Just wondering if there is anyone who can offer any help on getting off my duff and getting started on whatever, a chart I can tick off? stickers? I have a lot to do and here I sit just reading, writing, thinking, randomly going from one thing to the next-what gets you focused, anything? thanks for the help

Ah.... great question.

My first question would be, what about the "whatever" motivates you? Even if it's not explicit motivation (e.g., I feel like jumping out of bed and working on this!) there's surely some implicit motivation (e.g., I don't really want to work on my resume but if I don't, I can't find a job). If there's not even an implicit motive then you probably don't need to get off your duff! :)

If I don't need to anywhere or do anything then I'm not motivated. But if I need to do something then I have a couple of tricks that work for me MOST of the time.

If I'm at home and I really need to clean or do wash...I'll set a time limit for myself and if I finish whatever in that time limit then I allow myself to watch my favorite movie or a TV show thats coming on or even read my favorite book...something I really like to do but never actually DO.

If I'm at work I'll set goals with myself, time myself and if I complete the projects in that amount of time. I'll let myself take a coffee break or read on this site...check e-mails...etc...

So I guess in a way I'm giving myself "stars" for the good things I do. Its just more "adult" stars!!! :D

Hope this helps!!

thanks that helps me a whole lot because I am moving to another state (taking the family along) and I have big stretches of time but stuff needs to be cleaned and packed and I just get my wheels spinning and I am useless-then I feel the need to escape. thanks so much.

Wow flygurl, you use pretty much exactly the same technique as I do :)

Takemeaway I used to find that I had 3 or 4 projects to do and I kept dreading starting them and so I never did. What I discovered as Flygurl did is that we work very well with a deadline. Also if there is too much work assigned for one day we feel overwhelmed and wont begin anything.

So my suggestion is, pick one project (of the highest priority) and work on it two hours of everyday. But only two hours. And once that two hours is done you are not allowed to do any more work.

The first day you do it you will scratch yourself and look at the computer or whatever your doing and not get that much done. But it doesnt matter after 2 weeks of dedicating two hours a day to this project, it will get done no matter how ineffective you are in each session.

And each day you will get more effective because you lose the desire to procrastinate. You think "well hey once I've finished this two hours I don't have to do anything else so i may aswell get it over with."

And by about the third day you start to think "omg I only have two hours and then I'm not allowed to do any more work and you work really hard." It is amazing how efficient you become in this two hours.

The only rule is- never cheat yourself and work longer than two hours.

Your friend, Hugh