Procrasti...

[no_leaf_clover]

Maybe a problem of motivation? I think that's my problem. Most or all of the things I procrastinate with simply don't interest me, or there is no motivation for me to do whatever I'm 'supposed' to. Procrastination isn't a big problem of mine anymore, though (at least at school, which is where the things that I am 'supposed' to do are assigned). Now I just don't do whatever I don't feel like while trying to balance my grades through test and quiz scores. []

[Ybom]

It partially is, but I think there's more to it than just that, partially due to the relationships I have. Some of these things I also genuinely wish to do, but I just can't for unknown reasons. When I try to look internally I can't figure it out either.

It's so bad now that I am thinking about going to a hypnotist to try to see if I can figure this out. As for other ideas, well that's what I posted here for before I take that route.

[James S]

I agree with no_leaf. Procrastination in itself is just a symptom. Lack of motivation or inspiration is the cause. I know the feelings well...unfortunately. Even things you might want to do, you start putting off because of general feelings of apathy.

These are part of what I'd call the "dark" emotions. Emotions that drain energy from you. It can be a bit of a hard slog, but the way I've found to help here is through times of quiet meditation - drawing into yourself all the "positive" energies around you. At this time don't think about trying to cure procratsination or motivation problems, just think about lifting your energy levels up, and the rest will take care of itsself more or less automatically.

I know it all sounds good in theory, but I do hope it helps.

Regards,
James.

[Ybom]

You see, James, I don't technically have a motivation or inspiration problem at all. I know what it is that I desire to do, or create, or fix, or whatnot. The only thing that I've tended to be able to express this is via writing and here on the forums. I also don't relate to having an apathy problem, but rather a threshold tolerance. I really do feel pain, heavy emotions, depth, logic, and everything else that makes us normal happy people. The difference is the deepness at which I can go into each of these. My self reflection ability is quite high in my opinion on many levels (of course it's lacking in others, but that's not the purpose of this thread to get all technical into that detail and direction). My self esteem is pretty good right now too, and I sense a direction to where my path lies in life on many levels. I have a really great girlfriend that is also my best friend, and it's just strange how that's playing out, but we just get along so well, despite everyone else around us. We're in our own little universe. I also have a good relationship with my parents right now and I talk with one or the other almost daily even living 600 miles apart.

Yet there still remains the everlasting stump that when I think I get rid of it, it pops up in another place to trip me up and block my path. I try to climb over it and it grows to massive proportions to where I'd need a lifetime to cross it, and as soon as I get back off it becomes small again. I try to trick it by dressing up in a costume and walk around it, it grows weeds with thorns that strips my trenchcoat away. I try to blow it up or uproot it, it's like those cartoons where Goofy or someone is cutting down a tree and the chainsaw breaks, the axe gets that blunt edge in the shape of the trunk, the dynamite doesn't work (but he blows up his house and his nice garden catches on fire in the process), the laser works, but the tree grows back veryfast, etc.

I'm so happy with everything except in 2 areas, my memory, and this blockage.

[James S]

Thanks for the extra detail Ybom.

Looks then like I've come at this from completely the wrong direction! Sorry[:I]

You mention that memory is a bit of a problem also. Could it be then that your procrastination is more a result of "scattered" thoughts - that is, being easily distracted from one task by another, so you then think "I'll get back to that one later"?

Regards,
James.

[clandestino]

Here's my two-pence worth.

Everybody has things they want to acheive, things they dream of. But its easier to sit back and do nothing, than actually do something about it.

You are trying to get from point "A" (where you are now) to point "B" (enjoying your acheivement).

This looks simple... the key thing to remember, is do it step by step. The tortoise beat the rabbit, etc. Slowly but surely will win at the end of the day.

Another point for you : Write down a diary / plan of what you want to acheive. I'm currently saving to go to Australia for a year....its hard work, but having put a plan / budget in place, and trying to follow it slowly but surely, I'll get there !!!

Good luck !
Mark

[Ybom]

First, I'd like to say thanks for providing help for this issue. I think with enough effort I may unlock this mystery. Keep talking about this; it seems the problem is becoming apparent as I read over the things that I'm going not quite...or no...or hmmm. Eliminating those will lead to the truth, however long that may take, and you're helping me go down that path. I can't wait until I see the problem now!

