Anti-Procrastination Accountability Thread

startingfromscratch · May 09, 2011, 12:22 PM

I'm new here, job searching has highlighted my weakest spots. That's why I'm here, to get stronger and for support.

My struggles are with stress, anxiety, depression leading to procrastination.

I did some reading and found the daily to do list is important. Since my attention wanders I've thrown in my own "I can do anything for 15 minutes" philosophy. See if that works for me.

Feel free to jump in if you need some accountability and friendship

----------------------------------------------------------------------Mondays to do list
1. errands; bank, library store
2. check over and send resume for job #3
3. Interview prep 1 hour
4. choose next job to apply for in science
5. apply retail Vons
6. go thru emails/phone am and pm
7. study former job situation
8. dental care at least 3x/day
9. paperwork 15 min
10. house work 30 min
----------------------------------------------------------------------
First 3
make to do list
dental care am
got dressed, started laundry

lynn P. · May 09, 2011, 12:32 PM

I think this is a great idea for a thread and I tend to procrastinate with some things. The 'do as much as you can in 15 minites' is an easy idea to swallow. Procrastinators tend to look at the huge overwheming picture, which leads to more procrastinating lol. Here's what I want to do this afternoon.

1. eat some lunch.
2. Make a home made vegetable soup.
3. Make the cupcakes my daughters been asking for.
4. clean the kitchen
5. do some loads of laundry.

Good luck getting your list done startingfromscratch.

Perna · May 09, 2011, 12:57 PM

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?

sundog · May 09, 2011, 01:30 PM

Great idea for a thread ((((((startingfromscratch)))))). Thank you. And good luck with your list.

Monday's To Do list:

1) Reply to E's email
2) Do my group therapy homework
3) Email my Food Diary to my naturopath
4) Continue with my web design project at work
5) Meditate

startingfromscratch · May 09, 2011, 06:56 PM

I'm so glad you all are here

lynn and sundog how are your lists going?

perna interesting thoughts. I'm pretty good at getting things like housework and exercise and taxes done. In fact I fill my life up with it. What I haven't done is the job search which should be my priority and a little less cleaning toilets and bed making.

My list is a little shorter. I got all ready to send my job 3 stuff and the job was no longer open- procrastinated too long on that one.
Done:
errands; bank, library store
check over resume for job #3
choose next job to apply for in science job #4
go thru emails/phone am
dental care at least am and after lunch
house work

What is left:
3. Interview prep 1 hour
5. apply retail Vons
6. go thru emails/phone pm
7. study former job situation
8. dental care before bed
9. paperwork 15 min

Next 3
paperwork 15
print out next job to apply for
go thru emails

startingfromscratch · May 10, 2011, 10:48 AM

I think my posts will start being visible immediately now, so I can update this thread faster!

Tuesday 5/10
1. set up online banking
2. face finances, mail check
3. work on references
4. prep cover letter and resume job#4
5. dental care
6. study interview prep 1 hour
7. vac house
8. 1 hr abs and stretching
9. clean bedroom 30 min

first 3
1. after breakfast dental care
2. to do list
3. type it up on psychcentral

startingfromscratch · May 10, 2011, 11:17 AM

next 3
4. print out job #4 and save in database
5. 15 min stretching
6. work on job #4

Done

1. after breakfast dental care
2. make to do list
3. type it up on psychcentral

startingfromscratch · May 10, 2011, 02:10 PM

Next 3
7. 15 min stretching
8. dental care
9. work on job #4

Done

1. after breakfast dental care
2. make to do list
3. type up list on psychcentral
4. vac
5. trash & recycling
6. print out job #4 add to database

startingfromscratch · May 10, 2011, 02:11 PM

Finally a post appeared! I'm guessing the others from day will pop up soon.

lastyearisblank · May 10, 2011, 02:29 PM

Love it!

today: clean out fridge

tomorrow:
1) fix resume and send it
2) book a hostel

Yeah that's plenty, for me!.... hehe good luck all with yours guys...

sundog · May 10, 2011, 02:33 PM

Thanks so much for the "accountability" part of this!! (((((((startingfromscratch)))))) I'm good at making lists, but much less good at coming back to them the next day and finishing the things on the list that I didn't do the day before!!!!

I completed 3 of the things on my list yesterday. I still have to:

- Do my Group Therapy homework and
- Reply to my friend E's email

I'm planning to take care of those things today!!

