how do you guys over come procrastination?

[picard]

how do you guys over come procrastination?

I have tendency to put off plans until last minute which cause headache for me. I am reluctant to tackle a task because it seems so difficult.

 

[speed dawg]

I am the same way. Seems like I respond best to negative reinforcement, ie being forced to get after it because I have no choice because I procrastinated. Which in and of itself is not the best and most productive way to be. And funny enough, I hate to have things hanging over my head, though I procrastinate to take care of it.

If you find a good cure, let me know. The only thing that's helped me is to consciously NOT do it. Sort of like quitting smoking, biting fingernails, etc. Just a habit you have to break.

 

[Bible_Belt]

I keep putting off my response

I like to have two or three things to neglect at once. I can get something done if I am procrastinating on a couple other tasks.

 

[Lion]

I encounter this problem daily. It's a question of "what can I DO now?", what can you do to make progress. If you are procrastinating and have excuses for certain tasks, sometimes you can only do so much. Break each task down into smaller tasks and make a hand-written LIST!
You can take the list wherever you go and cross tasks off as and when you can.

This is a good read:
http://www.sosuave.net/forum/showthread.php?t=162663

 

[speakeasy]

I wish there was an easy answer, because I'm a big procrastinator myself. An what makes it so easy to be a procrastinator is all the electronic distractions around me. Incoming text messages, phone, Ipod, facebook, forums like this, radio, for example. There's literally endless things out to there to throw you off the tracks and make procrastination much easier.

 

[SharinganUser]

Just procrastinate tomorrow.

 

[GQ_Confidence_1]

I use to be a big procrastinator in highschool, college. I like to compartmentalize those years in my mind and forget them.

Because a lot of the goals I have now, I cant really procrastinate on.

Tips...

-What can I do *RIGHT NOW*? Anything is an improvement from where you are.

Even just writing things down. I've read that your mind can produce a thought, but it may only last for 30 or 60 seconds, and then its gone. Gone forever, you'll never remember it again. If you get in the habit of writing down thoughts as they come to you, its sort of a way to gain on procrastination. You'll capture those thoughts forever. But you have to make it a habit.

-Whats your identity?

Maxwell Maltz's book, Pyscho Cybernetics is sometimes quoted on sites like this, or self improvement sites. There was a part in the book that really stuck out for me.

Your identity is basically rock solid. Violating what you think your identity is, would be like a law abiding citizen suddenly becoming a criminal. Your identity is that solid. Work on ways to identify yourself as not a procrastinator. If you have an internet user name....bigprocrastinator...that might get in the way

-But really, what can you do now. Break it into small tasks. Maybe even break those into smaller ones. And see where the block is.

 

[EA Gold]

Just tell yourself


"I'm In the Process of __________"

and fill in the blank with whatever you need to do. It's just to remind yourself that what your trying to accomplish is not going to be like climbing the whole mountain in 1 day.

It would be like a slow incline walk to the top, and once you get there you find out how easy it was to do the task, and wonder why you were scared to do the task at first.

It's sad how we let things go by, even not doing something for years and we look back with regret. But one thing you shouldn't procrastinate on is this question...

 

[Da Realist]

I struggle with it also. The times I've been successful was when I broke things down into smaller task. What happens it that sometimes I se the big picture and it basically freaks me out because it may be a big project. The thing is to calm down and focus on a small part at a time. Basically, you get a small piece done til you run out of stuff to do hopefully leaing you either with time to go back to make corrections or a good finished project off the bat.

 

[Alle_Gory]

I work best by applying the "piece by piece" method. I have some ADD tendencies. The disorganized mind and the intense focus sometimes.

 

[Colossus]

I have a solution but I'll just tell you tomorrow.

 

[Ganondorf]

First step would be to get off sosuave and do whatever you is that you keep putting off the go from there lol

 

[f283000]

Procrastination is typically a symptom of a perfectionist personality or a fear of losing your free time. Unfortunately, the free time you have from procrastinating is filled with guilt. With perfectionism, if you never complete a task, you can never be judged on the outcome. Behavioral therapy actually works wonders for it. I used to be terrible but purchased some audiobooks on the subject and actually did the work they prescribed and slowly but surely it went away. It is very liberating.

All the advice you'll hear about "man up" or "just get over it', etc., is idiot talk. It is a behavioral disorder and needs treatment; you choose the form, from books, audio tapes or behavioral therapist. The amazing thing is the joy you'll get from guilt free pleasure in your free time. Good Luck.

Can you please tell us the products you purchased which helped you out, thank you.

 

[Ragin_Asian]

bump...this is interesting

 

[spider_007]

One way i fight procrastination is by NEVER STARTING TO PROCRASTINATE.

i know that if when i get home from work, i eat, and then set down to relax a bit, i'll won't get up, and i'll just keep sitting there for the rest of the day. So the way i fixed that is imediatly after i eat i put on my shoes and go to the gym. If when i come back i have other things to do, i go do them imediatly after i come back.

I can't let my body rest, because as soon as my ass hits the coutch, that's it.

I'll go to sleep little earlyer just so that i'm rested, and no more afternoon naps that used to last from 6-9pm, then back to sleep at 11pm-5am

So short answer: constant motion from one item on your to-do list to another....don't make a mistake of "relaxing" in between, otherwise you might be out for the day.

 

[mikeyb]

When I find myself procrastinating I make a schedule that includes free time as well as the less enjoyable tasks and usually this allows me to stick to it. Sometimes when it's really tedious stuff I sweeten the deal with a coffee or cookie or something.

Breaking up tasks is also helpful: instead of spending, say, 2 hours working on something, split it up into 30-min work periods separated by 10-min breaks. It takes longer but you are more motivated and end up performing better.

 

[f283000]

First step would be to get off sosuave and do whatever you is that you keep putting off the go from there lol

yeah!

 

[Centaurion]

All the advice you'll hear about "man up" or "just get over it', etc., is idiot talk. It is a behavioral disorder and needs treatment; you choose the form, from books, audio tapes or behavioral therapist. The amazing thing is the joy you'll get from guilt free pleasure in your free time. Good Luck.

This is so true. I've tried everyting, but nothing helps. Do you have any suggestions on what books to read?

Start of a mad rant:

I'm studying law and I havn't done **** for the last year. We only have two 6 hour exams at the end of the year with a curricullum that is well over 5000 pages in addition to a million cases that we have to read. Guess what I have been doing for the last year? P R O C R A S T I N A T I N G! I just had my first exam today, and I only started stuyding for real two days beforehand, craming like a madman last night. It just ****ing sucks! Procrastinating can really **** up your life! :box:

Okey that's the end of my rant.

 

[EA Gold]

I've been looking for this.. thanks

 

[Trader]

Procrastination is often (but not always) a symptom of low self-confidence