Julie Morgenstern Enterprises

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July 8th, 2009

Has organizing your computer files been on your to-do list since last summer? Is there a writing project you've been avoiding like the plague? What about those networking phone calls you've been meaning to get to since the job market got so shaky? What is it that causes you to procrastinate...........?

Tags: procrastination, productivity, time management, performance anxiety, to-do list

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Comment posted on 07/14/2009 at 01:40 pm

I'm in my SHEDing process, but I've stopped completely now that it's came time to conquer my paperwork. I can't seem to touch. : And, I'm procrastinating on getting a friend's design done because I'm afraid she won't like it. I'll try to your tips. Thanks for continuing to blog and inspire. Keep it up! -ti.

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Comment posted on 07/15/2009 at 12:57 am

One of the most common fears about SHEDing papers is fear of doing a bad job--i.e. tossing some critical pieces of info. Also, sometimes, hard to break it into managable steps. Check out the free Vital Documents workbook under Learning Tools tab on this website...http://www.juliemorgenstern.com/LearningTools/Downloads/ It can help you identify what the true practical paper treasures are. This gives you more confidence that you'll do a good job preserving what's vital...and heaving the rest.

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Comment posted on 08/05/2009 at 05:15 pm

Julie, You hit it right on! I tell my clients to name a reward that they will give themself once the "ugh" awful task is complete, and then really DO IT! Thanks for your list.

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Comment posted on 09/19/2009 at 11:50 am

I avoid the big projects because I don't know how to break things down into steps. I avoid more important projects because I'm afraid I won't do them well. I avoid projects that are unfamiliar and new to me for the same reason. Strategies I've used in the past to help me overcome paralysis? Well, I procrastinated on doing my Master's Thesis for years. Finally, I requested a different way of completing my program that included taking more classes and doing a portfolio. I did finally get my degree, but feel like I "cheated" by not doing the thesis. The thesis seemed like such a big important project and I wanted it to be so brilliant!

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Comment posted on 10/27/2009 at 05:32 pm

I find that I procrastinate on everything, because, even when it comes to planning out steps for even just small stuff, I find I have issues, the planning itself needs to be perfect, so I end up getting side tracked finding that perfect planning solution or software, and pretty soon, I forget what I was originally working on to begin with. Even if I have it written down, it gets lost in the clutter, and then the site of the clutter or daunting task ahead of me suddenly overwhelms me. Usually I drown myself in games on my computer, because the pile on my desk, or around my home is getting worse, and worse, and the more I look at it, the more I get overwhelmed... it's a vicous cycle I need to break BAD! I usually end up getting so pissed off at myself, that I finally break down, and go crazy for a day or two, get it all nice, and then throw up my feet until it happens again. :-( I'll be the first to admit that I'm lazy. I know I've got all this potential, and it remains more a possibility than a reality, because of my procrastination.

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Comment posted on 11/22/2009 at 01:10 pm

My perfectionism always gets in the way. I dont have it with everything, and certainly not being clutter free. Iv just got so much stuff that it all stops me progressing.

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Comment posted on 08/21/2010 at 03:54 pm

I feel that I might procrastinate on my procrastinate log. Can you be a little more specific about the log? Should we be logging things that we are procrastinating on or should we log why we are procrastinating on this things? This procrastinator needs help!

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