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.

Friday, 20th October, 2006

todayfirst 3:05 PM

I still have some cleanup to do, but basically I got my one report working. I guess half *ssed is better than not at all.

Things I chose to do so far today
- Got to work and ate breakfast
- Checked email
- Program - compile comprehensive todo list from scattered notes
- Meeting #1
- Meeting #2
- Program - Get one report working with new database

Things I would still like to do
- Program - fix error handling on printer (how??)
- more?

pro's CI - 2:10pm

Read for another two hours. Still feeling very tired. I just checked my email, and thank goodness there was nothing more from the person who wants me to do work for him. He must not have received approval for the work yet. That suits me just fine because I don't want to work today - I just want to rest.

pro's CI - 12 noon

I'm continuing to move very slowly. While eating breakfast I started reading one of the books I recently bought, and that's what I've been doing for the last hour or two. Eventually I'll move on, though oddly I feel like taking a nap again - and I just slept for 9.5 hours.

During the time I was sick and for a week afterwards, I had trouble sleeping because of coughing and congestion. Now I can't seem to wake up!

Time to heal

pro it sounds like you just need time to heal. Maybe it isn't procrastination but the need for rest. Anyway you will know better than I. Take it easy - that's advice from 12x12 I think.

Regards Rexroth

slider's 10:15 am CI

Well, I'm being lazy. Made sure DD was up, then went back to bed. Now I'm drinking coffee, letting the little monster (kitten) play, and cuop. According to the official schedule I devised for myself months ago, I am supposed to be next door at the church, or at least working on church stuff. I am an hour and fifteen minutes late for that. But it's something I can get away with until I overlook something crucial. That's part of why I do what I do--I can get away with it. On the other hand, last night I went over to a member's shop to cut meat for our beef stew fund-raiser on Sunday, and tomorrow morning I'll go back over there to help cut the potatoes. I think some of my goofing off is some dear part of me looking out for me and making sure I get at least a little time off! I keep forgetting that my work comes in batches, so I don't even give myself credit for the massive work times, I just feel worried about the slack times. If it's my Inner Brat who is watchng out for me, I don't think that's so bratty. Not when my major personality feature is my Inner Martinet/Martyr running my life! I like the Brat better!

To Do:
--shower, get dressed, put on makeup
--get to nursing home at 11:30 or else blow that off and get there by 1:00 (won't really matter--and I might do that communion call I've been putting off first)
--follow nursing home routine
--pick up DD after school
--pick up where I left off with my three goals for Following the Rules AND work on Do Pass Go (rewards) at the same time!
--work on house in 15 minute sessions with DD and DH if he gets home (DS has a football game: band)
--talk to rest of family about serious house-cleaning/clearing (storage unit trips) for Saturday afternoon and Sunday evening
--make SURE DS cleans up kitten crate and washes blanket!!!!!

Forgot a Task

But I just did it--called the church secretary about the number of stew tickets sold. Used the intercom. She didn't see me in my sweats and bare feet! And now I am free to take my shower and get dressed without getting caught while I am in the middle of it. Maybe I will do the communion visit this morning!

Dang--got sidetracked!

Here it is nearly 12:30 and I have neither gone to the nursing home nor set a visit. Why? Because in the shower I decided to pumice my feet, and then I did a super job with my makeup, and then I took awhile picking my clothes, and then I turned on the iron, and then I folded laundry from yesterday--and better move the load in the washer to the dryer, and so on. Not to mention that after I ironed the shirt, I didn't like it and picked something else! So now I have just barely enough time to pick up a salad while flying to the nursing home to be there by 1 pm. What a silly goose I am! If it's not procrastination, then it's ADD tripping me up!

ps...

My Friday morning was as you described - once I got tired of it and grabbed the timer the day improved immensely!!!!

Timer, timer, timer!!!!!!!!!!!

Use your timer, slider!!!!!! :)

Rexroth 16.10 BST

Up half the night and ill again so Dr next week

Finally up at 06.45am
prayer and reflection
get ready to go out
dentist
some shopping on way back
bed
wash and tidy up
phone antique dealer for appointment
deal with post
sort emails

now

work on master list
continue tidying up
some work on craft hobby admin
journal
prayer and reflection
bed

That's it for now

Regards Rexroth

Rexroth 22.52 BST

Done not done well not done perfectly but done.

Now it's bedtime and I don't want to go to bed.

Good night Rexroth

Sending you healing energy

I send green light to you (it's a chakra thing) for your healing. Your soul can make use of it if it wants to. Hope you DO feel better soon! If not, please do see a doctor. Fainting and feeling generally crappy do not sound too good!

Thanks for green light

Slider, thanks for green light and kind thoughts. My soul is thirsty. Take care for now. Rexroth

pro's first check-in - 9:45am

I just got up. I fell asleep on the couch last night, fully dressed, and slept solidly for more than 9.5 hours. I guess I'm still catching up on sleep from when I couldn't sleep when I was sick.

