[Razzleberry]

I am an accountant. It is tax season. I have piles and piles of work to do. My boss keeps checking in saying "so how are things coming along?"

Yet I sit on my *** all day, surf the net, and I do NOTHING at work.

I have an office so no one can really see what I'm doing - my computer screen is faced the other way. Yet I still realize they could be tracking my internet use. But I still do it.

Why? This is a new job. I LIKE my job. I want to stay here for a while. Why do I avoid my work?

Am I just lazy?

[sabby]

(((((((((( razzleberry ))))))))))))

Those are really good questions.....don't know if anyone but you can really come up with the answers though.

Could it be that you are stressed/anxious/avoidant right now? Could it be that you work better under a deadline pressure? (or at least think you work better that way?)
I know you say you like your job, but could you be bored with it in some way?
Is your mind wandering and daydreaming? Are you feeling depressed over anything in particular..or maybe just in general?

Have you been for a medical checkup lately? Are you physically healthy? How about excercise? Do you get much? Are you sleeping well?

There can be so many things that could be affecting you. Maybe asking yourself some of these questions may lead you in a direction of finding out some answers.

I wish you well!


sabby

[Razzleberry]

I do have some ongoing depression - not sure if it's really depression or something else.

Yes, my mind wanders. If I can keep going on the simple tax returns, I can crank out dozens of them in an hour. But then I get stuck on something more difficult, and I just freeze. I can't focus. And then I go online. Or just sit there and stare at the screen. Or I look in the phone book for an auto detailer to clean the juice my daughter spilled all over my car. I just can't stay on my work.

On the medical questions...as far as I know I don't have any medical conditions but yes I am very obese and not exercising, binging like crazy. Gained back 20 pounds of the 70 I lost in the last couple years. Sleep is fine, but I have to drag myself out of bed in the mornings. I meant to get to work early this morning (like 7 or 7:30) but I got here at exactly 7:59.

I know what I need to do...why can't I just DO IT??

[Brian37]

I own my own business and also find myself avoiding work and surfing the net too.....my therapist said it could be ADHD....I tend
to avoid starting projects and procrastanating on everything else...
Klonopin has helped ease the anxiety ....I too am lacking in exercise, overweight and poor diet

the answer?

I dont know, but 2 weeks ago i kicked the computer monitor off my desk and then crushed it with a 16 pound sledge hammer
(please dont do this...makes a terrible mess)

I found without the computer I stayed more focused and did more work.....but I know you use your computer for work

I now have a new monitor

if you see a therpaist talk to her about it..,we just started going down that path

[splitimage]

Lack of motivation or apathy for me is usually a sign that I'm sliding into a depressive episode. I just can't be bothered with things generally. Is it possible that you're getting depressed? Are you bored with your job. I'm an accountant too, and I know when I'm bored it's deadly for me - I'll do all kinds of things to distract myself so that I'll be under an artificial deadline to hurry up and get things done. Maybe you need more challenging work?

You say you get distracted when you hit a particularly challenging tax return. Could it be because you're afraid of making a mistake?

Just some thoughts.

--splitimage

[EJ711]

God bless all the accountants. I hate accounting.

I'm just trying to get my stuff together to bring to an accountant to do my taxes. Usually I get through this pretty quickly, but am dragging this year.

I'm not exercising either. (There's a trend here.)

I teach economics at a local community college on a part-time basis. The pay is pitiful, and I think that is, after two years, really getting to me and attacking my motivation.

EJ

[sabby]

Well, it sounds to me (and I'm not expert by any stretch of the imagination) that it's possible your depression is now interferring with your daily life. Sometimes it's very hard to motivate when depressed.....the depression lies to you....makes you do things that you normally wouldn't do when not depressed.

Maybe it's time to get back to your dr and let him/her know of your symptoms. It could be a mild dose of an antidepressant might work to help you feel more together and more like tackling life's obstacles. Of course...this is only my opinion...and it's just something you can think about.

I hope you find some relief soon...in whatever you do!


sabby

hi.....

My p-doc told me that avoiding work is a sign of depression. Do you have a p-doc that you can call? Maybe you need a med check.

(And I know it to be true, because when I am depressed I do nothing but surf-the-net and watch youtube videos.! )

[Razzleberry]

I just started therapy last Thursday. I am just seeing a psychologist so far, no meds yet. I've only been to one visit.

Long story short....two years ago when I first tried anti-depressants, I *think* they may have turned me Bipolar. We're not sure. And the doc who prescribed them (2 years ago) was somewhat incompetent, didn't listen when I told her about what was clearly a manic episode (but I had no idea then), and she ended up making me go off meds cold-turkey...long story there too. So...I'm a little scared of getting on meds again until I know what's really going on.

I am bored at work. But yes, part of it is fear that I'm going to screw it up. I'm new at this - I've been in accounting for 5 years, but this is my first "real" tax season. I don't know a lot of stuff yet. And I'm scared to go ask questions because I don't want to look stupid. I feel like I should know how to do something, but then I don't....but instead of trying to figure it out, I waste time online and just do nothing.

[splitimage]

Ok - first off there are no stupid questions. There are only questions that you don't know the answer to. You won't look stupid for asking for help, presumably the people who hired you know that this is your first real tax season, and if you ask once and remember the answer then you've overcome a problem that you'll know how to handle the next time you see it.

--splitimage

I am at work right now and so far I have done one work related thing the entire day. I hate my job though. When I'm at my internship, I never slack like this. My depression is much more prevalant when I'm at my job because I'm bored as %#@&#! and don't want to be here.

[Doh2007]

Maybe it's just a bad habit.

[seeker1950]

I surf the net quite a bit at my teaching job, while students are working at their projects. I know this is a "no no" and I could be, and probably am being survailled while doing this, as we have gotten memos to this effect. I think, know, I'm bored. and somewhat depressed, despite medication.
Patty