Figuring out how to keep a productive schedule

[MissQuote]

My seemingly inability to keep a schedule/keep up on the menial tasks of life (such as tidying up the house regularly, make and keep plans for the overall betterment of my life etc.) has is becoming a serious problem.

Everything seems to have boiled down into a chaotic state, most of the time, that neither leads itself to function or any kind of personal productivity. Chaos can be good and interesting sometimes, this kind, however, sort of sucks.

So! I have a new plan. I was thinking about this all yesterday, or maybe the day before and I realised that the vast majority of the chores of "keeping up" I won't remember doing in the grand scheme of my life. Think about it, do you remember everytime you have ever brushed you teeth or tied your shoes? How about on a larger scale: how many of the days of your life that have already passed can you say you remember in even close to their entirity? How many days have you forgotton altogether? Most of our lives are completely wiped from our recallable memory, our brain takes the patterns that emerge from day to day tasks and files them away into rote files and *poof* most of that menial stuff are things that won't be recalled as ever having occured except for in concept that allows us to do them again when the need arises.

Understanding all of this my plan to become more efficiant is this, every time I think I can't be bothered to get things done I'm just going to say to myself to just do it already because the discomfort of doing it all will be mostly forgotton as never having occured, but the comfort of having a clean space, mentally and literally and metaphorically, will help me get to all that better stuff in life that I will remember to my dying day.

I am also thinking that this is a good way to reset the rote patterns in my brain, right now, because of what I have taught my brain through my own history of living, it is in automatic "whatever I'll get to it later" mode, but if I follow this new theory I can maybe make my brain tell me "better get to that now so it's over and we can move on.".

Thoughts? Insights? Other ideas?

 

[AlisaD]

Ummm - I like the idea very much.
It probably wouldn't work for me because, well, I've struggled with the same problem for years, and have come up with many, many ideas I liked very much. They were all very good ideas. They would work for a while, and then stop working, mostly because, well... I don't really care about having a clean space. I like mess. Makes me feel more alive and real.

If you really do care, I guess you'll probably manage to make yourself do it, if you don't - oh well, you'll survive.

Your idea still shows very good reasoning, and even if it doesn't work, I think good reasoning is a lot more valuable then a clean home

 

[boondockbabe]

It sounds like a really good idea and I applaud you for trying. I have been trying to do that for years. The only reason I get anything done or even close is entirely due to my husband. He makes me lists so I dont forget, and he even gets mad at me for being a scatterbrain! I know it sounds a little strange but I have found that it is the easiest way to ensure I get it done. Yes I have a chore list and I still get a chewin' if it aint done. He is the only reason I come even close to "functioning". and then its borderline. If you dont succeed dont get mad. try getting a close friend to remind you. if you want to send me a list I will try to remember to send you reminders. But honestly for the best results I'd have to give it to my hubby and have him put it on HIS list. Then it would probably get done. Best intentions ya know.
Its still not a perfect system I have half my counter space covered in dirty dishes. I suffer from clutter bindness.AT least in the house-the shop and horse barn are pretty clean. but thats probably cause we got severe storms coming so I cleaned them this morning.So I guess that makes it more of a priority issue than a focus issue. same diff to me. Focus and productivity are weak points for me. Wish you the best.

 

[MissQuote]

Funny, my husband writes stuff, important stuff at least, on the white board in our kitchen for me so I won't forget. He is a huge nag too.

If I lived alone I think the mess would be far less of an issue, no one would be moving my piles of stuff around or mixing other things into them but me and I could find stuff when I wanted to, even if it was months later, I'd know where I left things for the most part. I think. But I have a family and they are always messing up my mess, not to metntion making their own messes that have to rhyme or reason to them (unlike mine of course).

I guess my problem seems to be that I am almost completely satisfied with just planning out what I am going to do and how and when I am going to do it and knowing how great of a plan it is... then I feel that sense of accomplishment and don't actually do any of it. I do this almost everyday.

Well, today at least, I think I've nearly scrubbed the life out of my living room. Washed the windows and dusted behind the furniture even.

 

[Bird]

I find schedules offer me a sense of security.
I like to be scheduled. I really hate when others
interrupt my schedules, too. Perhaps I should
implement this thinking and be less strict and
harsh and more easy going and with the flow.

I love to make lists.

 

[Sosekopp]

I've been trying to keep a schedule before and failed miserably, but I might try again. I should, at least.

 

[boondockbabe]

I guess my problem seems to be that I am almost completely satisfied with just planning out what I am going to do and how and when I am going to do it and knowing how great of a plan it is... then I feel that sense of accomplishment and don't actually do any of it. I do this almost everyday.QUOTE]


I am not alone:] I find this practice to be theraputic and protective. If I just think about doing it most of the time its better then how it really would have turned out. It's the main reason I am not a more productive person. I dont care. my hubby and I call this CRACKIN'. I crack ALL the time. I'd win more competitions if I'd just apply myself. But if half my attention is good enough for a world championship what is there to motivate me to do more? and it isnt just compitition, its EVERYTHING. I dont really like interacting with people outside of here. I just dont get people. theyre always trying to fuck with my program.. they might not realize it but theyre fucking with my program.sorry. get offf my soap box.So I guess while this is not really a productive habit, I think it protects us from ourselves sometimes.

 

[sammael]

Understanding all of this my plan to become more efficiant is this, every time I think I can't be bothered to get things done I'm just going to say to myself to just do it already because the discomfort of doing it all will be mostly forgotton as never having occured, but the comfort of having a clean space, mentally and literally and metaphorically, will help me get to all that better stuff in life that I will remember to my dying day.

I guess my problem seems to be that I am almost completely satisfied with just planning out what I am going to do and how and when I am going to do it and knowing how great of a plan it is... then I feel that sense of accomplishment and don't actually do any of it.

Ahh.. so familiar. I have often speculated on what vast conquests I could achieve if I was completely dedicated. I'm almost convinced I need a special reason for that though, unfortunately, what normal life gives doesn't seem to be enough. I have struggled since I can remember to become more committed to.. life in general, I guess.

I am also thinking that this is a good way to reset the rote patterns in my brain, right now, because of what I have taught my brain through my own history of living, it is in automatic "whatever I'll get to it later" mode, but if I follow this new theory I can maybe make my brain tell me "better get to that now so it's over and we can move on."

I think this could work, although it would take time, and a lot of effort during that time. I also don't think it would ever be possible to completely reset, I think the preference (for the 'whatever, I'll get to it later') would always be there for us, but it would possibly make it ('better get to that now so it's over and we can move on') a lot easier. It is an interesting concept, training the brain to act/react on memorization.

 

[MissQuote]

I told my guy all of this today and he basically laughed at me and stated "imagine the culture shock you'd give to your system" (my "system" as in myself)

I was thinking it might be interesting to make it a real expierement, which could be difficult since I would be my own subject. I was trying to think of ways I could document the progress (or lackthereof) without influencing the results too much with my bias of whether or not it should work.

At first I thought I could just take notations at the end of each day on the realtive ease or difficulty in being proactive instead of procrastinative, how much I had to remind myself of, and what was actually accomplished overall and so on.

But I am thinking perhaps daily record keeping would be far too subjective an easily influenced by my desires. So I thought perhaps an initial record of the state of things and then another after a week, then another at three weeks then perhaps again after another week and a half. It seems important to keep the observation points somewhat random so they don't turn into cheeck points or supposed goals along the way.