The *STOP PROCRASTINATING* thread

[aran]

I need to stop procrastinating. In the past, I have found it helpful to commiserate with others who also procrastinate. For some odd reason, it helps snap me out of the procrastination cycle. So I am starting this thread. Answer these questions for yourself, if they are helpful to you. If not - well, it's helping me, so here are my reasons...

Why am I procrastinating?

- I have a project due tomorrow that will be critically reviewed by 50+ people, and I am worried about getting it perfect, and every time I think about starting, my stomach feels woozy.


Why I should stop procrastinating?

- I will never get the project even close to perfect unless I get going... NOW! I only have childcare for a limited time today and tomorrow so I need to do this when I can!


Why am I still procrastinating anyhow?

- I am not sure, but I think I will feel better if I get criticism on the project and can I think to myself "Well, I only worked on it for a little while. If I had spent more time, if would have been perfect" - a defense mechanism, I guess.


What am I doing when I procrastinate?

- I keep doing things that I tell myself are important even though they are not as important as this project: looking at homeschool materials for DS1, answering administrative emails, making doctor's appointments - these can all wait, but my project can't!


What's my best strategy to stop the cycle?

- Just start getting some things down on paper... start the thinking process. Don't worry about perfection. Think of it as a rough draft for my eyes only... no MDC or other time-wasters for a minimum of 30 minutes, so I can get my mind re-focused on what I need to be doing... now I am off to try this strategy and see if it works.

[monkeybum]

I'm such a procrastinator, and I drive myself nuts. Most of the time it's on things i don't want to do or don't like doing, or that are a lot of work to do. I find that when it's a Friday afternoon or if I have something fun to do that night, I actually procrastinate LESS, so I think it's something to do with being depressed or something. When I'm happy and have something to look forward to (even if totally unrelated to what I'm procrastinating on) I get so much more done.

Also, I feel really guilty when other people see me procrastinate, so I find I get a lot done when people are here, (i.e. when my cleaners are here, I get tons of laundry etc. done as I don't want them to be working and me doing nothing, as otherwise I would be doing nothing - ...or like right now there is a guy here installing carpet and I've got laundry going, have been tidying the house...normally I would procrastinate on that but b/c he's here I'd feel embarassed...).

So yeah, just commiserating...I wish it was something I could overcome as I know I could do much better at work if I stopped procrastinating so much...

[blizzard_babe]

I'm in! I have to make a series of phone calls before I leave for my holiday break on Friday to help village school principals prepare for spring language proficiency testing. Now, were I not a mother, I would fly out to each of the villages and do this planning in person. More costly, but much more effective, and I always find some unexpected help that I'm able to give when I'm visiting a village. But I can't drag DS along with me (no childcare in the villages, at least not of the quality I want... it's available but you have to know people), so I've done a few in person to get my bearings and now have to do the rest by phone.

I HATE the phone.

To add to that stress, all the site administrators take their frustration at the situation out on me. Last year, nearly every school had an English Language Development teacher who canceled pull-out classes and administered all the individual speaking tests. However, due to funding restructions, most sites no longer have such a person, so they have to figure out how to do this monumental task (most of our schools are over 90% Limited English Proficient, so pretty much every student at the school has to be individually tested) with decreased staffing.

UGH.

[rhianna813]

I am on this weird nightly procrastination thing that I know is seasonally related. I work all day and then fix dinner and then usually find myself plopped on the couch watching tv. At first I think it’s just for one favorite show but then I continue to watch crap until it’s bedtime or way past. Many times DH has to turn the TV off and chide me into bed.

Here is why I think I am doing this: guilt

I have SO much stuff I need to do and I keep pretending I am going to get up and do it. Instead of just consciously deciding that no, it’s not going to happen and getting my ass to bed. This stupid guilt also keeps me from doing the hobbies I enjoy: reading, sewing, crafts. It’s like if I have energy to do those things, then I should use it for chores instead. I mean if one has decided to skip housework wouldn’t they rather do something they enjoy instead of watching bad TV? But noooooo…. The TV gives the impression you are just moments away from getting up and DOING something really productive. HA!

Rhianna

[aran]

Originally Posted by rhianna813

I am on this weird nightly procrastination thing that I know is seasonally related. I work all day and then fix dinner and then usually find myself plopped on the couch watching tv. At first I think it’s just for one favorite show but then I continue to watch crap until it’s bedtime or way past. Many times DH has to turn the TV off and chide me into bed.

Here is why I think I am doing this: guilt

I have SO much stuff I need to do and I keep pretending I am going to get up and do it. Instead of just consciously deciding that no, it’s not going to happen and getting my ass to bed. This stupid guilt also keeps me from doing the hobbies I enjoy: reading, sewing, crafts. It’s like if I have energy to do those things, then I should use it for chores instead. I mean if one has decided to skip housework wouldn’t they rather do something they enjoy instead of watching bad TV? But noooooo…. The TV gives the impression you are just moments away from getting up and DOING something really productive. HA!

Rhianna

OMG! I do this, except with the Internet, and for *the exact same reason* you describe. That is my exact thinking process. Thanks for putting it in words. Maybe I will be able to recognize it better when I do it, and avoid doing it... at least sometimes...

[*MamaJen*]

That's the worst, when you say, I'm not going to do this thing I really enjoy doing because I have some work I have to do instead.
Then instead of doing either thing, you just waste time surfing the internet pretending like at any second you'll start doing the thing you have to do.
It's so depressing.

[namaste_mom]

I'm procrastinating by reading here. I have a presentation to prepare within the next 1.5 days including figures to make. ....gtg work