Anyways, I'm one of those notorious thing losers (but also not in some cases). I seem to keep a couple of items locked in my head to always have, but like a journal, my subconscious thinks of it as a win/lose situation, since my handwriting is a bit bad. I've tried to reprogram this so I won't lose every journal I start, but I'm not having much luck on that end. I tried getting a PDA, but I just stopped using it for some reason or another. I think there might be a way to trick myself into the mindset if I can figure out how to make myself continually take notes for a day or so, but this never works out right either.

As for point A to B step by step, my subconscious doesn't like that concept. I feel it in my gut as I read over that. It's like it's saying "that's oversimplifying the problem!" or something. Remember, I'd love to follow this process, but my subconscious rejects it like a stubborn child. Also, I personally don't believe that sitting back and doing nothing is easier...it's been a goal in my life to go against that mentality (aka anything is possible when you actually do it...there is no try only do...etc...2 of my favorite quotes there<)

Ok, some solutions that I've started to develop simply from the focus on this issue:
1. What can I do to put an item in my brain to make it look as important as say, my wallet, and be able to do this continuously?
2. How can I get over that initial energy drain problem when I think about doing something useful?
3. Am I not accepting something about myself that I'm just overlooking?
4. Is my subconscious playing a game on me, or getting revenge for something? Would be funny if myself hates myself and I don't know it...eek
5. Is this a neg attack?

*edit* before I get ahead of myself I think I just figured something out. When I "research" something, aka try to get info to try to help some process along, or to make something better, I am more apt to do it. I'll try to apply this, err "research" this further. I hope this works.

[James S]

"Anyways, I'm one of those notorious thing losers (but also not in some cases)."

Hehehe...both my wife and I are shocking with this.[]
I think it comes from having your mind somwhere else when you put something down. You don't actually loose it as such, you're just not mentally present at the time you put it down.[]

Funny I was just talking to someone else about something that might relate here. I have a big problem with keeping my mind in the present. It's always wandering off thinking about things I have done or things I'm going to do. If I work harder at keeping my mind nailed down in the here and now, I don't think I'd  forget things as much because I'll be paying more attention to them. Hard thing to do though, especialy when you're mind's in the habbit of wandering off like mine is.

[]
James.

[atalanta]

Hi there,

Goodness its like I am looking in a mirror.  I also have this problem.  It has gotten so bad that I have started to see a therapist because of it.  I have given it lot of thought and for myself, it is a mixture of anxiety and depression.

My anxiety causes me to be mildly agoraphobic and socially phobic.  Nothing too major, I do get out but I have this sense of being uncomfortable until I get home.  Of course, this can occassionally bring me down.  Then I just can't move myself.  Its not that I don't know what I want out of life, its just that I don't seem to get myself moving towards that direction.  There is also a kind of sabotage thing about it as well since, I often set myself a task and there is a part of me that is p'd off with having to do this task.  It may be something I actually want to do, ie, a course, but I get annoyed that I then have to meet certain commitments.  So there is a kind of feeling of being trapped, so whats the best way to get out of things, sabotage yourself.  Afterall, if you don't want to do something, no one can make you.  Right?!

I don't know if that helps or explains anything or gives you any ideas as to why you may be procrastinating.  However, I do know that simply saying, 'just do it' doesn't work for me either.  I don't believe that you are not motivated or inspired, I think that there are competing motivations which are sabotaging you and if you can figure out what they are then maybe you can start to deal with the issue.

Have you seen a counsellor?  If you do, try and find a counsellor who can work at a deeper level with you.  I don't have anything against behavioural therapies, ie, cognitive behaviour therapy, but it is more of a 'just do it' type therapy and you sound like you need to find deeper reasons for why you are, the way you are.  Maybe try someone who has a psychodynamic, depth psychology, specialisation, for example, a psychoanalyst or Jungian analyst (if you want to focus on existential/transpersonal aspects).

Yeh, I have a background in psych studies, but it was easier to become a psych patient than a therapist! [] What can I say, I really get procrastination.  Take care and if you want to chat privately PM me.

