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.
End of Semester Tasks
I'm new to PA, been with CODA for a while and think the 12
steps is an amazing tool and way of life. It's helped me a lot and I'm grateful.
You can read why I'm here: http://procrastinators-anonymous.org/node/4287
I hope, that this will be a place where I'll report in twice
a day. In the morning I'll write what I'm planning to do today and when and the end of the day what I actually did. Visitors are welcome to read and support is even more welcomed.
Let's start:
Day 1- August 15th - The kids were out for two and a half
hours today. In those two hours I managed to do 2 X 10 Minutes = 20 min. It
seems like very little, I admit, but I was surprised on how much I got accomplished during
these 20 minutes and how focused I felt.
The kids went to the babysitter at 10:30 and I started working at 11:40 - after these 2 distractions.
1. I felt compelled to write an email to my cousin. The
razionalization behind it was that I had something important to tell her that
might help her with some problem she's having and it will only take a minute. It took 5 minutes or more and the truth
is that it was procrastination.
2. Checking my email - I'm compulsive about it. If I see there's new email, I have to read it. Serenity prayer to finding techniques to
avoiding email while working.
12:10 finish my first 10 min - starting to review what I've done up until now.
Another distraction - my husband comes home and tells me he
lost 10k$ on some bad investment he did. I get upset. He plays the guitar (his way to procrastinate
and avoid feeling or doing). It's a big distraction for me and I beg him not to play until the kids return at
12:30. He agrees after 5 minutes. I really do need to learn how to work even if
he's playing the guitar, because he does it all day long...
Checking emails again. (I think I need to find small rewards
between each 10 min slot, but not escapes like food/email).
12:30 - go for my second 10 min slot.
12:43 - the kids are back :-)
I won't be able to work tonight, because I have some important commitments to the family.
I'm already 4 days late on my paper. My professor asked me by when do I think I can hand it in? I can't answer such a question, so I asked her what's the latest she'll accept?
I also did a call that I wanted to procrastinate doing.
All in all, I feel that I'm trying to face the difficulties and reality. I hope and pray that I'll learn to take it step by step and not think too much about deadlines.
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Day 2 - August 16 I
Day
2 - August 16
I went to sleep at about 3:30
PM, because of family issues. Woke up at 7:30. I like to wake up before the
kids, so I can get myself together, and greet them with a smile when they wake
up (and not the what am doing here expression). I get dressed, pray and start
working on the steps (my morning routine, is pray + writing a list of 10 things
I'm grateful for and then what I'm powerless about, read NA Just for Today),
but the minute I started writing the kids woke up, so put my plans aside. Their
regular babysitter was on vacation, so I tried finding a different babysitter.
I didn't, so we just played toghether. At around noon we went to the playground
and had lunch. We then met a nice teenager who agreed to babysit them from 3:30
for two hours (I could hear them laughing and having fun, while working - it
made me feel they're in good hands).
Here's
what happened in those 2 hours (5 X 10 Min. Slots):
15:45
- kids left with babysitter
15:45-16:40
- Eating (not in a healthy way). I've noticed that when studying or doing
difficult tasks I "reward" myself with food. Then I read an
interesting article, checked email and FB.
16:40
- First 10 Min. Went well
16:52
- a phone call from my babysitter with some questions
16:53
- Boiled water for tea
16:57
- Second 10 Min.
Interruptions:
The neighbor nocks on the door, asked to borrow our car seat. Husband calls.
17:03
- Third 10 Min.
17:17
- Serenity prayer. Nock on the door, the meat and fish delivered, had to unpack
in fridge/freezer to keep fresh.
17:24
- Fourth 10 Min.
Interruptions:
Babysitter calls again (1:15 min before end of 10 min. slot).
More
tea
17:36
- Fifth 10 Min.
17:49
- kids are back!
Questions:
1.
Are there breaks in between the 10 min. slots? I feel I need a 2 min. break.
2.
What is a constructive break? (I'm assuming email and Facebook are not)
Conclusions:
1.
So happy to discover the 10 min. slot. Grateful to PA and members for introducing
me to this technique. It's also ideal with kids. If there was a situation in
the middle of the day where I suddenly had a free hour (when they suddenly fall
asleep or are with my husband...), I was always in a state of mind of why
bother, I can't accomplish anything in an hour. I see how wrong I am. I can
accomplish something in 10 minutes, so even if I have 15 minutes on my hand, I
can still do 1 X 10 min.
2.
It's very hard for me to get started. I'd love to hear tips on this one. I'm
sure it's common..
3.
What does one do in-between 10 min. slots. A short break? or just moves on to
the next 10 min?
Looks promising! Good
Looks promising!
Good luck!
Thanks
Thanks