thread: How to beat Procrastination Tips?

  1. #1
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    Aug 2010
    south eastern melbourne
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    How to beat Procrastination Tips?

    how do you go about everyday jobs/chores?
    ive never realy been one to clean, as a kid mum would get sick of telling me to do clean my room and just do it, or i didnt do it properly so she would re-do it and i would feel uncomfortable as it was not the way i wanted it, it was more like a 'display room' (most of the house was like that)
    i can get the house looking clean, but i always feel out of place and need a big motivator, like house inspection, or kids having a party to get it all done.
    i would love to have a place for everything, and no 'excess' things we dont need or ever use, but it just never seems to happen, i clean the lounge, move onto the hall, within secconds the lounge is back the way it was or worse befor i started, and i just figure "stuff it" and go back to whatever i was doing (not cleaning)
    i usualy once or twice a week, pull a all nighter once kids are in bed and get it all done in the one hit, then tip-toe arround like its someone elses house for the day or 2 it takes for tornado kids to tear it back up again. (usualy not that long)
    ive been making a boot load of coffees cos i have to sit n drink them else they go cold i turn the comp off so i cant be distracted, but end up either just sitting on the couch, watching the telly or fish tank, or turning the comp back on if i do clean say all the things off the lounge floor and the kids mess it up again, then theres my excusse for the rest of the day "they messed in here back up so why bother" AND im sick of it!! i get washing done as ive swaped over to cloth so the girls NEED me to wash nappies, but the clothes always seem to get on-top of me

    sorry for the ramble... basicaly, any tiops to keep housework managable and how can i feel comfy in a 'tidy' house?? i feel like i might need to do an all-nighter to get on top, but ive recently put a stop to staying up unecessarily late (and its one thing im sticking to..hopefully!)

    (please dont say get the kids to help, i make them clean there room, and it gose from toys on the floor, to clothes everywere and futrniture up-turned)

  2. #2
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    Sep 2006
    Dandy Ranges ;)
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    Sarah - I have the same thing, and follow FlyLady. One tip she has (actually for an emergency clean, but it works for me normally) is to break everything into 15-min blocks. Set the kitchen timer! Do one set of tasks / 15 mins - like the kitchen / laundry / vacuuming then in the 4th set of 15 mins, make and enjoy your cuppa / BB time

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Jan 2006
    country victoria
    1,055

    Great tip Kazbah, must say Sarah I'm much like yourself. I think sometimes I have so many different things that need to get done that it just seems to be all to much and then nothing gets done.

    Might try the 15 minute rule. Will be worth a try

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Jul 2009
    618

    I am exactly the same. You know what I did? I gave up and my cleaner starts next week

  5. #5
    Registered User

    Jul 2006
    Melbourne
    4,895

    I try to clean as I go but once a week I do a 'proper' clean (ie: mop floors, bathrooms, dust etc....) once a week

    I do try to vaccum every second day.

    I wash 2-3 times a week & when the clothes are dry, I fold them & put them away straight away. I iron usually fortnightly, sometimes weekly if I have the time. That way it doesn't get out of control.

    With a toddler who has a room full of toys and brings them into almost every room of the house, it is really hard to stay on top of keeping the house tidy, so I tidy at the end of the day for approx. 15 minutes tops.

    I am very fortunate that my DH does help with general tidying up and he also puts on loads of washing, washes/dries dishes and baths our DD.

  6. #6
    Moderator

    Oct 2004
    In my Zombie proof fortress.
    6,449

    I am so much better when I am busy. So if I am working, or just have a lot of things to do out of the house, I find I just get things done. My problem is over thinking, do I do this first?, or that first?, one room at a time or just all the dusting etc. When I have less time, I just don't think, I do.

    I also don't like living in a display home, I like clean with homely clutter. At the moment though we have too much clutter that I am getting on top of.

  7. #7
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    Sep 2006
    Dandy Ranges ;)
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    My problem is over thinking, do I do this first?, or that first?, one room at a time or just all the dusting etc. When I have less time, I just don't think, I do.
    I'm the same Astrid. It overwhelms me where to start - so I follow the clockwise rule - grab a laundry basket and start in the room and go clockwise, grabbing stuff that doesn't belong in that room and putting it in the basket. Then I sort that basket into other rooms and rubbish. Having a method reduces the overwhelming problem

  8. #8
    Registered User

    Feb 2009
    2,031

    Oh, I was thinking about writing an article about beating procrastination. I put it off until next week.

    But seriously.

    Don't think of it as "beating procrastination". Think of it as "getting motivated".

    So how do we improve our motivation?

    Ok. I got nothing. Sorry. But I thought the change of language may help give you or someone else some ideas too.

  9. #9
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    Aug 2010
    south eastern melbourne
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    Thank you ladies!
    Yup over thinking and motivation are big killers here as well as starting and trying to do it all at once.. ill start with the floors then think about the bookshelf then try the girls room then the boys.... befor i know it im trying to do 50 things at once.
    ill give flyladie another shot. df has said if i can get ontop of it that he will do the things i hate, like mop... at the moment i feel ready to get a skip and just chuck it ALL!