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Procrastinatory Doom Loops

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Re: Procrastinatory Doom Loops

#91

Post by mlatu »

NackerHughes wrote: post #73
cipheredStones wrote: post #33

I spent about a third of 2021 more or less consumed by this phenomenon. In my case it was triggered by job searching: I quit my existing position, intending to do a leisurely search over a few months... and then avoided nearly everything related to the job search for over four months. (While still experiencing a ton of stress as a result of constant anxiety and guilt about it.) Once I actually started, I landed an am…

Well that's all well and good for those who have somebody who loves them. What if you're single? Guess we're all doomed.

i read an article about how we should all form squads, that is turn your main memetic friendgroup into a economical and carework selfhelp squad... or something, i have since lost the link to the article though...

Re: Procrastinatory Doom Loops

#92

Post by mlatu »

sandos wrote: post #71
cipheredStones wrote: post #33

I spent about a third of 2021 more or less consumed by this phenomenon. In my case it was triggered by job searching: I quit my existing position, intending to do a leisurely search over a few months... and then avoided nearly everything related to the job search for over four months. (While still experiencing a ton of stress as a result of constant anxiety and guilt about it.) Once I actually started, I landed an am…

I was going to mention doing things in pairs really helps, or maybe just mentioning plans to others. Me and my fiancee are both slackers in general, but when we start even discussing doing a project aorund the house or similar which is in any way together we always give it 100%.

ymmv... the moment i show my work to others is usually when i step into the next procrastinatory phase...

Re: Procrastinatory Doom Loops

#93

Post by jacquesm »

cipheredStones wrote: post #33

I spent about a third of 2021 more or less consumed by this phenomenon. In my case it was triggered by job searching: I quit my existing position, intending to do a leisurely search over a few months... and then avoided nearly everything related to the job search for over four months. (While still experiencing a ton of stress as a result of constant anxiety and guilt about it.) Once I actually started, I landed an am…

What really gets me is that if I push stuff off and then finally get around to it how little time it usually takes to deal with the thing I've been putting off. I'm quite capable of spending 3 days to avoid 10 minutes of concentrated hard work. Very frustrating.

Re: Procrastinatory Doom Loops

#94

Post by jacquesm »

fmovlex wrote: post #90
sanctified384 wrote: post #59

This is an oldie so many may already know it. But always relevant reading for my fellow procrastinators. Part 1: https://waitbutwhy.com/2013/10/why-procrastinators-procrasti... Part 2: https://waitbutwhy.com/2013/11/how-to-beat-procrastination.h... Bonus: https://waitbutwhy.com/2015/03/procrastination-matrix.html Highly recommended! While I still procrastinate this understanding has helped me control my urge tememdou…

I've added these to my "read later" list.

Hehe. Ok. I nearly missed it.

Re: Procrastinatory Doom Loops

#95

Post by ilikerashers »

Cthulhu_ wrote: post #76
cipheredStones wrote: post #33

I spent about a third of 2021 more or less consumed by this phenomenon. In my case it was triggered by job searching: I quit my existing position, intending to do a leisurely search over a few months... and then avoided nearly everything related to the job search for over four months. (While still experiencing a ton of stress as a result of constant anxiety and guilt about it.) Once I actually started, I landed an am…

I can relate to working with others. So far in the WFH pandemic I've been mostly all right, but I work so much better in a team, with someone actually telling me what to do, what they expect, instead of me having that responsibility myself. I'm guessing it's a 'subservient' personality trait of sorts. Others are 'natural' leaders, good at keeping an overview of what needs to be done and distributing that. Others are…

I don't think you're subservient, you just prefer to be part of a tribe which is normal. Even the self-motivated, natural leaders have strong supports to ensure that the tribe around them keeps them sane.

It's much more difficult to proliferate culture at home and I think people are having to compensate by forcing themselves to work, without any of the cues they normally get in the office.

Re: Procrastinatory Doom Loops

#96

Post by piva00 »

dcminter wrote: post #66
can16358p wrote: post #61

I somehow managed to break to the other side of things: when I'm tasked with something, I say "okay I'm gonna do it anyway sooner or later" and start getting the job out of the way. Instead of stressing myself out and procrastinating and postponing, I start them as soon as possible. Also did it when I was in college back then: when I had to study for a final, I started a relax study cycle days before, not in last nig…

I doubt there are many procrastinators around who don't realise that if they "just ... did things ahead of time" it would solve their procrastination, but you must realise that failing to do this is the very definition of procrastination. None of us like being procrastinators. All you're telling us is that you're not a procrastinator. I once read that procrastination is rooted in fear. I think this generally holds tr…

> I once read that procrastination is rooted in fear. I think this generally holds true for me.

For me as well. It's rooted in fear of failure, fear of the unknown. I notice it quite clearly when I switch jobs or teams, initially when I'm out of my depth with the new domain I'm working in I get almost paralysed with starting something, eventually I started it after guilting myself on not being productive. Then comes a period of back-and-forth procrastination on the task until I get my mental model in place and feel somewhat productive.

