Procrastinators, get your pompoms. Let's cheer each other on and kick the procrastination habit!

[ProcrastinateNoMore]

Inspired by the thread in AIBU... This is a thread where chronic procrastinators can get together to share tips, hold hands and try to break the habit of a lifetime! We all have our reasons for procrastinating (some conscious, some less so) but this thread is our chance to talk to people who understand the stress and help each other make positive changes.

Useful links from the original thread (thanks to all who shared):

This is the best description of procrastination I've read, written by a chronic procrastinator. This is his attempt to suggest strategies.

This is an excellent website from Carleton University in Canada - the page from the Procrastination Research Group. There is a blog with the key posts - useful for understanding and tackling procrastination. The work on goal focus is quite practical.

This post from BBC suggests apps you may find useful.

It might be useful to say hello and identify the key areas we procrastinate in below. Also think about small steps we can take to change that.

Good luck fellow monkey-minders!

AWhole , me too! Agree on double self-righteousness.

I try to throw something away afterwards to ward off my hoarder house nightmare coming true.

Hi all. I wanted to share this article I found.

www.structuredprocrastination.com/

It's basically about how you can get a lot of good stuff done while you are procrastinating over something really important! I am trying to make that a rule, that if I am procrastinating over my work, then at least do something else useful with the time while I am avoiding it.
Here's to a super-productive week.

My first day of living by a list! And I used a tatty notebook I found at home, no wasting time by ordering the pretty notebook online and wasting time waiting for it to arrive.

Yesterday I managed to

-Fit a light in the hall cupboard (bought this light YEARS ago and have finally got round to fitting it. I keep popping into the cupboard and marvelling how much better it is with a light!)
-Bought a couple of plastic boxes from Poundland and organised all the cleaning products under the sink.
-Polished all the furniture
-Did 'productive' things during ad breaks like empty the washing machine

So far today I've managed to
-Walk to work
-Clear out two drawers of my desk
-make a phone call that I've been dodging forever.

Still lots more to get through!

Majestic, I agree with that article. When I was studying for my exams, it was pretty much the only time I'd do cleaning and tidying voluntarily. My place had never been so nice!
( isn't now tho, maybe I need to do another degree..)

I feel overwhelmed with all the stuff in my house I have to sort out. Bags and bags of it. I make a start, get everything out then can't make a decision about where to put stuff, throw it away ( especially clothes, much of which doesn't fit me any more but I live in hope I will fit into it again), feel defeated and then give up!

And I HATE throwing stuff away. Feel like I will miss it if it's gone. Feel inordinately attached to 'stuff'. I posted on previous thread, I have a pair of cowboy boots I bought in America in 1989. I haven't worn them for decades but can't bear to part with them. Same as all my old vinyl records. Am I living in the past..?

Quick dash post to say the grocery delivery was a REVELATION! I am never shopping for food again! Back tomorrow, well done everyone :)

AWholeLottaNosy I don't agree with ruthlessly chucking things out as prescribed by some people. There's nothing wrong with stuff as long as it's stuff that you're fond of and enhances your life. I generally make three piles when doing a clear out 1) Keep 2) Bin 3) Charity Shop.

Well I'm defrosting and cleaning the freezer today. It's a pretty disgusting job as freezer hasn't been working properly for a while so there's decomposing food in there and about 2 inches of water at the bottom. Yuk! And been putting it off for a while. ( just for a change ). But am doing it today and can write it here!

And the funny thing is, when I'm actually doing a job I don't mind it and actually quite enjoy it. It's the getting started and the thought that I 'have to' do it that I find hard. Anyone else like that?

Thanks for this. I posted a thread a few weeks back on procrastination - I have it bad! It was great to hear from other procrastinators, so I will read this thread with interest

Lolly, welcome! I'm finding that just having a place to write about it and post my successes is helping. Still got a lot to tackle, but just one step at a time...

Evening all,
I can finally report, that i managed to make it to the dark playground and got into the flow three very important tasks done and lots little annoying jobs like the mountain of clean clothes that needed sorting and putting away, it was just nice to function like a normal humanbeing doing routine stuff.
The childhood thing is sort of true, always something could be done better or differently. When at home my mum would be angry when cleaning but won't say just slam about creating an atmosphere, then lay the guilt on the thick that we were just sitting there When we asked what was wrong, call us lazy and stuff, I wouldn't mind but from the age of 5 we were expected to to take it in turns to clean the bathroom/ clean and hoover the stairs and landing, make endless cups of tea and wash piles of pots, from 8 every other week do the family ironing pile on a Sunday, by early teens after school before she got home from work, tidy, polish hoover the hallway, living room, kitchen load unload the dish washer and 3 -4 nights make the tea, it was when we were sat watching telly on a weekend she'd get the hoover out and start storming about In front of us with it.