I'm getting a late start, but I don't mind since I must have really needed the sleep.

Need coffee now!

It can take awhile

to get better after a sickness. I hope you feel peppier fast!

iamworkingharder-CI 15:12

So finished step17.

Funny how suddenly things just seem to go smoothly.
Now heading for step18. Same approach as step17:
- get one bit under control ( 1 hour?)
- modify the same bit slightly for the 53 other pages ( 4 hours at 5 minutes/file).

This week has gone so fassssstttt. Already friday.... :sad:
I just want my backlogs dealt with.

******* DONE **********
- step15 - second half
- step16
- step17

***** TO DO ***********
- step18

hard time getting started?

Maybe you just have difficulty getting started. I know that's my problem. Once I start a project, I can keep going with no problem. It's starting something new that's hard for me.

I also have problems with transitions - switching from one thing to another - probably for the same reason.

Hi Pro : hard time getting started?

Hi Pro,

How are you doing ? I read you were going for a nice :smile: evening :smile: :smile: . Was it a party? :wink:

> you just have difficulty getting started..
> switching from one thing to another

This is interesting : what makes you think so?
Is it sooooo obvious ?
:lol: :lol: :lol:

just what's true of me

I thought if it were true of me, it might be true of you, that's all.

Party? No. Nice in a different way. :)

todayfirst 8:15 AM

I am soooo happy because it's Friday and because I'm happy (recursive happiness) :P Kitchen leak #2 is fixed (I think). Leak #1 is still leaky... I'll have to look into that this weekend. Dumpster is on its way so it should be a busy weekend. Funny but I have little trouble motivating myself to work on the house but I do have trouble motivating myself to work at work. Demand resistance or wrong career?

Things I chose to do so far today
- Got to work and ate breakfast
- Checked email

Things I would still like to do
- Program - compile comprehensive todo list from scattered notes
- Program - fix error handling on printer (how??)
- Meeting #1
- Meeting #2
- Program - Get one report working with new database
- more?

demand resistance or wrong career?

You say wrong career, but would your motivation not decrease if you
were daily fixing up houses? I mean if it was your day job to make a living, would this hobby lose its shine? :puzzled:

How long have you been in your actual career?

I AM WORKING HARDER

career

That's what I wonder. If I fixed up houses every day, would it be as demotivating as my career or would I continue to want to do it.
I've been in my current career for 10+ years but it's been a struggle to motivate myself a good percentage of the time since the first year. Actually, I hated the first programming job so much I quit and was going to do something different. Various circumstances brought me back to programming. It's not always so hard and I think it's actually gotten easier since that first job. Just its always a significant percentage of the time that I literally have to FORCE myself to do the work.

Partly, I think it's because I'm an active, physical person in a non-physical career. For example, I walk to the train station every day and take the train to work. I almost never get tired of the walking but I do get very bored with the train ride.

A Crucial Discernment

Demand Resistance never goes away and you have to find techniques for dealing with it and for building up your sense of self so that it doesn't feel so anhilating. But the wrong career--that's fixable for good. It's just also a really, really big step. Best wishes to you as you wrestle with this. I'm going through much of the same thing.

iamworkingharder-CI 13:35

So finished step16.

Now I am going for step17. :cool:
This one is easier(?) if I get the first bit right. :jawdrop:
After that, I just need to copy this first bit slightly :shocked: modified in 27 files. Should take me 3 hours: 1 hour for the first bit, then 2 hours by sticking to 5 minutes maximum/file.

******** DONE *****************
-step15 - second half
-step16

********* TO DO **************
-step17

Milo 7:30pm

Hee hee - DH and I are both on our exercise kicks at the moment - tonight we had to toss for who gets to go out first! He's in the shed doing weights now because I won :).

Have achieved:
- kids up, dressed, breaky
- me up and for some reason did my hair (I told you I'm vague this morning!!!!)
- checked emails
- checked calendar
- brief CUOP
- part of morning routine (make bed, shower, dress, makeup, breaky, load of washing on)
- prepare lunch to take for the kids
- went to a kindy and stayed for playgroup
- came home and put DS to bed
- am now eating lunch
- tidied up the family room and kitchen
- did dishes
- started to vacuum ants up (DD is now doing the dead ones that I sprayed)
- DS started dusting for me (well, he did the TV then lost interest - better than nothing, I suppose!)
- sat and looked at the photos as they downloaded
- finished the vacuuming
- finished morning routine (swish'n'swipe, decide on dinner)
- did some letters for DH
- continued daytime routine (reboot laundry, prepared dinner, prepared bathroom)
- thoroughly scrubbed the dining table and DS's seat
- dusted family room, entrance, lounge and dining
- prepared dinner for the kids
- kids bath, book, bed
- went for a run (it wasn't as fun as usual - it's very cold outside and although I haven't had an asthma symptom whilst running for a couple of weeks now, tonight my throat closed up immediately. I blame the cold air. So I ran for about 15 mins instead of 20+)

Next I want to:
- prepare dinner for DH and I (something very small and simple!)
- spend 15 minutes in zone (I am bloody doing it today - no excuses!)

