[BuddyRoo]

I am one of the worst procrastinators I know. If I'm not under the gun, I don't get much done. It almost seems like the more time I have, the worse it is. Everything is down to the wire with me. Now, I DO get everything done on time, it's not that. I just drag my feet.

I can SAY it's because I have a really busy schedule with work, home, kids, horse, commute, etc and that when I have some down time, I just want to relax, but lots of other people do the same and don't procrastinate.

This is not a character trait I am proud of and I would like to change it!

Any reformed procrastinators out there and if so, any suggestions?

Right now I should be: going to hardware store, getting switches and switch plates and wiring them in to the living room, finding a vent cover, getting more hamburger for my dog's special diet, taking remaining fish to the pet store to sell back, draining fish tank, running out to barn to pack up tack, doing laundry, packing up the rest of the liquid items that the movers couldn't pack, steaming the living room carpet, and meeting friends for lunch, and a friend for dinner. Oh, and vote. Then I am to hit the road in the morning and move to VA. Maybe.

Thus far I have: started a load of laundry. fed dogs. made tea. enjoyed my first day as an unemployed person and without guilt, been reading COTH and FB.

I've given myself til 10:15 and then I have GOT to get a move on.

[danceronice]

I tell people I work best with concrete deadlines. Because if I don't, I never get anything done. I'll STILL do it at the last possible minute with a deadline, but it will get done.

Getting out of the house in the morning (now that I work 2-10) is a lost cause, though. I am NOT a morning person.

[pony grandma]

I always work best under pressure. It sharpens my focus.

[BuddyRoo]

You two are not reformed! You're ENABLERS!!!!

Love the siggy, PG!

[danceronice]

There is no point in fighting! Come to the procrastination dark side! We'll have cookies! Tomorrow...

[Only By Night]

...guilty.

[Crackerdog]

DD and I used to say, "Starting tomorrow..." but only about the little things like not eating at McDonalds anymore, going for more walks, watching less t.v.

Otherwise I am generally good about getting things taken care of, although there are days where it seems nothing gets accomplished.

[Karosel]

I procrastinate a lot. Like right now.

I tell myself "I work better under pressure." Ahh no I don't. That's just an excuse I have for putting things off. I should revise it to "I only work when under pressure."

[theblondejumper]

Same here. I was horrible in college--I procrastinated ALL the time. And now as an adult in the "real world" I'm not much better but I am working on it.

Haven't had a haircut in over a year due to procrastinating...
Basically if it's something I can put off, I will.

So now I'm challenging myself to not procrastinate on basic things like cleaning around the house, washing dishes, etc. I have also fallen through on some friendships because of just not making the time to call them...

[LexInVA]

Just wait until you move here. You're gonna wanna stay inside and procrastinate all day long while it's cold outside, especially if you get a Netflix account.

[yaya]

Guess I'm a member of the club.

When I worked full time, I got so much more done! Now I'm retired and home all the time, and nothing gets done.

At least I voted today.

[fooler]

I will respond to this later today

[SmartAlex]

Deadlines are made for a purpose....

I always work best under pressure. It sharpens my focus.

I have ADD (and mine actually mimicks bipolar) so I have to wait for the wave of motivation to come along, and then LOOK OUT 'cause I'm a force to be reckoned with!

If I try to do something I don't have the motivation for it all goes to heck.

[SmartAlex]

Haven't had a haircut in over a year due to procrastinating...
Basically if it's something I can put off, I will.

LOL! I get my hair cut annually, whether it needs it or not. If I could sucker my husband into attempting it, I would be all set.

[rider25]

My true procrastination is housework. My house still looks like a bomb went off in it, at least the big game hunting stuff got put away. At work I'm good, its just that with the baby, I would much rather play with him, and his room is the only clean one in the house. By the time I get home, feed the baby, play with him, the evening is gone and I'm exhausted.

[FineAlready]

Every attorney I have ever known, including myself, is a procrastinator. I never used to be a procrastinator until I started practicing law. After about a year of practicing and trying to get on top of everything right away, you end up realizing that there will ALWAYS be other projects/deadlines/randomness getting slotted in in front of whatever deadline you wanted to be so "ahead" on. So, everything ends up being sort of a rush in the end. Lots of long nights or early mornings. Not always, but often enough.

I've pretty much accepted at this point that my life is a fire drill, interspersed with moments of dead time. I do work really well under pressure, and I also tend to do a lot of musing internally about briefs and such that I have to write long before I actually get to drafting them. So, even though I may be procrastinating on them, I actually tend to have a pretty good game plan by the time things get serious!

ETA: the other thing for attorneys is that, many times, something will settle before a brief is due or a hearing is to be held...so a lot of times, clients want you to wait until the point of no return on settlement discussions before starting on a brief or hearing prep.

[Event4Life]

I was going to type out a long response, but then I figured I'd do it later.

....I have just taken 2 standardized tests (PRAXIS and GRE) in the course of 3 days, GRE was this morning, so I am giving myself license to do f*ck all today. Tomorrow, however...back in action.

PS: To the COTHer who told me years ago I was kidding myself when I thought the SAT would be my last ever standardized test, I salute you.

[BuddyRoo]

FineAlready, you might be onto something. I didn't USED to be this bad. But in my line of work, so much could change right up til the last moment and THEN you had to be balls to the wall and work overtime that I have gotten in the habit of waiting. What I detest more than most things is wasted time. Don't. Waste. My. Time. SO, if you're going to waffle on your plan 50 times, I'm just going to sit back and wait til you're sure and we are a go.

But that's still no excuse for the home life stuff.

And Lex? It's not COLD in VA. I'm moving from MI. Grew up in IA. Show me your "cold" and I shall raise you.

Besides, I will be doing a lot of dog walking as we have lots of great trails and virtually no back yard.