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.

Newbie coming back

Hello everyone

It's been almost a year that I'd said hi for the first time, followed by a long silence. I've not been inactive about my life, but I've not got there either. I'll get there someday!

Today I'm here because it's one of those days where I'd like to crawl under a table and not come out again. And it's not even that bad. Ahead of me I have a journy to London, possible light shopping to follow, really easy travel to my lodgings over the weekend. I'm going to a concert in Hyde Park of possibly my number one favourite singer and songwriter Paul Simon.  Then a nice and relaxed day's travel back on Monday and there's nothing to it.

But...

...I'm bricking it right now! I'm so, so nervous and I know I don't have to be. The weather's going to be just fine and I don't even have to run around for wellies, I don't have to worry abou work because that'll wait until Tuesday, but I'm. On. Needles. And I know it's unrealistic.

It's possibly because I'v finally drawn up a timeline of things I want completed by Decembre this year. I'm having another go at my PhD and the sheer amount of planning for the next 6 months that I have done scares the willies out of me. Possibly because I can see how much time I cannot afford to procrastinate from now on and I know that so far I have worked in 2 minute spurts followed by 20 - 30 minutes play time.

It's not all bad. I'm not depressed at the moment, just very, very stressed. I know I'll relax by the time I get to sit down to a nice sashimi dinner tonight. But at the moment I'm just going "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Even though I like train journeys!

Anyways, I won't have internet over the weekend, but I'll be back on Monday and I'll try to have 30 minutes a day from now on to say hi, and what is going on.

Stay safe, stay focused, be happy.

regards 

Helveticus 

Welcome back!

Hey, Helveticus!
 
I know that Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa moments. I think somehow they get worse when you have something relaxing planned, but in your head you are thinking "deadline, deadline, deadline". 
But really, I think its your own fault. You figured out in your head a plan on what to do for six months, and that would be enough to make anyone feel stressed, let alone a procrastinator.
 
If your problem is demand resistance, this might not help. But if you are good at working closer to deadlines, it might. Why not use an entire day to plan it all out and break it down to little deadlines, that space out evenly.
And when you think you have a certain amount of time to do things, space about the same amount of time for the last month. Trust me, things always go wrong with the timing and you might need the space in the end. 
Then write it on a calendar or print it out or whatever and put that close to your workspace. It just clears your head and shows you the amount of work that has to be done (pressure) without freaking you out. (Clarity)
 
What helped me a lot staying focused when I have to research and write and the like was coming to the chatbox here and bursting, possibly with others. I usually do 15 to 20 minutes. And after four bursts, if I feel like it, I am allowed a break burst. Though I would not waste it on playing something, because that gets you sucked in. Keep that for the end of the day, when you reached your daily goal. I usually check mails, make some tea or something. 
 
Hope to see you around. Wink
 
 
You cannot run away from a weakness; you must sometimes fight it out or
perish. And if that be so, why not now, and where you stand?
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 - 1894)