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Old May 09, 2011, 12:57 PM
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Perna Perna is offline
Pandita-in-training
 
Member Since: Sep 2006
Location: Maryland
Posts: 27,289
I've learned over the years that I get done what I "need" to get done so I quit "worrying" about it. When I make lists or try to organize in writing, I often don't get all the things done or I lose interest and that makes me feel worse or, if some of the things on the list are "obvious" I feel kind of silly.

I made a huge collage of "types" of chores I wanted to get done and found some 8-sided dice (game store :-) and rolled on the board each morning, first thing, and then did "that" chore for that day. But after a couple weeks of that it started feeling too artificial and I realized I knew what I needed to do and could/should be able to direct myself, not have to "trick" myself into doing what I want done?

No matter what, if I don't want to clean toilets, I'm not going to want to clean toilets and am going to procrastinate! The problem, for me, is to figure out how to get myself to want to clean the toilets, not the opposite, how to not procrastinate doing what I don't want to do?

Figure out what it is you wish you wanted to do, the things you think you procrastinate doing, and instead of trying to make yourself do what you don't want to do, try to figure out a way to enjoy/like/want to do what you wish you wanted to do! Connect the rest of your life and interests with school courses that you have trouble studying for, check to see just how "necessary" some chores are to be done at certain times; if you have a dentist's (or other) appointment, you go, without thinking, to it; just like you go to school/work each day? So, decide to do some stuff "now", when you think of it. If you want to wear that shirt/outfit later in the week, take it to the cleaner's now; otherwise, don't think/concern yourself about it and feeling bad because you aren't going to the cleaner's? You'll go when you want those clothes cleaned! The cleaner and other chores (bank, grocery shopping, etc.) are there to help YOU, they're at your command, you are not there to do them/for their purposes!

Who cares if you don't make your bed today? Your mother? Unless you live in your mother's home, it is okay not to make your bed everyday AND not to feel bad about it! That's early training making us think there's something wrong with our character if we don't make the bed every morning. But remember, if you make the bed tomorrow morning (or do the dishes tomorrow instead of tonight after dinner) you feel good and all the past is "erased". Why feel bad "now" if that is so, if you'll be perfectly fine tomorrow or whenever you do those things as if you had done them now?
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"Never give a sword to a man who can't dance." ~Confucius
Thanks for this!
Shangrala