Then:
- evening routine (shine sink, wash face, brush/floss, lay out clothes, check calendar)
- do client loose ends
- email some of the downloaded photos to a friend
- spend some time on my presentation (this is getting froggy!)

Ditched:
- taking the kids out again. They are playing really happily together now and it's 4pm now so a bit late. They went out once already today (and to a kindy so they played themselves to exhaustion!).
- dusting bedrooms (kids in bed now!)

asthma

I think it's pretty safe to blame it on the cold air. I used to always get asthma running in the cold... I found it gets better as I get acclimated to winter but YMMV. Good job getting out and running. I am hoping to start again... maybe after the end of this month. Knee feels like it is ALMOST ready but not quite (since surgery).

Cold air

Yeah, I immediately thought that was is.

When you get back into it - make sure you run on grass. After my DH had surgery on his knee, he can't cope with road running at all anymore. And his non-operated on knee is worse (he really needs a re-con but isn't playing sport so doesn't see the need).

iamworkingharder-CI 10:45

For some reasons things are going quicker??!!

file1-7 done and step15 finished.

Now the next one is step16.
I have 27 files. I am giving 10 minutes maximum/file.
That should take me 4.30 hours.

********** DONE **********************
- step15 - second half

********** TO DO **********************
- step16: 27 files.

Milo 4pm

Did better that hour or so :) (finally! it's only taken me all day to get my act together!)

Have achieved:
- kids up, dressed, breaky
- me up and for some reason did my hair (I told you I'm vague this morning!!!!)
- checked emails
- checked calendar
- brief CUOP
- part of morning routine (make bed, shower, dress, makeup, breaky, load of washing on)
- prepare lunch to take for the kids
- went to a kindy and stayed for playgroup
- came home and put DS to bed (doubt he'll sleep but he's in there at least. In fact I can hear his blinds banging - he's playing)
- am now eating lunch
- tidied up the family room and kitchen
- did dishes
- started to vacuum ants up (DD is now doing the dead ones that I sprayed)
- DS started dusting for me :) (well, he did the TV then lost interest - better than nothing, I suppose!)
- sat and looked at the photos as they downloaded - there were 200 of them so that took up a lot of time!
- finished the vacuuming
- finished morning routine (swish'n'swipe, decide on dinner)
- did some letters for DH (I love getting things done for him - as you'd all have experienced, his confidence in my ability to be reliable to do things for him is quite low and I'm working hard to build it back up again)

Next I want to:
- continue daytime routine (reboot laundry, prepare dinner, prepare bathroom)
- spend 15 minutes in zone (I am bloody doing it today - no excuses!)
- thoroughly scrub the dining table and DS's seat (that I sprayed with insect spray)
- prepare dinner for the kids

Then in the evening:
- kids bath, book, bed
- go for a run (I just added this this afternoon - I need it to wake my brain up and break this mood, I think)
- dinner for DH and I
- evening routine (shine sink, wash face, brush/floss, lay out clothes, check calendar)
- do client loose ends
- email some of the downloaded photos to a friend
- spend some time on my presentation (this is getting froggy!)

If I get time at some stage during the day but not urgent:
- dust whole house

Ditched:
- taking the kids out again. They are playing really happily together now and it's 4pm now so a bit late. They went out once already today (and to a kindy so they played themselves to exhaustion!).

hi

Hi Milo,

God you are so active. Really nice to see.

I AM WORKING HARDER

Hello!

Hi iw2wh - nice to hear you're making progress, too! :).

progress

Hi Milo,

Progress is indeed better than nothing. :smile: :smile:
Even slow progress. :smile: :smile: :smile:
Your kids seem full of energy ( they tired themselves to sleep)!!

I AM WORKING HARDER

Milo 2:40pm

I set the timer for 5 minutes (as that was all I thought i could cope with!) and after it went off continued another 5 minutes, looked around, and it was pretty much done! It wasn't as messy as I thought it was.

Have achieved:
- kids up, dressed, breaky
- me up and for some reason did my hair (I told you I'm vague this morning!!!!)
- checked emails
- checked calendar
- brief CUOP
- part of morning routine (make bed, shower, dress, makeup, breaky, load of washing on)
- prepare lunch to take for the kids
- went to a kindy and stayed for playgroup
- came home and put DS to bed (doubt he'll sleep but he's in there at least. In fact I can hear his blinds banging - he's playing)
- am now eating lunch
- tidied up the family room and kitchen
- did dishes
- started to vacuum ants up (DD is now doing the dead ones that I sprayed)
- DS started dusting for me :) (well, he did the TV then lost interest - better than nothing, I suppose!)
- sat and looked at the photos as they downloaded - there were 200 of them so that took up a lot of time!

