What is wrong with me? I think I have a mental or health issue...is that possible?
I put off everything. I wait until the last possible minute to do it. It started even when I was little. I would know that my mom got home from work at 5:20 so at 5:10 I would start running around cleaning up or whatever needed to be done before she got there. It's so stupid.
The thing is I KNOW I'm procrastinating, I can acknowledge it but I still do it! Like right now on my calendar on my phone I have about 8 things I need to do (I kind of use it as my to do list) but I just change the date and wait til it pops up tomorrow morning! I only do it if I know I have pushed it to the very last possible second and then I do it! And I even do this with stuff for work. I own my own business so I answer to myself. If I had a boss cracking a whip, obviously this wouldn't be an issue but I can't crack the whip on myself!
Anyone else like this? Any tips on how to get things done when you know you CAN wait to do it but really shouldn't? My husband is the opposite, his nickname is Turbo because he jumps on everything right away!
I like that saying "Just Do It" but I don't! Is there any hope for me????
I guess technically its "ok" since everything gets done eventually, but the reason why I think I'm mental is that I can SEE what I'm doing and want to do something different but can't seem to for some reason. I don't know if that makes sense or not. But if others are procrastinators I would like to know if they do something to help them get it done faster. Like on weekends if I've left a lot of housework to do and its overwhelming...one "trick" I use to get thru it is I will watch a few Lifetime movies and only do housework on the commercals. It really works great! You don't even feel like you are doing anything and after a couple movies your stuff is done!
Cate...are you my long lost sister???? I think I will check into ADD. My daughter has it and my son is ADHD and they said its hereditary...I thought it might be from my ex!!! I'll have to check it out. Thanks for the info. I know its not just me but its crazy to deal with it. You know you have this issue but can't just hop up and go get stuff done even tho you know you have too!
I do this most times too, so I will watch for the responses you get. Some days I can plow through work liek crazy but most days I wait and wait...
Nope - you're just the Princess. I'M the Queen!
I've been procrastinating doing 50 things that need to get done for the last two hours while I've been on this site!
So, now that I've admitted it, I'm going to log off and go do some work! Thanks for helping me with that! : )
ETA: And since posting the above, I have spent 15 more minutes on here, answering A.M. with a PM. (giggle, that sounds funny) AAUUURRRRGGGHH I have GOT to get off this thing!
I may be overreaching-but I have ADD and I'm the same WAY! I walk around my house and look at this and that and think...I want to re-organize that, or clean that, or move that or throw that away...but I don't feel like it right now-and that feeling is overwhelming to the desire to get it done.
Our husbands are the same too-mine is like...really...is it that hard...
If you have felt this way since childhood you might want to consider looking at taking an ADD profile quiz, (easy to find online at ADD organizations)..but again--it might just be your personality and sometimes you just have to lean into those traits and celebrate the others.
And your comment about the Lifetime movies cracked me up-cuz that's my vice too-maybe it's THERE fault!
Oh can I empathize . . . one thing that helps me is to set the timer on my Blackberry. I figure I can do almost anything for 15 minutes. Then I take a 10 or 15 minute "break" - to do something I actually prefer doing (reading or writing).
Schedule procrastination minutes the same way.
It just helps me to get a better feel for how I'm actually spending my time.
Eh, I work better under pressure, too!
As long as you're not blowin' off deadlines left and right, give yourself a break. Why would someone else's way be better for you?
:)
Lol, I think my husband might be part of your kingdom! He is a master at procrastination...I dont know how many times a day I hear..."In a minute" several minutes/hours/days and sometimes months pass before he does something.
Are you an aquarius? LOL I am and I am also a procrastinator which I attribute to my sign (that is one of the characteristics of aquarius). When in school and turning in papers and such it always seemed like I worked better under pressure anyway. I guess I don't really have any advice except maybe reward yourself if you get something done early? Good luck!
Start slowly. ANYTHING YOU CAN DO IN TWO MINUTES OR LESS, DO RIGHT THEN. If you start implementing this easy rule, you will start getting in the habit of doing little things right away and hopefully that will translate to the rest of your life. I am an organized person, but someone told me this a couple years ago and I use it all the time. Rather than putting a bill into the "to be filed" box, I file it right then and then it's out of the way for good. If there are a few dishes that need to be done, I do them immediately, so they don't pile up and it becomes a bigger job. Try it, it really works:)
I'm the exact same way and have been since I was a kid. I know I've been this way for that long because something that my dad told me when I was little has stuck with me. My mom was getting on to me about procrastinating. Then, my dad comes into the conversation and says to me, "You're just a crastinator... I'M a PRO-crastinator!" Of course, that completely derailed what my mom was trying to accomplish, and it's not helpful to you, but I thought it was a fun story I could share!
As for tricks to get things done? I guess I make deals with myself. "Okay, I'll let myself do X, but then as soon as that's done, I have to do Y in return." Or, "I have to do Y before I can let myself do X."
I know I am the queen! I also have ADHD (didn't know till was researching my son). My therapist says the procrastination is actually a tool that is there to help us relax and not overwork! She says you need to acknowledge and embrace that part of us. One of the things that I found that works is breaking tasks into smaller pieces and writing those on note cards. Then when that task is done, you can show progress by throwing the card away or moving it to the back of the pile if it is a recurring task like dishes etc. Has really helped me stay on task for a certain amount of time.