TFB so how do you think that affected you?

I'm not sure, not even sure it does effect me.
I didn't mind doing those things but never got thanked and more was then expected of me, told off or criticised if taking to long or not done to exact standard. What upset me the most would be the atmosphere the slamming about the guilt trips, for a few years I'd cower into action to help but later started to feel resentment. Then just out right anger at her anger at me, until an age were I just said fuck it, slam about! I couldn't care Less and wouldn't help her.

oh I didn't mean to over share and scare you all away.

Anyhoo.......I'm going to read some of the other links on this thread. maybe especially the cbt one.

Can I join? I'm a lifelong procrastinator. It's to do with perfectionism and fear of criticism and failure. Could write a book on it, of course painfully procrastinating on it

I'm better at times but when stakes are really high and life is stressful, I procrastinate more, to the point of a full paralysis.

The book The Now Habit has helped me a lot.

Need to get something tricky and boring done today. Happy to have found you!

Welcome Frugal and thanks for the book link, will check it out! I know what you mean about feeling paralysed, can totally relate to that.

So today I have done a load of washing, bleached some mugs and sorted out 3 drawers. Limited my TV/ internet consumption too which is good. Also looked for jobs but didn't find anything worth applying for

Am off on a blind date tonight! Funny, dating is one thing I don't procrastinate about ( hmmm there's a lesson in there somewhere...)

WholeLotta thanks for the welcome! You've accomplished so much today. And have a lovely date!

Opening up about feeling paralyzed helped - I got a thing done that I have been procrastinating on all week. It only took a few hours.

I have a difficult relationship with to-do lists. They make me feel calmer and less overwhelmed, but they also feel incredibly limiting.

Anyway, when I am procrastinating it usually means that I'm off balance somehow. Too much work and no fun. So tomorrow will be a guilt-free day off.

Hi folks. Well done, sounds like some good work being done. I haven't been too great today. Got done about half the work I should have due to messing around, mumsnetting and looking at Very Important things on the internet. However, as I have learnt, beating myself up about it and wallowing in negativity isn't going to make it any better. So at least I did some work right? I have a to do list as long as your arm for tomorrow, but quite a bit of it is achievable and not the type of thing I procrastinate over so much, so hopefully it will be a good day.

Can I join please? I'm terrible for procrastinating, and reading this thread while I should have been working has made me feel a little better and more positive that maybe things can change.

I've been realising lately that I even put off doing things I actually really enjoy doing. Like getting ready for an evening out - I like doing that, so why do I only leave myself about five minutes before having to leave the house, and only manage to slap on a bit of ill-applied makeup and maybe run straighteners through my hair?

I think it's to do with Frugal's theory about perfectionism - the longer I put off getting ready, the longer I can visualise myself swishing off to dinner looking flawless and goddess-like - and if I can't actually achieve that effect, why bother trying to do a proper job?

Elks one of the root causes of procrastination in my case is probably that there were long stretches of time in my life when I did very little enjoyable, relaxing things. When I don't get the time off I think I need and deserve, I take this time during the hours when I'm supposed to work. And this makes me listless and unable to do truly relaxing things during my free time.
Anyway, talking about this helps. Good luck everyone.

Hello, another rush visit - horribly busy few days. Welcome more procrastinators! :)

Well done everyone, everyone seems to be making progress and important to pat ourselves on the back for what we've done, rather than thinking 'Yeah but I only did-' I'm doing well with the walking and healthy dinners, still haven't booked eye test (forgot) so going to put the number into my calendar for tomorrow.

More tomorrow :)

Hi all was wondering if you also procrastinate about throwing stuff out? I know I do! I hate throwing things away, I always think
I might need them ( but then forget I have them or can't find them so it's a bit pointless ). I cleared out some drawers today and found some moisturisers I'd forgotten I had. Need to use them up rather than buying the next wonder product....

The force that diminishes procrastination for me is the feeling of flow.
From experience, I know I need to climb uphill for at least 30-60 minutes doing an unpleasant task; if I keep doing it and stay focused, I become engrossed and the task becomes pleasant. The flow states are fantastic - you lose the sense of time and place.

For me, the most difficult thing is often getting started and staying with the task long enough.

Today, anyway, is going to be a well-deserved day off!