Next I want to:
- finish the vacuuming
- finish morning routine (swish'n'swipe, decide on dinner)

Then:
- do some letters for DH
- daytime routine (reboot laundry, vacuum, prepare dinner, prepare bathroom)
- spend 15 minutes in zone (I am bloody doing it today - no excuses!)
- take the kids out if it's not raining (it's forecast)
- prepare dinner for the kids

Then in the evening:
- kids bath, book, bed
- dinner for DH and I
- evening routine (shine sink, wash face, brush/floss, lay out clothes, check calendar)
- do client loose ends
- email some of the downloaded photos to a friend
- spend some time on my presentation (this is getting froggy!)

If I get time at some stage during the day but not urgent:
- dust whole house

Milo 1:30pm

I have had the slackest day so far that I have had in ages. And noone here to tell me off, either :(.

I don't know what's wrong with me today. I am not 'here'.

Have achieved:
- kids up, dressed, breaky
- me up and for some reason did my hair (I told you I'm vague this morning!!!!)
- checked emails
- checked calendar
- brief CUOP
- part of morning routine (make bed, shower, dress, makeup, breaky, load of washing on)
- prepare lunch to take for the kids
- went to a kindy and stayed for playgroup
- came home and put DS to bed (doubt he'll sleep but he's in there at least. In fact I can hear his blinds banging - he's playing)
- am now eating lunch

Next I want to:
- hire a cleaner and run away with a stiff drink (kidding....well, not kidding....but as much as I want to, I can't!)
- tidy up the family room and kitchen, it's messier than it's been in a long time
- finish morning routine (breakfast - and now lunch - dishes, swish'n'swipe, decide on dinner)

Then:
- email some photos to a friend (have to download them from the camera first - I'll kick that off before I go to tidy up)
- do some letters for DH
- daytime routine (reboot laundry, vacuum, prepare dinner, prepare bathroom)
- spend 15 minutes in zone (I am bloody doing it today - no excuses!)
- take the kids out if it's not raining (it's forecast)
- prepare dinner for the kids

Then in the evening:
- kids bath, book, bed
- dinner for DH and I
- evening routine (shine sink, wash face, brush/floss, lay out clothes, check calendar)
- do client loose ends
- spend some time on my presentation (this is getting froggy!)

If I get time at some stage during the day but not urgent:
- dust whole house

Now DS is also screaming - the playing scream, not the angry scream. Sigh! I think he's dropped his daytime sleep for good. It's been a week now since he had one. Bummer, I so thought he'd be one to sleep till he was at least 3.

Donwanna..

I don't want to tidy up. :sick: I didn't mention before that ants have found their way in and because I was slack this morning and didn't tidy uyp the kids breakfast dishes you can imagine what the dining table and floor (and DS's chair) look like - a sea of ants. :(

I think it's timer time for me.

Milo 8:30am

Hi all! Must hurry - have wasted some time this morning wandering around vaguely!

Have achieved:
- kids up, dressed, breaky
- me up and for some reason did my hair :? (I told you I'm vague this morning!!!!)
- checked emails
- checked calendar
- brief CUOP

Before lunch I want to:
- do morning routine (make bed, shower, dress, makeup, breaky, breakfast dishes, swish'n'swipe, load of washing on, decide on dinner)
- email some photos to a friend
- prepare lunch to take for the kids
- go to a kindy to visit and see if we like it (and talk to the director, we are trying to decide when to enter DD into kindy)
- come home and try to persuade DS to have a nap (don't like my chances!)

Then:
- do some letters for DH
- daytime routine (reboot laundry, vacuum, prepare dinner, prepare bathroom)
- spend 15 minutes in zone (I am bloody doing it today - no excuses!)
- take the kids out if it's not raining (it's forecast)
- prepare dinner for the kids

Then in the evening:
- kids bath, book, bed
- dinner for DH and I
- evening routine (shine sink, wash face, brush/floss, lay out clothes, check calendar)
- do client loose ends
- spend some time on my presentation (this is getting froggy!)

If I get time at some stage during the day but not urgent:
- dust whole house

That's it - not overloading myself today!

Milo, and...

How about adding ONE customer follow-up to your to-do list?

I did my back accounting again today.

I did!

- do client loose ends :)

And...

I did my back accounting again today.

I know - now you're bragging!!! :D

and I'm gonna keep on bragging!!

I've only been putting this off for 3 years. Can't I crow a little when I finally start doing it? Congratulations to me!! :D


Yep, and so you SHOULD!

Brag as much as you can - you deserve it!!!!!!!!!