Procratinating

[Anonymous]

GTD has really helped me BUT, I still procrastinate on particular NAs. Any tips guys?

[ceehjay]

Procrastination! A barrier for many of us.

To begin, what do you say to yourself about those particular NAs when you see them on your list?

1. Not important
2. Takes too much time
3. Don't know where to start
4. Don't feel like doing this today
5. Don't have the tools
6. Can't do this until . . .
7. Or any other "negative" of your choosing

There isn't one solution. There are many, depending on your reason for procrastinating. Tell us your reason(s), and maybe we can provide some solutions.

Carolyn

[Anonymous]

Stand up. Then start.

[TesTeq]

If you have to do something, do not do it today - do it the day after tomorrow - you will have two free days :wink: .
TesTeq

[Walter upstate]

This is not my thought, but I like it:

Never put off to tomorrow what you can do today; you might like it and you can do it again tomorrow.

[remyc88]

didn't want to start a new thread for this, but here's a funny clip regarding procrastination.

http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=7240

I really do feel like this somedays!

[jddqr]

I've found that staying as plain vanilla as you can get in terms of your implementation, then the more likely you'll say, "well, I have nothing else to tweak... I might as well nail a NA or two" :-)

Seriously, one of the biggest barriers I've noticed to doing stuff is the urge to tweak (and to post on this board instead of doing NAs... hmmmm)

[neil007]

My biggest problem during my 'unstructured day' (see other thread) is getting tempted to surf the web - im really trying to stop this.

[Claire]

Hi Neil
I just posted a reply to your other topic (http://www.davidco.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1749). One of the advantages for me of the system I describe is that it helps to impose an urgency on tasks for people like us who work within an unstructured week. Procrastination is still possible :wink: but not so prevalent, I find.
Claire.

[jmarkey]

didn't want to start a new thread for this, but here's a funny clip regarding procrastination.

http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=7240

I really do feel like this somedays!

Oh my, this clip is hilarious! I laughed so hard it hurt (I just had an impacted wisdom tooth removed).

[terence7]

My suggestion is very simple:

Make your Next Action smaller.


Even smaller than it currently is.

[Mindi007]

My suggestion is very simple:

Make your Next Action smaller.


Even smaller than it currently is.

That is very true. So many times, I find the NA I'm procrastinating on are the ones that I have some negative feeling about and therefore skip over no matter what my discretionary time and energy level is.
My personal example is phone calls. I hate making phone calls. I find that having "Call so and so" on my NA list almost never results in the call being made until crisis time. However, having the less threatening "Get so and so's number" on my NA list usually helps me get it done. Since I don't find looking up the number stressful, I start the ball rolling by pulling up the number and then I end up making the call right after because I have forward momentum on the project for which the phone call is needed.

[kkirksey]

GTD has really helped me BUT, I still procrastinate on particular NAs. Any tips guys?

I recommend a throught reading of The Now Habit:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0874775043/

[hth]

GTD has really helped me BUT, I still procrastinate on particular NAs. Any tips guys?

I recommend a throught reading of The Now Habit:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0874775043/

I strongly second this recommendation.
This book opened my eyes in many aspects.

Yours
Alexander

[trishacupra]

Hi,

I hate making phone calls and have put some off for ages in the past.

I realised that the reason I hate making them is because I'm afraid my mind will go blank, I'll forget what I needed to say, I'll sound stupid, and I'll be put on the spot. :oops:

So before I make a phone call, I list everything I need to ask/say, in best order, and use the list while I'm on the phone. I think through what words to use.

I don't really need the list when I make the phone call, and it always turns out fine, but it helps me prepare and be more confident. In a way, it's my crutch. :D

So, sometimes you need to figure out exactly why you're procrastinating, and then figure out what 'crutch' will help you overcome it (or at least work around it!). :D

Hope this helps,

Trisha Cupra, Life Coach

[K2Karen]

When I come across a task or action I just don't want to do, I can't always clearly tell you why I don't want to do it. Yes, it is probably too big a chunk and I should break it down, but I don't want to. (OK, a bit of a rebel sometimes.)

But I can do almost anything for 10 minutes.

So if the next action is something I just want to do, I'll set a timer for 10 minutes and just do it for 10 minutes.

--K2

[rskoss]

[quote=neil0007]

I recommend a throught reading of The Now Habit:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0874775043/

I just read the book and I can see how it can help menay people. Unfortuanately the book made me realize that I'm just plain lazy :-(

[trishacupra]

Perhaps you're not really that lazy - after all, you've managed to read a whole book, which beats all those people staring at some lame line-up of TV shows night after night...

Trisha :D

[kay]

Laziness is often a good character trait to have - the desire to avoid unnecessary effort has lead to many of the greatest inventions in history!

[trishacupra]

True. :D

I've been called lazy before, but I've always insisted I was conserving energy.

So there. ;)

If there's an easier, better, faster way - why not find it?

Trisha

[SteadyEdd]

A funny thing happened when I received my copy of the Now Habit; I started to procrastinate less! That was before I even turned a page! May be it's a psycological thing...I've started down the road of less procrastination and this has started the ball rolling. Weird