Procrastination, organisation and getting started

[Jasonvl]

Does anyone have trouble starting a task. A lot of the time once I start it's OK, but starting and getting organised is a challenge. For some reason I avoid creating a routine for myself. Does anyone have some hints?

 

[tducey]

I have the same issue. I usually get rave reviews for my work but it takes some time to get into it.

 

[Jasonvl]

I have the same issue. I usually get rave reviews for my work but it takes some time to get into it.

Do you stick to a routine?
Are you studying as well?

 

[On the Inside]

I approach procrastination from many different angles.

I have a hard time getting organized. I usually start with a vague idea of what I want/need to do and develop a plan along the way, gathering what tools, supplies, information I need along the way.

This is the only way I can work without front loading a lot of anxiety. Planning makes me anxious. While most people seem to be calmed by planning, to me it fills me with worry. I'm not going to think of everything and get everything I need.

I do try to develop some kind of plan and gather what I can. But each project is a new exploration. I never seem to encounter things that can be dealt with by a standard operating procedure, I often find myself re-inventing the wheel.

Apart from completely winging it and piecing things together as I go along, (improvisation, as an old room mate of mine called it) I try to make outlines of what I need to do, identify desired outcomes, make lists of what I need,
As I said, these are usually woefully incomplete, but if I am able to work at my own pace, slowly a plan will develop that leads towards a quality product.

I have been known for producing some outstanding work.

 

[On the Inside]

One block that I have is knowing that if I get into a work cycle, I might work for hours without taking a break. So I put things off, knowing that I dont have the time at present to really get anything done ( that is what I'll tell myself). I'll get obsessive about working and finishing the task/job/project. Used to work well when I was younger. That has become more difficult as I've gotten older. And it's not the safest/healthiest way to operate.

 

[On the Inside]

I have recently been able to let go, as they say, of the outcome. It has helped that I now have a job where I am responsible for preliminary design, planning and presentation. I Don't have to see things through to completion.

So in other areas I have used this to help me get started. Have a desired outcome in mind, but be flexible as condotions, unforeseen issues, time constraints, etc. Will all play a part in the final outcome, and much of that is beyond my control.

That, I think, is a sign that I am learning to forgive and accept myself better than before.

 

[Progster]

Yes, starting is usually the most difficult part of a task. It helps to divide a bigger task up into more managable chunks, and create a rule that I must finish this part today (then I can relax), then it doesn't seem so daunting.

I don't avoid creating routines, though, they help.

 

[Vinca]

If I can't imagine the steps involved in a process I am less likely to start it.

If I can imagine the steps involved in a process but they seem to require more resources than I have available, I feel overwhelmed and am less likely to start it.

Brainstorming ideas in a spider diagram then prioritizing them is the most helpful aid to avoiding procrastination for me.

 

[Adora]

I have procrastination issues,it’s prominent when it comes to drawing and it takes me ages to build up to do a drawing then after I draw I won’t draw again for a few months,I am getting better though because the longest period I went without doing a proper drawing was two years and I promised myself I wouldn’t go that long again.

 

[Ezra]

I procrastinate all the time. Unless it's something I'm doing when I should be doing something else, then I'm right on top pf it.

 

[Graphin]

Well I often procrastinate when having to do something that I don't even end up starting the last night before the deadline, not only with schoolwork but also with things like writing a simple mail so i can claim warranty

 

[WereBear]

I find it is a mental block that I can solve by realizing how much of it is that deadly habit, Perfectionism.

It is pressure. Whatever you can do to bypass the pressure will help.

Like I now write a sloppy first draft for fiction, all over the map and whole chapters just “and then this happens.” Works great. I use the Scrivenir software.

Maybe because have an affinity for computers, plotting it out with mindmapping kinds of software is a first step that is kind of fun, so that helps.

 

[Iamnotarabot]

It's been years that I cant organize properly.

 

[Dillon]

this has been become a habit of mine for quite a while which is putting things off till the last minute or not doing something at all. It can be things like not taking out the trash till the very next day or putting off for a few hours emailing someone over an important subject. It’s can also be simple things like not doing laundry even when I’m reminded to do so when I shouldn’t. All I want to to is just lay in my bed watching something or playing a game I mean of course I’m going to since I’m on holiday break and classes start back Monday for me.
Also I’ve been really procrastinating in putting off my school work close to the deadline such as a research paper I have to turn in Monday night. I’m close to being done but I work a little bit of it the past 2 days when it would take me 2 hours to finish it. I also need to study for 2 lab finals this coming week plus 3 comphrensive finals the week after and I told myself I was really going to study during my break but it never happened.

I got some big time procrastination going on I guess this semester of college is getting to me. However whenever I do that though I end up in my own imagination like I’m almost day dreaming being stuck in a fantasy world in my head so that’s what’s been happening lately and maybe it’s stress too without realizing it at all.

How often do you procrastinate and does it get to the point that you may not get something done? Can procrastinating also do with being on the spectrum even though I should not blame it all on that?

 

[SusanLR]

Yes, one of the worst.
I don't know if it has to do with ASD either, but, I don't like deadlines and appointed times on anything.
The day before I know there is something I have to meet a deadline on I started thinking I'll have plenty
of time tomorrow before I go to get what ever ready.
Nope. Next thing I know I'm running out the door with 10 mins. to get there.
There's always some excuse for running out of time it seems.

 

[Fino]

I have too much anxiety to procrastinate, but I do estimate times wrong most of the time and end up late a lot!

 

[Progster]

It depends what it is. I do tend to leave things to the last minute, or underestimate how long it's going to take to do something and/or get distracted, which leads to a lot of culnery disasters or to my being late, but if it's something I enjoy doing, then it's no problem. If I have something important that is time critical, I put myself reminders, but often it makes me anxious and I can't relax until I've done it, so I do it in order to get it out of the way and be able to relax. One thing that I am good at is paying bills, because I hate being in debt, so I always pay them straight away.

I'm bad for not getting round to doing things or forgetting things like household chores, for example, piles of clothes that I have washed and not put away and can be there for weeks, washing that has been washed and forgotten in the washing machine so I end up having to wash it again because it begins to smell, or forgetting to take the trash out, or stuff to recycle.

 

[Moomin]

Depends what it is...

I have try to be relatively well organized but I am quite bad at having to filter the important and not so essential stuff. And determining time allowances for it all. I still haven’t done my laundry! I also avoid for as long as I can if I’m anxious about a particular response. My university was understanding there but it was a struggle to hand in my dissertation (I did do it in the end though and it was already written).

 

[Iamnotarabot]

Think about doing something.
Feel that you have enought time.
Burn the entiere day with internet/sport/music/whatever.
Time is running short , feel an anxiety burst because you are afraid you will fail.
Time is running out , but if I do the thing now it will be bad. So I don't.

Play on repeat.

Truth is that I never did anything on my own until someone forced me to or pushed me to do something.

Its like I'm a car without engine.

 

[Nihil]

I recently started to stop sitting down excessively, since learning about how bad sitting excessively is for health. That's helped a bit. I listen to music or podcasts when moving around.