in 15 to 30 minute periods.

  And remember . . . if I am feeling
resistance or "shame" or "screwed up" or procrastinated at something lately, it's
probably just the Dynamics of Human Change doing its checks &
balances . . . keep going!

 Merry Monday to all...welcome to the working week!!

 

tracy-la

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 have done

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

2. Went to the 8:30 a.m. telephone PA meeting

Things I will do today

1. Go to the 9:30 a.m. telephone PA check-in

2. Go to the 9:45 a.m. telephone CLA meeting

3. Go to the 10:30 a.m. telephone PA check-in

4. Test blood sugar twice

5. Prayer and meditation morning and evening

6. Take shower

7. Get dressed

8. Eat brunch

9. Eat dinner

10. Send out Al-Anon literature for today

11. Make bed

12. Wash dishes

13. Put some clothes away

14. Complete Chapter 10

15. Go to the religious meeting at 12:45

16. Clear up the tables near and on the computer

17. Go to the 3:30 p.m. telephone PA check-in

18. Go to the 4:30 p.m. telephone PA check-in

19. Share on the DA e-mail

20. Go to work at 5:30 p.m.

Thanks for letting me share

 

Kickin' off the week with the Scribbler 8:15 a.m.

I've been doing fairly well on overcoming procrastination lately, with the help of peer pressure, encouragement, support and whatever else it is about posting here that helps me to get off the dime and get things done. This morning I feel uncertain about the value of it all. Despite being pretty productive for some months, I'm still behind on bills, deeper in debt, piling up uncompleted household projects and otherwise just not achieving many of the gains I hoped for -- indeed, that I assumed would naturally and inexorably flow -- once I got the procrastination habit switched to a do-it-now habit. What's the deal? Am I just being unreasonable about how hard it is to succeed at these objectives? Am I not really overcoming procrastination, but just think I am while I'm actually still avoiding doing tasks? What's the point? If I can't enjoy the benefits of succeeding, why go to all this bother?

I don't have an answer to that. I'll think it over. Meanwhile, I'll just go through the motions this morning and hope for the best:

Prep

  • Get up at 6
  • Make bed
  • Exercise
  • Coffee, paper
  • Healthy breakfast
  • Checkins
  • Sight reading practice

Morning

  • File GM piece
  • Send query
  • Music marketing -- call Lisa?
  • call 1 re: new11
  • Voice lesson

Afternoon

  • File pricehike
  • Draft new11
  • Send new11 FC
  • Revise BN post
  • Run

Evening

  • G charger
  • Healthy dinner
  • Read, relax
  • Bed by 10:30

the never-ending list . . .

I hear you! Even when you feel like you're making progress and getting a handle on things, the list never seems to shorten. You knock something off and immediately add two more!

I think it is, perhaps, an "expectations" issue and a need to set limits on what you're willing to do. What is really important to you? If it's not important, does it really belong on the to do list?

And some things (i.e. getting clear of debt) can take a very, very long time, but are worth plugging away at. I know! 5 years ago I was $10,000 in credit card debt and having them turned over to collection agencies. Today, I have less than $500 worth of debt! But that has been a long road and meant giving up many things to make sure I made my regular payments. The cards turned over to collection agencies didn't charge me interest either, which is of significant help actually. Not that you want the bad credit rating that accompanies collection!!!

If you are still paying interest, see if you can get a debt consolidation loan at the bank which would be at a lower interest rate than credit cards charge. Of course, your debt may be in other areas (i.e. student loans) or something . . .

Thanks, gemini. That helps.

Thanks, gemini. That helps. Getting out of this hole is going to take some time, and progress is going to be uneven. Meanwhile, I'll just try to keep putting one foot in front of the other. (Actually, it's not quite that bad. I enjoy the feeling of having a sense of purpose, the pleasure of a job well done, and the minor thrill of checking off a completed task. So even if it's not getting me anywhere fast, this is not quite such a death march as I sometimes make it out to be. On to it...)

Thanks again. It's good to know somebody's out there listening (assuming you're not just a computer running some kind of psychotherapy chat bot program.)

Not a computer!

:-) I'm a real live person!

psychotherapy chat bot!

Now that would be a great idea.

Jo

Self-improvement is the name of the game, and your primary objective is to strengthen yourself, not to destroy an opponent. Maxwell Maltz

Starting off a new week

Each day is a new beginning, but Mondays always seem like the time to make a fresh start . . .

It was a beautiful weekend here and Dave and I got out walking a lot. I was all set and ready to walk this morning, but the weather did not cooperate. It was just raining then, but now, it's a blizzard!

Today's list:
- research for assignment at lunch
- swimming after work (and walking to/from) unless the weather remains crappy - in which case I will go tomorrow
- physio

FNS Checkin & whine

 

Bah! I don't want to do anything at all. I want to avoid the lot. It is Monday morning and I should job hunt and do some paperwork but I don't want to. Tomorrow is good enough for it. Yeah Right. 

I know tomorrow never comes yet I still do this to myself. I had a lovely day yesterday with a friend. Last night my head exploded in fury about something that happened lng ago. I handled the emotions by talking to strangers and eating a box of chocs. I am calmer today but floppy, demotivated and whiny. 

Stuff I should do but don't want to do

Job hunt ( 1 CV out)

Paperwork mountain(Pay bill) Yay 

Finance - Visit bank tomorrow 

Pick up P  

Tax (Find paperwork)

Send back notebook 

 

Stuff I dont like but wouldn't mind doing 

Read money book (20 mins) 

Decorating

 Washing up

Tidy living room

Morning routine 


Call D 

Stuff I would like to do 

Yoga class

Email M

Call J  

Drawing

Actionscript 

 Tomorrow

Meeting 12 - 3pm

Visit bank

File tax 

 

 

fudoshin: day 63: 1:33am

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

                                                                                                                          

This is the  63rd 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 26 for this).
  • No Internet chat, aside from employment or twelve-step.  This
    includes not stalking people on AIM or other chat networks, whom I've
    tried to date in the past.  I just want to take a step back and get
    sanity and focus on MYSELF. (I'm on day 1 
    of this.)
  • 56 days of exercise:  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.

 

 

 

11th_hour CI at 2:13 AM

I stayed up TOO late Sunday night, overslept, and was late for work!  I must start going to sleep by 11pm.  At work, I did not accomplish my main objective (or even attempt it).  Tomorrow is another day...  Try again!


Good morning everyone!  It's very late and I need to wake up early tomorrow...

WILL DO List

_ Spring out of bed at 7:00  (8:22 am, less than 6 hrs sleep...)
* Make the bed
* Eat breakfast
* Take multivitamin and fish oil tabs
* Take out trash
Be very productive at work, focusing on my PROJECT
   
I worked on anything BUT project (was on my mind all day)
* Eat lunch
   Went to bank, cashed rebate check
* Eat healthy dinner
   Talked to J
* Drink lots of water
  Watched only 1 episode on Hulu
* Read from "The WORD among us"

"Lord, your love for me is strong!  Give me a humble and contrite heart.  Help me lay my sins at your feet so that I can know true freedom."