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.
Hello everyone, new here
Hello to all of you in PA.
I'm new here, just joined over the weekend. My name's Celeste and I am a chronic procrastinator. Emphasis on the "chronic." I really, really want to do something about my procrastination, because it's ruining my life bit by bit, but to be honest, I have no idea where to start. Or how to start. What do I do first? What steps do I take? Will somebody please lay a curse on me or something so I won't end up procrastinating on working on my procrastination?
Right now, I'm going through a mini-panic attack, because I've just decided to speak to my managing editor (I work as a writer for a university publication, by the way) about all the articles I've failed to submit on time and are now considered stale. I've decided to confess my sins to him and to explain my problem--NOT to offer excuses, because honestly, at this point, no excuse would fly. But I'm practically frozen in my chair, afraid of approaching him and being overheard by my other workmates, and being humiliated...gah! If anybody out there has a bunch of extra vertebrae lying around, please contact me. I'll pay any price.
Um, sorry, didn't mean to ramble on. I'm just beginning to explore the site, and already I found this article about chronic procrastination being an issue of addiction, not just an issue of poor time management. Oh, that so hit home. I've discovered something new about myself. Thank you so much for that.
I hope you all have a great day.
Celeste
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celest, my experience with bosses
i do not think that most people can conceive of being addicted to procrastination. They understand lazy, or not caring. But i do not think most people believe it is possible to REALLY care, and still not do it. I am guessing you are in that space. I am and many here are.
So your boss might not be able to truly understand you. I think full honesty has the risk of coming off like you dont care about your job. Maybe there's a way to do it. I dont want to discourage honesty, but i do want to encourage caution and having your eyes open to possibilities. Of course maybe this is all just unique to me and you'll be fine.
As for me, over the last 4 years i have started to come clean to my bosses. Before that, i never gave them any information as to why my work was late or not done. Now i've gotten to the point where we talk about me losing focus or maintaining focus. That's not perfect, but it's a pretty close proxy. We have conversations about how i should not check email or answer IMs so that i can focus. Well, that's not quite it. That doesnt address the 100 other INTENRNAL reasons why i might lose focus. But at least we're in the ball park.
That's the report from my experience related to what you're going thru.
EDIT: it just so happens there's another person going thru boss issues here now: http://procrastinators-anonymous.org/node/4024
fall down seven times, get up eight - japanese proverb
Oh, you're right
Thank you for counseling caution. I like what you said about most people not believing it possible to really care and still not do it. That rang true in my life. I've heard from my parents--and from me, come to think of it, ugh--how if I really mean what I say about changing my behavior, then my actions should show it. Doesn't much help with the guilt/shame thing, though.
But I admire your courage, coming clean to your bosses. They sound really supportive, considering. Thank you for sharing that; your example encouraged me, even if my situation might not be the same as yours.
Oh, and nice to meet you, clement. ^_^
Welcome, Celeste!
Hi, Celeste, and welcome to P.A. -- I hope you'll find lots of useful stuff, here!
The three areas of the site that I find most helpful are:
Chatbox (see button in page header): good for sharing immediate intentions and accomplishments with other members, in realtime. The chatbox gives us chances to witness and be witnessed, and to request company for bursts of effort.
Tools to try: see http://procrastinators-anonymous.org/files/PA_Tools.html
Daily check-in forum topics (under http://procrastinators-anonymous.org/forum/6): good for making a public to-do list for your day, that you can report progress on as you complete things
thanks!
Hello, wrkinprogrss! Nice to meet you, and thank you for the tip. I've downloaded and printed the PA tools, especially the 12 steps. I'll check out the check-in forum topics like you said. Sounds like that'd help.
Hmm, I'll try the chatbox too, although the first time I tried it my internet connection must have been slow that day.
Thanks for all this, and I hope I hope I hope I don't end up procrastinating by abusing the helpful tools in this site--although the irony would cure my anemia forever.
Hope you have a great day.
Ola Celeste Ann I guess
Ola Celeste Ann I guess your work has gotten to the point where you are willing to admit your problems to your boss. I'm not sure whether this will help though or what kind of a difference it will make if you feel it will help you change though and it is right though. Then I say go for it. I'm glad though that you aren't using excuses any longer this is good it means you want to change.
I would say Celeste Ann you begin looking at the lies and the excuses you use to procrastinate. Here is a good place to begin, do you believe you work better under pressure, or that you always have "plenty of time" start there. Disarm those self deceptions illuminate them.
Next I would say start finding ways to to create a new habit to replace the procrastination. Finding a dedicated workspace with reduced distractions, forming a daily routine of writing with an assigned time, etc. Sticking through the habit formation (this is where I am know and have been for a while, though optimistically I think I am making progress)
good luck
Got it ^_^
Thank you, icemountainguy37. I've gotten to the point where the excuses are sounding weak even to me. The stupid thing is, I know I've got a problem with chronic procrastination. I've admitted it, and in my sane moments, I like to think I've gotten strong enough to face up to the less-than-wonderful truth behind my procrastinating.
But when work lands in front of me again, it's like everything goes up in smoke. Or more like, I become two people: one, the "smart", "honest" one who wants to change, and in the front seat, the frantic, panicky, procrastinating me who'll end up in a cycle of trouble yet again. Like a lame Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde. One day, I really hope to be able to staple my two sides together.
I've cleared some of the clutter on my desk, especially after my boss commented on it in passing (!). I'll try your advice and observe what time of the day I write best, and stick to that. At least I wouldn't be fighting myself so much.
Again, thanks, and I'm really glad to meet you.
yeah that's good once the
yeah that's good once the excuses even sound lame to your self then you know you're heading in the right direction.
Welcome Celeste
"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." - Samuel Beckett
Will remember this
Got the quote, saved it on my desktop. Thanks, journey. ^_^