Well done and good luck everyone!!

lynn P. · May 10, 2011, 02:40 PM

I did well yesterday and accomplished the 3 small things. Today I'm not making a list because I'm very agitated but I'm hoping tomorrow will be a better day. Best of luck to the other list makers.

startingfromscratch · May 10, 2011, 06:32 PM

I'm so glad there are others need a little help focusing. I got a big lift to my spirits today just from 3 days on this site. Today I didn't feel as much hesitation to start working on my job search.

Lastyearisblank- fix resume and send it is a huge job! Good luck!

sundog good job on getting 3 things done yesterday. I never make lists, this seems to be helping me focus. I love your yoga dog.

lynn P. good job to you too. Sorry about the agitation. Feel free to vent.

Next 3
10. empty dishwasher
11. job search #4
12. job search another 15 min

Done

1. after breakfast dental care
2. make to do list
3. type up list on psychcentral
4. vac
5. trash & recycling
6. print out job #4 add to database
7. 15 min stretching
8. dental care
9. work on job #4

sundog · May 11, 2011, 02:02 AM

Thanks for your encouragement! ((((((startingfromscratch))))) And well done on your achievements!!

I did the homework for my group therapy, so that leaves just one more thing on my original list and I'm determined to get that done tomorrow. Then I'll be able to start a new list, which I always love doing!

Hugs to all!

startingfromscratch · May 11, 2011, 10:57 AM

sundog hope you have a good day. Thanks for the positive feedback!

I'm pretty confused by this site. I added someone as a friend (I think) but don't know how to send a message. Please forgive me, not trying to ignore anyone. I never figured out facebook either.

Felt like blowing off the list today but I'm here anyway.

1. look for clinical trial for teeth
2. online banking
3. face finances- cash check, shop
4. dental care
5. finish resume and cover letter
6. clean bedroom 15 min
7. arm wts
----------------------------------------------------------------------
first 3
1. teeth
2. job search
3. pick up bedroom

Perna · May 11, 2011, 11:06 AM

startingfromscratch, just left click on someone's "name" and a pop-down list of possibilities will come up, including "send a private message to __________"

I'm retired now but when I was job hunting I would have 2-3 resume's with different slants to them for different types of jobs I might want to apply for as well as a "base" fill-in-the-blank cover letter. That way I just had to tweak the one most appropriate and personalize the cover letter and I could get the resume and letter in the mail pretty painlessly.

Today I'm trying to get some order into my genealogy files and research; I got some ideas in between not being able to sleep last night :-) and I want to sketch them out, how I'd implement them.

startingfromscratch · May 11, 2011, 12:32 PM

Thanks so much Perna!

Next 3
4. job
5. job
6. room

Done
1. dental
2. job
3. job

sundog · May 11, 2011, 09:10 PM

Good job!!

I finished my list!!! It took me 3 days, but still, I did finish everything on it!!!

It feels good and this thread definitely helped me focus, so thanks again for that ((((((startingfromscratch)))))))) I will start working on a new list shortly!

startingfromscratch · May 13, 2011, 11:44 AM

Good job sundog!!!

Yesterday was major procrastination day, didn't even make it to this site. Worked hard all day but no job search.

Today is a big day for me. I lost a little over 40lbs and have inched into the normal range! 15lbs to go to hit my drs recommended weight.

Back to it today
1. dental, neti
2. found a similar job to job #3, send resume and cover
3. list of matches

startingfromscratch · May 13, 2011, 07:20 PM

Worked an hour on job searches. Taking a break, praying I get back to it and stop my slacking.

sundog · May 13, 2011, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by startingfromscratch

Good job sundog!!!

Yesterday was major procrastination day, didn't even make it to this site. Worked hard all day but no job search.

Today is a big day for me. I lost a little over 40lbs and have inched into the normal range! 15lbs to go to hit my drs recommended weight.

Back to it today
1. dental, neti
2. found a similar job to job #3, send resume and cover
3. list of matches

Yay!!! Congrats on the weightloss!!!!!!!!! That's awesome!!!!!!!

startingfromscratch · May 14, 2011, 12:01 PM

In a John Denver interview he said about hiking "the harder the trail the more he enjoys the view at the top".

A little bothered today with foot pain. I in a car accident a while back, hit my toes. I realized I have a cyst on my foot. Not familiar with free clinic thing, but will to try to get some help there. Don't want to go limping into a job interview!

Seriously need to do more in the important areas of my life, less action, more productivity. Also having a big party Sunday night, need to do housework too.

1. find job search handout.
2. brush teeth
3. work 15 min