Procrastination & Getting Things Done

[toml]

Reading the Greatest "Deadly" Sin (http://www.thefighting44s.com/discussion/viewtopic.php?t=3225) thread, I noticed that quite a few put down sloth, or procrastination.

That's something that I've been dealing with as well.

One thing that I've come across is that procrastination is actually a symptom of some type of fear (e.g. self doubt, perfectionism, irrational guilt, etc.)

If we begin with the notion that procrastination is not the basic "problem" but rather an attempted "cure" for fears, self-doubts, and dislike of work, then it is obvious that most procrastinators will have to focus on the real problems--underlying fears, attitudes and irrational ideas--in order to overcome the procrastinating behavior.

Of course if you don't have time to figure out what your "root" fears are (or you're too scared!) then here's a hack you can try.

The general idea is that most procrastinators aren't lazy--they just have a misguided sense of priority.

For example, I KNOW I should be finishing this report, but instead, I'm organizing my mp3 collection. Or I KNOW I should be cleaning the house but instead I'm researching this project I have for work.

So you can see that most chronic procrastinators are in fact productive. However they aren't as effective because they use their time unwisely!

Now the general idea of the hack is to create a todo list where your top priority tasks will compel you to work on your lower priority tasks.

1) Create a todo list.
2) Now for your number 1 & 2 tasks, select something that is really big and boring and something you don't want to do. And preferably something that has a deadline, but it's not too crucial that if you miss the deadline then you're screwed.
3) After you listed out those 2 tasks, then list your other tasks. And so the idea is that when you look at your tasks list, you'll purposely procrastinate on the first 2 tasks and end up doing the remaining tasks.

Remember, the idea is to "trick" your mind into doing work. So it's crucial that you pick 2 very boring, but semi-important tasks.

For example, writing a book that you want to publish, applying for graduate school, finishing your master's thesis, etc.

And if you get the time :lol: I also highly recommend this book Do It Now! : Break the Procrastination Habit (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0471173991/ref=wl_it_dp/002-6577819-6326419?%5Fencoding=UTF8&coliid=I2KRNYTH4U37KK&v=glance&colid=2VW8UBQBFX8ZC)

Good luck!

[toml]

I'm a productivity junky.

I've probably read all the books out there and the best one that I've found is David Allen's Getting Things Done (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0142000280/qid=1111261416/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/002-6577819-6326419?v=glance&s=books&n=507846).

Lately his book seems to have gotten a revival, but I was doing this since 1999--yeah, I'm kewl like that!

It's simple and no-nonsense approach works very well for me.

Here's an overview of his principles:
http://www.minezone.org/wiki/MVance/GettingThingsDone


Here's a link to his workflow (PDF FILE) http://www.davidco.com/pdfs/gtd_workflow_advanced.pdf



Here are some of his tips:
http://www.davidco.com/tips_tools.php

(While on his site, you should check out the forum as well).



And if you need more info (I do recommend getting the book) here's the Technorati & Delicious Tags

http://www.technorati.com/tag/gtd
http://del.icio.us/tag/gtd



The one major thing lacking in his book is the "big picture" stuff. He does briefly mention it, but he doesn't provide a very good way to deal with it.

For that I still recommend the classic, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0671708635/qid=1111261501/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-6577819-6326419)

[maogirl]

:lol:

i wish i could learn to procrastinate more. i mean, i can do it for things i really hate doing but must do (eg visiting relatives i don't like), but generally speaking, i'm so impatient that i blaze through 100 tasks at one go.

i LOVE drawing up schedules and itineraries...i'm one of those horrible people who feel so much satisfaction ticking off items on a list.

i find it quite difficult to relax. i'm supposed to be napping right now but am instead surfing the net looking for information on an upcoming trip.

must catch up on sleep...

lucky procrastinators!

[eskimo]

toml, thanks for taking the lead on this topic that probably affects a lot of our brothers and sisters. And definitely thanks for offering up a concrete method to work around their debilitating condition(ing).

I want to support you by introducing the underlying cause behind procrastination. For those currently affected, ask yourselves if you had an overly critical parent growing up (most likely a mother). This is probably why you're mired in procrastination -- because every time you've tried to establish and build something, your parent cut you down for not doing this or that "correctly" and extinguished your motivation.

As a result, you keep putting off projects that you need to complete because you've been conditioned that even when you put forth a genuine effort, it will never be good enough for your discriminating parent. So you rationalize to yourself that it's not even worth trying and only start working on and completing projects when the fear of not meeting a looming deadline pushes you to take action.

If I sound like I speak from personal experience, then you're right. I am a recovered procrastinator. Even up until high school, I would often delay starting on, say, an English composition essay until the night before it was due, and then spend all night feverishly whipping up something to turn-in on time. I would usually earn a decent grade on it but it was a tough way to spend my time. And, yes, my mother was The Queen of Critics. Sound familiar to anyone else?

[Dialectic]

My father was something like that (and he's more chilled now), but I'm not certain that's the root of my instances of procrastination. Certainly, whenever something becomes more of a task or obligation, it starts to feel more like "work," and when that occurs, motivation does tend to drop, but I find this can generally be overcome by 1) a sense of responsibility to a looming deadline (I suppose it doesn't help if you're a last-minuter) and 2) and genuine love of the "task."

