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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsProcrastinating. I do it well.
A thread about procreating would be more interesting, but I went with procrastinating.
I have some contract work to do outside of my regular job. It pays well. I'm happy to have it. I had the month of September to complete it. I'm pretty well down to the last 10 days of the month and it's about 1/3 done. The remainder is doable, but it won't be without some sweating and unnecessary stress from leaving the bulk of it to the tail end.
I'm not a high school or college kid anymore. I know better, but I have now put myself behind the 8 ball. I should be working on it right now, but I'm posting here.
I expect this sort of response:
Do you regularly put stuff off? Office projects? Household maintenance or chores? Taxes?
TexasTowelie
(112,236 posts)...tomorrow.
ret5hd
(20,493 posts)elleng
(130,964 posts)Why Do Anything? A Meditation on Procrastination
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/18/opinion/why-do-anything.html?
NJCher
(35,685 posts)It made me think about that state of perfection in our minds.
Wounded Bear
(58,664 posts)discntnt_irny_srcsm
(18,479 posts)...what you can postpone indefinitely.
Major Nikon
(36,827 posts)but laziness pays off now.
rurallib
(62,423 posts)cleveramerican
(2,895 posts)I will stop whatever I'm doing in a hot minute for a hot dog or any damn thing
as I get older its getting worse
progressoid
(49,991 posts)True Dough
(17,305 posts)Got a good chuckle out of it. Thanks.
NJCher
(35,685 posts)but being a busybody know-it-all type of person, I'll tell you what you should be doing.
Estimate the time the job takes. Break it down over the available time period. Do a little each day and you won't be stuck at the end, working like a demon to get it all done.
Give yourself a calendar to hang on the wall or keep a digital one. Fill it in every day that you stick to your schedule. Makes you feel great that you were able to get it done!
Cher
True Dough
(17,305 posts)Easier said than done, of course. But it does make a lot of sense.
I've been in a higher gear over the past couple of days. Not feeling panic because I am confident I'll meet deadline but it's not being done at the even pace you recommend.
LisaL
(44,973 posts)TexasBushwhacker
(20,196 posts)And some people like working under pressure.
Generic Brad
(14,275 posts)That's how I respond. BAM!
Avalux
(35,015 posts)I do this - even if I have a month to finish a project, I'll usually piddle with it off and on but wait until the last few days to dig in and knock it out. Call me crazy but I enjoy working that way.
Procrastination can be good, especially if you're an active procrastinator - you do other things while you put off the 'big' thing.
https://www.fastcompany.com/3025930/work-smart/6-reasons-to-embrace-procrastination
Kali
(55,013 posts)very rarely do I get anything done ahead of time. or even on time. just did my 2014 taxes last month, in fact.
True Dough
(17,305 posts)you'd be contending for the pole position!
Kali
(55,013 posts)but at least I did last year's. (on April 15th, of course)
NJCher
(35,685 posts)You have to do it one way or the other, so you might as well do it on time as not do it on time.
It boils down to two choices: do it on time and save the risks, or do it late and risk penalties, fees, or standing out to the IRS.
Cher
Kali
(55,013 posts)until 2014 I had another person I was accountable to that helped me stay focused on the task, since then I blow it off for too long then can't get the supporting docs together by midnite on the 15th so take the extension...then that rolls around...then because I rarely actually owe anything, the penalties don't even motivate me...it is a vicious circle!
My CPA told me, though, that with the IRS you want to "fly low." (his expression) When I asked him what that meant, he said turn your return in when everyone else does so you don't stand out, not for any reason.
Cher
the IRS is one situation you want to be just one of the sheep.
trof
(54,256 posts)1. Get the asphalt driveway and parking area resurfaced.
2. Get the wood trim (on a mostly brick house) re-stained.
3. Get the boat dock planking re-nailed. Nails on a dock eventually rust.
4. Get the leaking screened porch roof fixed.
5. Get the ceilings stained by a now repaired rood leak painted.
6. Find out why I get black gunk from the faucet and shower in MY bathroom and no other outlet in the house.
7. Finish the remodel of the garage converted to a utility/laundry room that I started years ago.
I could go on.
It's a sickness.
NJCher
(35,685 posts)Take that list and paste it into a Word doc. Leave some blank space under each task. Print it out.
Buy a digital timer.
Every day, go out and do 5" or 10" on each task. Doesn't matter what it is, but do something toward getting that task finished. For example, on item 2, it might take you 5" to find the stain in the storage area. OK, fine. Then you know it's ready to go for the next day.
On item 1, it might simply be spending 5" getting referrals to an asphalt company.
Every day, do something to move each task forward. When you've done your 5 or 10", mark it down on your paper. When you've filled up the paper, put it away in a file or tack it to a bulletin board where you can see that you've moved forward on all these items. Print out a new one and eliminate any goals you've achieved.
Some days you may want to spend 20" doing a task, for example, the staining of the trim. That's fine. Just put "20" in the section for item 2.
But always keep your promise to yourself. If you say you're going to do 10", when 10" is up, move on.
Try it! It works!
And you feel great about yourself!
Cher
oh and p.s. if you don't get through all the items, just start on the one you didn't get done first the next day. Don't "make up" time from the previous day.
True Dough
(17,305 posts)Although the alternative is to hire a handyman! ☺
NJCher
(35,685 posts)I figure an hourly rate based on my income as to whether I should do that or not.
Other things I take into consideration are my level of expertise and things like professional equipment that might be needed.
I'm a real do-it-yourselfer, though. I should also add that I am so exhausted at the end of a day that I never even make it to bed. I just fall asleep in my chair or wherever I'm at.
I have a pretty good level of skills, but I do wish I'd taken courses in woodworking and basic electricity.
Oh, and one other option I just thought of: trade-outs with friends who have that level of expertise. For example, I'll make you a four-course dinner and deliver it to your house some night when you don't feel like cooking. In exchange, you change out these light switches for me. That sort of thing.
Cher
Thor_MN
(11,843 posts)AgadorSparticus
(7,963 posts)More than anything in the whole world. It is a bane in my existence.
Wolf Frankula
(3,601 posts)But I keep putting it off.
Wolf
Sunriser13
(612 posts)but I've been putting it off again...
Skittles
(153,169 posts)OMG don't even get me started on procrastination (HEY, IS THAT A PUN??!!)....I am a champion
Response to True Dough (Original post)
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In_The_Wind
(72,300 posts)[img][/img]
BarbaRosa
(2,684 posts)"waiting for the weather to warm so I can get started on last years projects."