[findtruth]

One thing you could do, Ybom, is instead of spending so much time typing, go do whatever it is you want to do.
Do you think that there is something else distracting you from working towards your goals or just doing what you really want to be doing?

[Ybom]

I actually want to type. This in no way distracts me from what I want or need to be doing, since it is in line with all that right now.

The actual problem is perking up the immediate interest in my subconscious to start working on those other goals. There also seems to be another problem that reflects in my memory (meaning if I actually do start working on it and something else comes up for a second, I completely forget about the original project a lot of the time). This by no means always happens, just an observation of the times I do.

Now the reason of my original post is I was fighting in myself to figure out why I wasn't writing the book that I need to work on (a simple 50 page poetry book, hand bound, 1 copy, for my girlfriend on her birthday). There are other projects, but this is what I was trying to work on at the time. The whole problem is that my subconscious has put this into the annoying task section of my brain; the one that has lots of guilt and self-hatred as "motivating" factors to try to get you to work on them. My solution is to take things like this, and recategorize them into the "research" part of my brain, or better described as the area that makes me search the web for various things (like for instance on this project I've already located the type of paper, and potential cover options). By doing so I think I'll finish the word portion this weekend.

Anyways I have to go I'll come back and finish on the details later.

[gamer666]

Maybe you are dehydrated

[Ybom]

Nah...I wish...then I could blame it on that...but nope...I drink too much water on a daily basis, compared to the average person (I get about a gallon per day minimum)

[Jenadots]

Ah, Procrastination....one of my favorite faults!  Relax and enjoy it is my advice.  

Seriously, tho..be selective about it.  Or set aside an hour a day in which you will do absolutely nothing but procrastinate, dawdle, sit idly by, whatever you want to call it.  It may just be that you are not giving yourself that luxury of time without any demands, shoulds, coulds, have-to's, must-do's that we place on ourselves.

It may also be a problem of priorities.  Some things are more important than others.  I have started asking myself if "this", whatever it is, will matter to me in five or ten years.  If the answer is no, then it goes off my list of things to do.  It has simplified my life tremendously by getting rid of all the unnecessary things I was trying to do.  In trying to do everything, I wasn't doing any one thing very well.  

For example, you say you are trying to work on a 50 page book of poetry for your girlfriend.  Why 50 pages?  Why not just 10?  Or even just one, very well written lovely poem done in calligraphy over a silk screened or sepia tone photograph of the two of you?  She would treasure this just as much if she truly treasures you.  

I am really saying, Just simplify.  I think procrastination becomes a problem when we feel overwhelmed by all we have to do but we rarely question what we think we have to do.  

So throw out at least half of the items on your list of must-do's, maybe more, and focus on the rest.  This will give you some do nothing time everyday and you can cut down on your worry-about-it time.  []

[Ybom]

The book doesn't matter if it's 50 pages or not really. I was killing 2 birds with it because of the novel I am going to write eventually. Giving her a book about 50 pages long would help me organize the time and effort for a much longer book, as in it would be sort of practice. As of right now I've accepted this, and am shortening the length to 20 pages or less depending on what feels right when I get about 10 or so done. The book itself will probably have papyrus paper, and a special book cover material.

What you are suggesting is to treat the symptoms rather than cure the cause. Yes this works, but what about when I truly have to do something similar to the 50 page book in order to save a job or something? This "treatment" won't work for that. As for spending an hour every day doing nothing at all, I do much more than that. It doesn't fix the problem even a little (I spend about 2 hours every day doing absolutely nothing at all, not including weekend days; I do have that much free time).

By the way guys, thanks for all your help and support! Don't think because I'm actively critiquing each post here that I'm denouncing everything! I'm pretty sure someone is going to eventually post something that wakes me up. It was something James said that somehow got that research idea in my head to click. Keep going with this. Also, I'm going to ask for you guys to help me to pray for this to be solved...another thing...is there anyone that thinks they could remote and check out me a little more in depthly? I'd appreciate any efforts that could solve this. Thanks again.

[gamer666]

You could make a  device that shocks you if you don't do your work, but then maybe you would procrastinate making it.

[chupacabra]

Not to oversimplify or sound like a know-it-all but I think it's pretty simple.