[toml]

...but generally speaking, i'm so impatient that i blaze through 100 tasks at one go...

Ah-ha! So you're one of those people that make us look bad!

Shame on you!

Please, have some compassion for your procrastinating-comrades and slow down...



... by introducing the underlying cause behind procrastination. For those currently affected, ask yourselves if you had an overly critical parent growing up (most likely a mother). This is probably why you're mired in procrastination -- because every time you've tried to establish and build something, your parent cut you down for not doing this or that "correctly" and extinguished your motivation.

That's definitely one of the possible root causes, however I don't think that it fits my case as both my parents were extremely supportive in what I did (though like D, my dad was the one that played devil's advocate more often).

My procrastination did not start until college. In high school I was the model student. But in college, when the deadlines were more relaxed and I had all the time in the world, I would simply wait...and wait...and wait.

Now that I'm working, my work-related procrastination is gone (with hard deadlines and other people relying on me, I *HAVE* to finish it on time). However I still procrastinate on things around the house and on personal stuff.

[JadeDragon]

I do procrastinate every now and then, especially for tasks that I dislike, but generally, I'd prefer to get all my projects completed so that I can spend more time on the things that I WANT to do.

My mother's a bit of a critic too (well, she's a teacher, what can I say?) but I think that her perfectionism has taught me to be more responsible and careful in whatever I do.

[rainshowerz]

I've been trying something out for the past three weeks, and I noticed that my strategy has done wonders for getting stuff done...

My strategy is: Everyday, I do ONE thing. This one thing can be whatever's on my to-do list--whether it's chores or making an appointment for something, or any other personal errand.

Some of the few little things that's I've done during the last three weeks:
-throw out the stuff from the paper shredder (since I always forget them when I throw out the garbage)
-clean the toilet
-fix one of the buttons on my cardigan
-clear out all the clean dishes from the dishwasher
-refill the Brita water dispenser
-read 20 pages from this book I've been wanting to read but couldn't find the time for
-mail the cute shirt (which I keep forgeting to do) I got for my best friend who lives in NYC
-vacuum one room

This way, I don't really do any major chores anymore like cleaning the bathroom or vacuuming my entire place because I already did bits and pieces of them at some point. And all these little things takes about 15 minutes, and since I'm only doing ONE thing everyday, it's not that big a deal for me. Lastly, the stuff I do are usually the stuff I keep forgeting to do (like refilling water or throwing away the contents of the paper shredder) until I have to at the last minute.

And if my bf does his one thing everyday, things get more done :D I think he actually prefers it because this way, we don't have to devote one whole day for getting all our chores done (since he gets stuck cleaning the bathroom every time). Things get done bit by bit everyday...

Speaking of Freudian connections with procrastination, I was literally like a cinderella when I was young. My mom always made me do ALL the chores (except cooking), and even when I was done, my parents were so strict that they wouldn't even let me go out. We lived in Flushing back then, and since I was 10 years old, I was the one hauling my little cart off to Pathmark doing the grocery shopping for the family afterschool.

I'm 100% certain that it has a lot to do with my disdain for chores, and there are certain chores that I refuse to do because I've been doing it since the 3rd grade. Of course, I'm past that now, and I've settled into a happy medium where I do chores because they need to get done, but at the same time, I don't feel the need for my house to be immaculate like my mother thinks it needs to be. It's not like it's the end of the world if I don't make my bed.

[eskimo]

Well, it's definitely refreshing to discover that not everyone's parents were overly critical -- just mine :cry: .

rainshowerz added some nice suggestions to complement toml's on dealing with procrastination. I also agree that how much you enjoy the particular activity determines your propensity to procrastinate.

As for someone like me who had almost a pathological level of procrastination, I don't think I did anything concrete to get over it but my salvation came when I left home after high school to join the army. Oh, let me just say my drill sergeants were pussycats compared to the Queen Mum.

Generally the more intelligent someone is, the less they're going to be fueled by routine activities or work, such as chores or occupations involving routine responsibilities. And having a highly critical parent forces one to develop a keen intellect to survive. So perhaps you get both a blessing and a curse in being raised by a critical parent -- something one must reconcile on his/her own.

Any thoughts on this or any other good suggestions?

[Dialectic]

Generally the more intelligent someone is, the less they're going to be fueled by routine activities or work, such as chores or occupations involving routine responsibilities. And having a highly critical parent forces one to develop a keen intellect to survive. So perhaps you get both a blessing and a curse in being raised by a critical parent -- something one must reconcile on his/her own.

I like that. This probably explains the state of my room, my fridge, and my critical faculties ....

[ellencho]

OMG rain, your advice to do "just one thing a day" is helping me get off my ass in finishing my thesis. I just printed out a whole bunch of stuff that's been finished for a while, but that I've been procrastinating in printing out of my own insecurities about my work. Thanks lady :)

[rainshowerz]

^^That's great, Ellen! Keep it up!

After your thesis, your next challenge is to get your boyfriend to also do one thing a day, and you guys will never have to dedicate a day to do chores ever again :D