To ask if anyone else self sabotages with constant procrastination when it comes to studying?

[NickiFury]

I've two essays due in by next Thursday. They are finals, so important and yet I have just twatted around for weeks, they'll get a passing mark, they always do but probably not nearly as good as it could have been. I've exams next month, again I will pass most likely but not nearly as well as I could have done.

I love the subject and achieving a degree means a huge amount to me (no encouragement or possibility as a child or teenager), I will always regret this if I screw it up, it's my last chance really, got transitional fees with the OU. I won't be as educated as I could be even if I pass simply because I couldn't be arsed.

So WHY? WHY? Do I do this? I have two autistic children, home educating one of them and am a single parent, it's hard, once they've gone to bed, I'm so knackered I just want to veg in front of the TV, but with self discipline I could easily find the time. Is anyone else like this? and if anyone could explain the psychology behind it that might help.

1 essay done, 1 creative writing project done, 1 essay to go. I'm going to do some reading tonight and get up silly o'clock to write the essay.

I will not do this next year. I will not do this next year...

I woke up at stupid o'clock to crack on with the last essay... and have found out that I've got a fortnight's extension. OMFG. I'm relieved but flat.

balls I'd take the rest of the day off and relax. I felt like that yesterday and had to take a complete break.

I got an extension too. I wanted to crack on with work but Dp is late coming home and has taken the bloody laptop with him. I could kill him.

I'm on your behalf enormouse

I've got an exam next week so am planning my revision, and sorting out the paperwork in this room so I can tackle the essays and project I wrote at high speed yesterday. One of them is going straight in the bin.

I might read something later that's just for fun. I can hardly remember what that's like.

My name is Saskia and I'm a procrastinator.

It doesn't help that the subject I'm studying is a) very dull, and b) something I'm already very familiar with (just doing it so that I have a bit of paper saying I know all about it). Anyhoo, I was going to do some work this morning, but decided to sort out the recycling instead.

Joining the procrastinators! 2 tmas due in on the 20th, a position statement to write and submit for tomorrow and am I getting on with it? Even the laundry and housework are more attractive options. Ffs, I can't get my brain to sit still long enough.

All ok balls, he's back. Bearing chocolate and haribo 'to keep me going' and he's relieved me of both toddler and baby will be taking them out later in the afternoon. Less inclined to murder him now.

Hi saskia and ready

I have cleaned the house, put a load of laundry on and even bathed the toddler (so I don't have to do it tonight).

Chocolate is good. Dp offers to bring tea, and then falls asleep on the sofa. We're just back from camping so j have a lot of laundry to procrastinate with.

today the Instant Gratification Monkey won, but not tomorrow!

WillGetBloodyMonkeyOffMyBackTiggaxx

I got sidetracked today as I had a voluntary group meeting between 11am and 12.30 pm, in a cafe half an hour's walk away. Meeting added loads to my work load so I am really going to have to get my head down this evening once the DC are in bed.

I hate the way a midday group or appointment takes up nearly the whole day!

Might not have got any study done tonight but I have got most of my position statement done. Finish it tomorrow, finish this textbook and the assessment questions. That's ambitious, but I have no choice.

Was telling my friend about this thread, and she sent me this...

Absolutely! I am procrastinating now, almost finished my access course, have my uni offer (which requires top marks in almost all of my assignments to get in) and have a presentation to do tomorrow which isn't finished, i should be doing it now!! I got as far as opening the unfinished presentation on the laptop, then clicked off and on to the daily fail (i know ) then stuck a pizza in the oven for the children and now i am on mumsnet. I think I've done this for almost every one of my assignments. Why do I do it?!?

DO IT!

Any procrastinators about today?

MrsJay same, also have a presentation to do for my access.

Exam on Monday to revise for and the college in its infinite wisdom has decided to update its blackboard portal, for the 25th or so time this year . Having wiped all resources first. I was absent due to the new baby for a few months at the beginning of the year, I was counting on being able to access my course materials online, my tutor didn't give me any handouts because blackboard had them all uploaded. I am fuming that they've done this.

I've contacted my lecturer to get things emailed out to me and I can just about manage without them. But still.

That's really crappy about the blackboard, I hope it all gets sorted out for you enormouse.

I finished my first draft last night. It needs a reread and a polish, the references need putting in properly and it needs a bibliography.

Watching Series of Unfortunate Events with the DC instead .

Well done wandering. That stuffs the easy bit, will take no time at all. Enjoy watching unfortunate events.

Things have gone from bad to worse chez mouse. Dp took toddler DS out so I could get revision started whilst baby slept. Which was great.

Except for the fact the baby woke up, 2 minutes after I got things out to work with. And I have no phone reception to call/text Dp or anyone else to come get him because I live about 5 minutes away from where the bastard fucking giro d'Italia will be going past. The coverage of that has disrupted my phone reception. I expect wifi to go soon.

Baby is at least content in his gym making raaaar raaaar noises for now. Best crack on and make the best of a shit situation.

Thanks enormouse, you're right it shouldn't take too long.

Which is just as well as we are onto James and the Giant Peach now .

Sounds like it's not running according to plan at yours, well done for studying with two littlies, that's pretty bloody hard work.

I did a couple of OU courses when my daughter was two and that was hard enough- I only had her to deal with as well, not a baby too.

Hope you managed to get something done today.

That's a bummer about blackboard.enormouse I am learning to hate blackboard.

I learned early on to download and save onto my laptop a big chunk of course materials as soon as possible ( thanks for the nobheads at plusnet for teaching me not to rely on an internet connection. Ever)

I am now so paranoid I email a copy of coursework I'm working on to my webmail every few hours ( thanks Apple Repairs for teaching me not to believe you when you say it will only take 48 hrs to get my laptop back)

I was procrastinating about filling in my special circumstances form but thanks to this thread I actually did it - only taken a week to fill in a form saying why I didn't go to my exam. Sigh. I am proper ill though. And have a letter to prove it :)

I smiled at 'being late to fill in a special circs form'.

I have my extension and am actually sticking to my revision plan. Whoop!

On route to sit my psychology and behaviour exam. Feel sick.

Think of me please.

Good luck, take some deep breaths and remember to read the question.

I'd set myself to 9am to mumsnet before I need to get on with chores. Had to skim the last few pages but I'm only 5mins over schedule. Better than normal when I'd say "just 15 more mins" etc a few times . Now I've only got to DO IT.

Good luck enormouse, hope it went well.

I am supposed to be polishing and editing but there are so many fun things on the internet I want to look at. Sporcle is my new time sink and I have just built the stable on Sims Freeplay .

I can't get any work done because I'm having a nightmare with NHS Bursary.

I had to send them a ridiculous amount of documents to prove my income, outgoings, same for DH etc etc.

Now bear in mind each time I do this it costs me £14.94 (for special delivery signed for plus return postage) or I have to wait till DP is off work on a weekday to drive me to the actual place.

Got all the docs right, they email me requesting something that had never been mentioned before. Thought riiiight, fair enough I'll get it to you.

Now weeks later they've decided they need DH's p60 for this year. He hasn't been given it yet, plus I gave them March's payslip which THEY SAY IS ENOUGH. Back and forward with emails telling them that their own policy states that march's pay slip is enough.

Now I have a message 'we haven't received his march payslip'

YES YOU BLOODY WELL HAVE

I actually went to the bloody place and the fella scanned it into the system, along with all my other documents. If you haven't got his payslip, how have you got all the rest?!!

FFS.

And now I'm late in applying for student finance because I need confirmation of bursary before my student finance application.

SORRY FOR RANTING.