Fear. You don't want to follow through with something because it might turn out to be a piece of excrement. Or at least it's not living up to the fantasy version of it that's in your head, so you allow yourself to be content daydreaming about it. In my case, having much practice being in fantasy-land and not in "now" land has caused me to misplace things, forget important details, and generally do a half-butt job in the taking care of business department of life and in the execution of creative endeavors.

But, sitting down and committing to a creative project can be pretty terrifying. It's an invitation to success or failure. And your good buddy, ego, will do everything in it's power to keep you from feeling failure to the point that it will use any and all excuses/procrastination tools at it's disposal (internet porn, anyone?). It feels it's in your best interest to just not work on that silly project at all. The ego is a bad bad man. He is NOT your friend.  

When you finally buckle down and commit something to paper or tape or pixels it's a giant step. Getting a reasonable facsimile of that perfect idea to manifest in the physical is a grump.

But you have to do it. don't waste your time waiting for inspiration or wait for it to feel fun. And of course it feels strange and awkward, it's unknown territory, there are no maps. You're making it up as you go along.

But that's the cool thing about it too. Your're creating a completely new thing.

I'm sorry but you're going to have to ignore your emotions/mood/lack of inspiration and just do what you gotta do, even if you don't feel like it. and the urge to procrastinate will probably never go away. You just have to practice tuning out that voice, and focus on your business.

I also sensed you throwing a bit of a pity party for yourself. Although that's attractive and feels good in a sick sort of way (I have hosted many), eventually you'll get tired of that too. Don't be a victim.

Thus sayeth The Sucker of Goats. Amen.

Oh yeah. if you ever build a Procrasto-Zapper like gamer666 suggested, send me the plans.

[Ybom]

Well, how can you call that oversimplification anyways? I think you hit on something else that's within me, but you know living with this ego inside me I can't really easily emo-clear it or even ignore him (just calling it a him since I'm male...go fig). Can you basically elaborate on what my next step should be (well, to reduce trial and error), based on what you've done? >It doesn't sound like calling my ego a little "bad word for kitty" would help much other than to most likely make it mad and really start doing some evil stuff, or maybe not? The other side of the post is the fear from failure (I have a little fear of success, because I don't like pedistals). I'm not sure how to properly work that part out, but I think I need to deal with the ego side of it first.

Well, just a quick overview of my stance on your post, chupacabra. Thanks for the help and indepth thinking about it. I'll see what I can do about those taser plans though. They'll be done sometime in my next life, when we're both cats.

[chupacabra]

I was wondering if i would get a reply to my long-winded, preachy post.[]

The ego will start up it's crap with me in the form of whining, woe-is-me kinds of comments and excuses. the trick is to begin noticing these tactics so you can avoid getting taken along for the ride.

When I catch it in the act I immediately throw up a mental roadblock to it's comments and follow up with "Shut the #@!!! up" or something similar. This is pretty effective, you just have to train yourself to be vigilant in recognizing the ego in action and then shutting it down.

Once it is shut down, don't continue to confront it, focus completely on the task you want to complete. it may pop up again, just give it another mental right hook and re-focus

I think trying to work on the ego wouldn't get you very far and would  end up in more frustration. you'll never be rid of it completely. You can limit the time you spend listening to it, however, which will get you where you want to go anyway.

there's a great book called "Taming Your Gremlin" you might want to check out.

[Ybom]

Yep, that's how bad it is for me. I feel the need to prolong even finishing typing out the Thread title and replace it with 3 periods for spite, not only to confuse but to utterly not do it as well. This is an art form in itself, and I hate every minute of it.

The purpose of this topic is to ask for help in getting rid of this burden to want to procrastinate. It's like some people wish to smoke beyond the fact that it's bad for you; they enjoy it.

Let me make a few things more clear before you start replying with "just do it" and "you can get over it" or "it's just a phase". I don't wish to hate the ability to procrastinate, so much that I never can use it again. It's sort of like I have all this patience and no way out of it sometimes.

Based on that, could anyone help me here? There are some things that I just won't let myself do, and it's starting to really mess with me to a point I wanna beat myself to a living pulp (metaphorically speaking - that was not intended as a serious, rather a humorous).