Introductions and Procrastination Discussion

...here chatting with Merlin Mann in their cool podcasting series about time management. They identify some emblems of procrastinating behavior and break it up in a way that can let you think about what might be a way to move forward onto a task, or in their parlance, the next "widget to crank."

Productive Talk on Procrastination
RSS of all Productive Talk podcasts.

It's a little "business-y" but I think the principles translate for me -- it's just a way to structure my thoughts to be able to start to get things done.

Other than book-endings and some other methods to aid against procrastination, have you guys ever tried to trick yourselves into changing a particular deadline date of a specific task (making it sooner than the real deadline date) just to get it started sooner?

Hey y'all. I'm new here. I'm a college student and I'm a chronic procrastinator. Being a chronic procrastinator and a college student is a deplorable match. I was full time when I started the fall semester and because of my procastination, it cost me to drop three of my classes leaving me with one left. I could've finished my studies quickly but it seems this condition has taxed almost all of my dreams. My friends at school do not take me seriously anymore. I'm well aware that my excuses for not getting school work done undermined their confidence in me. My educational goals relate to the medical field (to become an RN and proceed premed) and there's alot of pressure to be prompt and punctual - something I'm apparently uncapable of.

I'm going to attempt to split off the branch about this in the day thread by manually editing the database. It may not work. In fact, I may screw things up royally. We'll see!

Hi everyone, I qualify as a chronic procrastinator. I belong to a couple of other fellowships and have bookended things for a long time. I've got a paper due tomorrow. I'm here to say I'm going to do one hour's work on it now.
Thanks

Sydney

I first posted this in the Saturday,14 October 2006 Bookending Forum. Anybody else relate?

"Gosh, I'm all done--now what?"

"And therein is a whole other procrastination factor for me. I don't like being all caught up and prepared to go--and not be able to go yet. This is a dumb problem, but it does factor in. It contributes to my being late and always trying to fit in one more thing before I leave the house, because I hate to leave early enough to arrive early. I dunno why that bugs me so, it just does. (A few things just popped into mind: sometimes being somewhere erly is boring, and oftentimes--this is the real bugaboo--it means i have to stand around feeling socially awkward. Despite the skills I've developed in being outgoing as a pastor, I still don't LIKE it--I'm a real introvert. I hate not knowing what to do with myself in social situations.)"

Hi All,

This is my first post to the forum; however, I have lurked here for a long time.

I have been a major procrastinator for a very long time, and it has affected many, many areas of my life. On a good day, I'll be able to complete small tasks, but I have always had trouble completing major projects. Consequently, I do not have a career, no serious relationships, and am in debt. I will be 35 next month, and I am sick of being a procrastinator. I am sick of the panicky paralysis of worrying about what I need to do, yet doing nothing at all. I am sick of all of incomplete projects, broken promises, lies, and sadness caused by my procrastination.

If you don't mind, I'd like to share with you what I have not done. I have procrastinated/avoided since I can remember - probably since the 1st or 2nd grade. Never did my homework on time, and often did not do it at all. I managed to get into student government because I was a good talker, but then did absolutely nothing. Played the flute in band but then never got good because I never practiced. Everything was done at the last minute. Got through college by lying about being pregnant so the instructor wouldn't flunk me. Even then my gradepoint was minium passing. Because of connections I got into law school, where guess what, I screwed up. There was a second year thesis we were supposed to do which naturally I didn't. While I was allowed to withdraw, when third year came around and I took the class again, I still didn't do the paper! I was going to flunk out of law school, and had to beg the professor to give me an incomplete. It was a major production, with the dean's involvement and all. I did graduate, but then maybe I shouldn't have.

Pro wrote in the article on reasons for/types of procrastination: "Sometimes when you procrastinate, it's your unconscious trying to tell you something important." I know that this has been a major issue for me for a long time. I nearly left the ministry two years in to it (this was 10 years ago), but out of pride or ego and fear of the unknown, I stuck it out another 5 years in that situation before things came to a head. Then, I've been where I am 5 years now, and it was only going to be for a year..but it was ok until two years ago. I started getting really turned off and demotivated then. Been hanging on for practical, family reasons, again. And that was leading me to resent my family for "pimping me out" to the church to suit their own security needs! It also has been a real strain on my marriage.

This is to say Hi to all my newly discovered lifelong fellow travellers :)

Before posting I thought I'd take a look at how others have 'taken the plunge'. The first 'intro' I spotted was scarlett's - what's this she mentions about about GTD???

After a quick double-take I looked at my book-shelf and sure enough the book I bought a few weeks ago in my latest battle against procrastination was 'Getting Things Done'.

I came accross GTD recently on the internet and thought I'd try it to see if it would help me keep on top of things better, I wasn't really thinking about procrastination as such when I bought it, but that's why I needed it. I guess we tread the same path.