Slowly I chip away the unknowns by gaining more expertise and feeling confident and comfortable with new tasks but up to that point I will struggle with: fear of failure, fear of not knowing enough, fear of delivering a subpar solution. There is some kind of prestige fear in there that I haven't yet wrapped my head around, therapy has been helping, in the least to be able to actually notice the pattern and start some coping mechanisms.

> But just starting sooner? Yes, it's that simple but no, it's not that simple.

Exactly my take as well, it follows the same line I share with people trying to lose weight: losing weight is actually pretty simple, it's just not easy at all depending on your habits.

Some simple solutions are just not easy when you consider the human.

Re: Procrastinatory Doom Loops

#97

Post by VBprogrammer »

jacquesm wrote: post #93
cipheredStones wrote: post #33

I spent about a third of 2021 more or less consumed by this phenomenon. In my case it was triggered by job searching: I quit my existing position, intending to do a leisurely search over a few months... and then avoided nearly everything related to the job search for over four months. (While still experiencing a ton of stress as a result of constant anxiety and guilt about it.) Once I actually started, I landed an am…

What really gets me is that if I push stuff off and then finally get around to it how little time it usually takes to deal with the thing I've been putting off. I'm quite capable of spending 3 days to avoid 10 minutes of concentrated hard work. Very frustrating.

Honestly, having seen some of what you have done in the past, it seems almost absurd to think of you struggling with procrastination.

Re: Procrastinatory Doom Loops

#98

Post by jacquesm »

VBprogrammer wrote: post #97
jacquesm wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What really gets me is that if I push stuff off and then finally get around to it how little time it usually takes to deal with the thing I've been putting off. I'm quite capable of spending 3 days to avoid 10 minutes of concentrated hard work. Very frustrating.

Honestly, having seen some of what you have done in the past, it seems almost absurd to think of you struggling with procrastination.

That's an interesting observation: yes, I do get stuff done, in the end. But the path to it is usually long, torturous and leads along many places that weren't the destination along the way and plenty of that could be avoided. And quite a few of my achievements are probably the result of procrastinating on something else!

I wonder how the real achievers (Fabrice Bellard?) deal with these sort of things.

And also: what I need to do makes all the difference. Work on my bike: Present! Work on the company VAT reporting? Oh, I think I need to go play some piano. Hm, interesting bug in pianojacq, I should fix that. Hm, even more interesting, this allows me to refactor that bit. Then, on the 29th of the month I will work on the VAT filing.

Re: Procrastinatory Doom Loops

#99

Post by VBprogrammer »

cipheredStones wrote: post #74
low_tech_love wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you landed a good job afterwards, I’d say those four months were necessary and even beneficial. Sometimes your body/mind will simply force you to stop, and procrastination can be one of their tricks to convince you to do it.

I'm quite sure that they were not: anxiety-driven avoidance is far more stressful and exhausting for me than any fruitful work. And having a constant feeling that you ought to be making up for lost time is a serious bar to genuine relaxation. I did need a break after my last job, and it's very possible that contributed to the problems I had, but this was definitely a bug, not a feature.

God, even your description of that makes my skin crawl in recognition.

Re: Procrastinatory Doom Loops

#100

Post by drakonka »

cipheredStones wrote: post #33

I spent about a third of 2021 more or less consumed by this phenomenon. In my case it was triggered by job searching: I quit my existing position, intending to do a leisurely search over a few months... and then avoided nearly everything related to the job search for over four months. (While still experiencing a ton of stress as a result of constant anxiety and guilt about it.) Once I actually started, I landed an am…

This is interesting since it reminds me of the dynamic I have with my boyfriend as well. We seem to be opposites in this regard.

I work better alone. Having someone else there, even if they aren't purposefully distracting me, just adds another tiny bit of awareness: Is he hungry? Is he bored? Does he want coffee? We haven't had lunch - should I cook? I should tidy. I feel like when there's a guest in my house I need to take care of them somehow, and make the place (and myself) presentable. When I'm by myself I can just focus on work, forget to eat for a day, and not bother cleaning my house and nobody will give a crap.

Even when I know he is totally fine fasting all day with me if that's what it takes while we focus, I still get concerned with starving the poor guy while I'm in "the zone". And often he cooks for us as well, which is nice and very appreciated, but then I'm distracted by eating and then thinking about how I should return the favor that evening by preparing dinner. But what if I was going to work through the evening?! You get the idea... I much prefer to be selfishly alone and not think about anyone else's presence.

But my boyfriend seems to be the opposite, and closer to what you're describing. He sometimes likes coming over specifically to work. He says my focus on work during the day helps him focus and stop procrastinating, too. In the end, we compromise. I find a way to still be productive and focus when he's here, and accept that I'll just feel a little bit bad about not paying attention to my visitor.

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