To think no one procrastinates as much as me

[Mumtumwhatever]

I have a serious problem. I put things off until I jeopardise deadlines (but never actually miss them), work projects, personal to dos, taxes etc and I stress out about them, nightmare about them and then when I do them I realise they were either easy and I should have done them earlier and saved the stress or I should have started them earlier because they will take forever and I have to pull 3 all nighters to finish them. Why don't I just get on with it instead of distracting myself with mumsnet, DM Online, emails and Facebook??? I know what I need to do but I just don't. I'm watching Take Me Out now (I'm bloody 40 years old!) and I should be starting a work project. I honestly need help!

Where's everyone gone..??

Took me till now to decide to post.

I'm going away to think about what to post.

I love the days when you get that motivation and do stuff like cleaning cupboards. Happens very rarely, but like accepting procrastination as part of me, I just go with the flow

The dead flowers thing...anybody else here completely crap at looking after house plants? I can't seem to master the skill of having plants looking watered and cared for.

I'm not sure why I'm sitting here. I have no clean clothes to wear tomorrow. I could be washing them about now. Only I'm lolling in the dark playground MNing instead

We're all laughing about this here and almost colluding with each other but actually being a procrastinator is awful. Stressful, infuriating for others and creates and perpetuates self loathing in ourselves. I really wish I wasn't like this and it's a battle every day. Causes real life problems and feeds off itself. I've even thought about having hypnosis to try and stop it ( however, have I done anything about that? Of course not!)

< bangs head against wall >

I do agree Lotta. It causes me major stress at times and then when I do what needs to be done I'm like 'Is that it? That's what I was putting off?'

I'm up for a proper pompom thread but going round in circles about where it should go

It seems like a case of the blind leading the blind at the moment!

Er what's a pompon thread?

See Gallic's post at 15.25 for pompom.

Ok. I will start a thread tomorrow and link to it. I'm not even joking - I really will start one

I was about to post what a pp has just said. It's all very well making jjokes about it, but for me procrastination is cripplingly awful. It makes me panic, feel dreadful about myself and feel anxiety. None of that is funny :(

Much of mine relates to money and tidiness. For example, if my car tax renewal comes through, I'll not even open the envelope. I'm already worrying that I don't know where my insurance document is. And that there isn't enough in our account to pay for it. Every day I will send myself crazy worrying then have to do it in a panic at the last minute. Why??

I've not alone!

Brag
ith University essays that contributed toward my final grade, I not only wouldn't get them done in time, I would calculate like this: "if I write it to 1st standard, I can hand it in one week late, and with 10 marks deducted for lateness, I'll still end up with a 2:1 for this piece". Twice, pieces that were each 8% of my final classification were handed in so late they went from 1st to 2:2 because they had 15% deducted for lateness by the time I wrote them (each time in one sitting overnight with loads of fags and cherry Coke).

• That was how I got through university!

My procrastination is definitely linked to anxiety.

I've not driven my car since last May. I've been wanting to sell it, but not got around to it as I hate driving so much I don't want to think about it, so paid for another year's worth of insurance. Because it hadn't been driven, I've also had to fork out £70 for a new battery that DH sorted for me yesterday. My MOT expires Friday. DH is going to beg the garage to take it Friday today as I hadn't booked it (despite getting the text reminder on the 2nd). I must sell after MOT - don't want another year of stress, procrastination and anxiety.

I am spending almost 6 hours on train journeys today. And I am going to spend at least 1 hour of that time on an icky task that I would prefer to avoid. I will spend probably 2 hours on other tasks that are work-related but not so aversive. And the rest of the time I can do emails, mumsnet, reading, generally messing around. But at least 1 hour on the nasty boring thing. You can hold me to it.

Drumrolllllllllllllllllllll please....!

As promised... Here is an attempt at a proper support thread. A place for commiseration yes but even more a place for helping each other kick the procrastination habit. Don't put off coming by to say hello

(I'm properly amazed I actually did this - the might of MN!)

My curtains are in an untidy heap on top of the radiator so that the heat can get through need pinning up and taking to dry cleaners to be altered. 20 min job max.....they have been like it for 5 years