I've learned this as I've gotten older

Why Procrastination Is about Emotions, not Time

I used to be horrible at procrastination, and I still struggle with it, but a lot of times it's about changing your mood rather than 'just managing your time better'.

Post 10,000!!!

Okay, technically this includes 40 posts that were drafts that never quite made it to published, but I’m going to count those, because, after all, I did write them. :)

I feel like a new woman today. I think I’m pretty much over my illness (although I’ll stay on the antibiotics to make sure). Yesterday was tiring and I went straight to bed upon getting home from work. Today was much better. Yesterday I was terribly disappointed that I didn’t get mail, because I was waiting on a cheque from a warranty on a device I’d had to return, and I didn’t get it, but I totally forgot until about 1:30 this morning that of course it was the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday and no mail ran. On the other hand, the banks weren’t open, either, so my pitiful account which would have gone into the negative yesterday still has a positive ledger balance, although the pending payment to Netflix would have sent it into the negative. On the other hand, I did get the cheque today, along with one from my health insurance plan, so all should be good. (Before anyone expecting payment jumps for joy, it wasn’t much, but it’s enough for gas and groceries, and maybe a little more towards a bill, most of which will be paid Thursday when I get paid.) I sat down today and looked at the finances. I can’t completely catch up, but I can do a lot towards catching up. I usually get my W-2s with my pay stub, so if I get that and download my student loan interest payment form, then I can go ahead and file my taxes and hopefully get enough to put me back in the black. That will be one stressor down.

It looks like the woman I’m filling in for in scheduling may be back on Monday, which is great, because while I don’t really mind the work, and it’s good to have a change of pace, I don’t really love it, not like I do being a librarian. I even like my data entry job more. On the other hand, it’s put me in contact with patients and families and I’ve learned some valuable skills. Despite the fact that it’s not my favourite thing in the world, I’ve tried to do a very good job, and at the very least, I think I helped when they were down in staff and demonstrated that I’m willing to work together in a team. But my cubicle-mate and I were talking today and even she’s noticed that my manner on the way to my stint in scheduling and when I come back or am in the library on the days I don’t work there is totally like night and day. So that will be one more stressor down. And I’m definitely going to use the time I’m getting back to re-organise the journals, a task I’ve been putting off, but which really needs to be done. Of course, this includes weeding, which is an issue right now because the list we used to offer up medical journals on, BackMed, was hosted at Swets, which has crashed and burned (i.e., gone into bankruptcy), and the list disappeared without any warning about a week ago.

So this afternoon after work I checked on my friends, got into comfy clothes, and proceeded to clean house. I did a load (a very big, nasty load) of dishes in the dishwasher, washed the hand-washables, cleaned the kitchen, cleaned the bathroom, and straightened up the living room and dining room. It’s not perfect, it’s not even really neat, but once the trash and recyclables are out of the house, it will be. My lower back’s hurting a bit, so I’m taking a break for a few minutes before taking all that out. I also want to clean out the refrigerator. The bedroom needs a little tweaking, but it’s not bad, considering I’ve been living in it for days.

So if the lady I’m subbing for comes back on Monday, tomorrow will be my last day in scheduling. Then I need to review some grant applications and get ready for a conference call on Thursday. I also need to transcribe the minutes from our last library committee meeting, as we’ll have another one next Thursday, and I’ll prepare for that. This Thursday I’m meeting with one on my bosses regarding my performance appraisal, too, but I think I’m prepared for that, although I should try to set some goals for this year.

After work Wednesday I have to go to the pharmacy and then to my class. (I’m glad those cheques came; I wasn’t sure if I’d make it across town to either with what little gas I had. One is on Alexandria Drive, the other is out Newtown Pike past New Circle, so basically they’re as far away from the side of town I live on as they can be and still be in the same city.) Although last week was mostly introductions and an overview of how the class is going to be organized, I’m already learning from my peers. So I think it will be worthwhile. Don’t expect much detail, though—there’s a confidentiality expectation that I don’t plan to violate. After class I need to stop by my friends’ house and deliver some medicine. Then I’ll probably come home and call it a night.

Hmmm…I need to work on the game notes sometime this week. Perhaps Thursday? I got a reprieve last week with my illness, but I don’t want to wait until the last minute as usual. We’re starting a story arc that involves Brenda’s character in a plane crash in South America. It looks to be interesting.

Okay, I should be getting back to the house. I’m loathe to put on outdoor clothes again and take everything to the dumpster/recycling containers, I must admit. Maybe I’ll just get it all in one place and take it out tomorrow morning. One more night will probably not make a difference. That would allow me to spend some time putting the fish tanks back in order, and maybe read for a bit before going to bed. Oh, and I should make some ice. It was so sad to be sick without ice those few days, but I just didn't make any. Yes, I know, it’s easy for me to talk myself out of doing the boring but necessary things. I’m better at work than I am in my personal life, at least, with a little less procrastination. :)

Anyway, thanks for sticking with me for 10,000 posts in a little over 13 years. Here’s to 10,000 more.

Out in the lobby at a friend's appointment

I'm grateful that it's late enough that I don't have to miss work. A had called to see if I could give him a ride home, but it would really have meant cutting it close on getting to the appointment. I called to tell him that but there was no answer, so I'm afraid he'll have to make it home on the bus.

I brought the laptop originally because I thought I'd work on the game notes, and then I remembered that I have a book review due tonight. I did bring the book with me, but I'd like to have it handy, and the lobby lights are too dim in my corner to really refer to it easily. If I move, I can't charge my phone, which only has about 13% charge. So there you go. Meanwhile, I left the earphones out in the car and I've already gone out and in once to get the phone charger, and I don't want to annoy them back in the office, as the door chimes each time you open it. There's no one here, but I don't really want to play the game over the speakers, either. In other words, I'm finding excuses to put off both of them and just play on the computer instead.

Last night I went to bed early but the last four hours of supposed sleep-time were interrupted by cramping and nausea, courtesy of my impending period. As a result, I was really slow-moving today. But I eventually got going and did quite a bit today. I was also trying to help a co-worker with some Excel formulae. I don't use Excel that much, so it's a bit of a challenge. I know it involves IF, OR, and COUNTIF statements, but I'm thinking I have too many parentheses. After working on one cell for about an hour, I gave up, my brain turned to mush, and I'm thinking I'll look at it tomorrow again with fresh eyes, and maybe consult my over-1000 paged Kindle book on the subject. :)

It's hard to believe that it's October already, and although it's 7:38 pm, it's almost dark out there. I had to initial and date quite a few sheets today, and it was really hard to write '10/1'.

Okay, I think I'm going to move some files for the game over to Dropbox and then sign off. I'm using my phone's mobile hotspot, and I have 3.0 GB of data I can use for that (and unlimited on the phone itself), but I don't want to rack it up too quickly. Good night.

Nice thought, although it doesn't get the urgent things done, now does it?

I am a procrastinator. I admit it. I have a project right now that I have totally put off for months because every time I think about it I feel blocked and paralysed.

But maybe there's something to the video. Rather than doing nothing, or doing useless things, one can channel one's energy in doing things that are worth doing. I guess the theory, too, is that once you get something accomplished, it's easier to come back to the thing you're procrastinating and put some effort into it.

I think I'll try this out tomorrow at work.