Discussion on:

10 steps to stop procrastinating

or the next day

maybe I'll try tomorrow....

It took an hour but I got through writing this post.
I'll reward myself by doing that other report tomorrow. Maybe

At the end of the day, put it first on the list of things to do tomorrow.

Then do it.

Very well put and composed. The takeaway here is the concept of e-motion. Recognizing the emotions and then releasing them so that we can focus on the goal. I will try to practise this as I procrastinate again...thank you!

I'm procrastinating by reading and responding to this article.

But we can talk about that later. . .

Is just taking the leap.

The rest of it is logical thinking but when it is time to put the rubber to the road that's the hard part.

...is because of procrastination.

You published this, therefore you are not a procrastinator.

but I'm reading this instead...

Sometimes it's a health issue.

I did not know it, but I had sleep apnea. As a manager, I couldn't function. I was always tired, even after 13 hours of sleep a night. I felt terrible, the world was gray. I nearly died, falling asleep on the freeway on a bright sunny day on the way to the doctor to be examined.

I started the treatment Friday night. By morning I was seeing in color again. I could think. It was the best rest I had in a decade.

Monday morning, it took me just the morning to go from 590 emails down to the 109 I needed to work with. My memory improved immensely. Life started to be good.

This cautionary tale is to get all of you to consider that a source of procrastination may be a health issue which causes you to be unable to cope with your daily life: Your get up and go has gotten up and gone.

If you really don't know what to do, procrastination is your first line of defense, but most problems need solutions that cannot be put off.

And procrastinating about medical issues can be deadly.

I came here while procastinating, and reading it is making me procastinate more...
Quite interesting article as usual, by the way.

Once the cycle of procrastination has begun, the guilt factor bites like a bitter wind. I find physical exercise to be a helpful tool. Also, I try to bargain with myself. If I can withstand 60 minutes of a difficult task, then I get 10 minutes of something I enjoy. Lastly, it all boils down to self-control, whether mind, body, or spirit.

Can some one read this to me?

If it wasn't for procrastination, a lot of things would never get done.

Think about it. How many things, useful things, have you worked on and finished, because it was a good way to justify putting off that BIG thing that you didn't want to do?

Another problem is the occasional positive reinforcement you get when you put off (e.g.) writing that report, only to find out that the project has changed direction and the report isn't needed after all. Look at all the time you saved by procrastinating!

I was a bit disappointed not to see the boredom factor mentioned in the article. So, what emotion is that? I procastrinate because i'm afraid to be bored by the task at hand?

There is nothing that a man can't do tomorrow....

Could you please reduce it to 3 or 2?

Intellectuals solve problems, geniuses prevent them. Einstein -
Think of the problems we prevent because we procrastinate!

long enough, that they had to publish the article without his name.

I've used procrastination effectively for almost 70 years. The adrenalin rush I receive by waiting until the last possible minute has rarely failed to push me over the top to meet work deadlines or personal obligations. For those who want their lives to be a perpetual roller-coaster ride ...

One more point in defense of procrastination: One's mind need not be idle during the period of delay. In my case, I'm considering how to do 'x' most effectively, efficiently, parsimoniously, etc.,while attempting to anticipate as many contingencies as possible so that I may truly hit the proverbial ground running. Fools rush in, where angels wisely procrastinate ...

Absolutely useless article - zero really working technics listed. Just maybe googgle first the term at list, or what, serp really filed by quality articles.

Do our "emotions" really work like is described in step 3? Sounds more like folk psychology than actual psychology. Indeed, the actual research onto things like this is that they do more harm than good if it is these "emotions" we are trying to get rid of.

unless there's plenty of work to be done"
---Mark Twain

I"m just Burnt Out. I still know everything... I can still do it all... I just don't care any more... just don't give a _ _ _ _ ... Not suicidal, but just don't give a _ _ _ _... I'd rather joke around and slam people... Gotta have a sense of humor, your know... Take pills to stay awake... Take pills for pain... Coffee, Energy Drinks, Sodas, etc. Work-out in early A.M.

Sorry, I didn't get round to reading it.

This 10-step anti-procrastination marathon is bigger and more complex than any project I've been given in a long time. It's so daunting, I'll definitely have to put off starting it and do some work instead.

#12 - Stop commenting on TechRepublic

I liked the point about assessing your emotional state to determine why you have the urge to procrastinate. I've read before that four important addiction triggers can be represented by the acronym H.A.L.T. -- Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired. I think these states are also useful in tracking procrastination. If you can determine that one of them is true for you at the moment of procrastination, then a break to remedy whatever it is may help.

Right after I read one more techrepublic article.

alone!

...that it took me 9 days to get around to reading this article?

Thought so.