I’m terrible for doing this (especially if it means speaking to someone on the phone) I have always had a problem with this,latest one is closing an American Express account that I haven’t used in years but continued to pay the annual membership fee,finally called them and it took all of 15 mins to sort out,does anyone else do this?

Can I get back to you on this….

I do this lots. I get anxious about dealing with the dumbest things. I find myself predicting the worst case scenario, arguments etc.
I know it’s stupid, but that doesn’t stop me.
It annoys me that I do it. It probably annoys my other half too.

I still do it.

🙁

Yup 🙁

I do this lots. I get anxious about dealing with the dumbest things. I find myself predicting the worst case scenario, arguments etc.
I know it’s stupid, but that doesn’t stop me.
It annoys me that I do it. It probably annoys my other half too.

I still do it.

Seriously, yes. I do this a lot. I don’t know why – well, I’m guessing it’s linked to my tendency to anxiety – but it frustrates me and my other half. Don’t do it at work. Just a domestic thing.

Yes, job hunting was the worst, frightened of rejection so didn’t want to make the application which automatically meant I wouldn’t get the job, humans are nuts.

I have a pension I haven’t had an update on in years since I moved and forgot to tell them. I’ll call them and find it again at some point..

Not anxiety with me, just laziness/stupidity

Very much so, I put off a passport application for 7 years because of it

Yes to the speaking on the phone thing. The internet, email, texts, messenger etc have made my life much less stressful.

Yup.

Kept paying for a mobile contract for 2 years after I’d already got a new/different one.

Still got the old paper driving licence, cba with form filling for new(!) one

Passport expired 10 years ago, again cba with form filling

I’ll come back to this once I’ve looked in on the recipe thread on beans as a ingredient that for some reason got me to put off my tidying the studio and face having to work because look diversion!

Phaseolus vulgaris (common bean which includes the pinto bean, kidney bean, black bean, green beans, Appaloosa bean etc.)
Phaseolus acutifolius (tepary bean)
Phaseolus coccineus (runner bean)
Phaseolus lunatus (lima bean)
Phaseolus polyanthus (P. dumosus, in 1995 recognized as a separate species)

Before deleting the whole response and rewriting it on account of it seeming insane. 7 months no proper sleep and many more frankly scary hospital appointments for Mrs P, scans, bloods abnormal, waiting lists massive, lost records, epileptic pooch, not being able to visit elderly family since last Xmas, while mum just had major cancer op. It’s **** insane and only getting worse.

I’m a basket case inside but holding it together by diversion and insomnia. Should probably consider drugs and/or alcohol at this point but I’m the sole driver/carer.

What was the question?

This thread makes me feel so much less alone!

I am especially bad if it involves the phone.

Me and my OH have been engaged for at least 15 years so there’s that as well, I was very shy as a child and used to worry about talking to people,even now I don’t really do small talk it might be a hangover from this but I also hate filling in forms begin self employed and having to do tax returns was a nightmare

Another one who’s terrible with stuff done over the phone, much prefer online.

I was very shy as a child and used to worry about talking to people, even now I don’t really do small talk it might be a hangover from this…

Same here and still useless at making new friends or doing small talk in my private life. Strangely I’m ok in work situations as I hide behind the uniform and put on a different persona. Probably explains why there’s very little cross-over between work mates and non-work mates. A social butterfly I am not, probably why I like riding my bikes in the middle of nowhere so much!

We are what we repeatedly do…

This is me. So glad it’s not JUST me!

http://www.actionasd.org.uk/about-us

Same as scaredypants, but why? And I see no pattern or reason which makes it worse. I find it quite often happens with tasks I actually enjoy doing.

Another one who’s terrible with stuff done over the phone, much prefer online.

I was very shy as a child and used to worry about talking to people, even now I don’t really do small talk it might be a hangover from this…

Same here and still useless at making new friends or doing small talk in my private life. Strangely I’m ok in work situations as I hide behind the uniform and put on a different persona. Probably explains why there’s very little cross-over between work mates and non-work mates. A social butterfly I am not, probably why I like riding my bikes in the middle of nowhere so much!

This thread has given me some comfort that its not just me. Thank you

So much of this sounds familiar. I bought a new car about a year ago, I put off selling the old car until last week which has probably cost me about £800 in tax, insurance, replacing dead battery. No issues at work though.

Raises hand. Add me to the list.

Yep – I’m reading STW right now to avoid doing some stuff.

I have this thing about keeping options open as long as possible

Yes i put off jobs for no good reason for years & then when I actually do them, they take no time at all. 48 & though I’m aware if it, I just can’t stop myself doing it (while yet again ignoring this year self assessment notice..)

Self Assessment you say? I’ll be there as the deadline approaches, scrambling the information together and getting stressed about login details etc.
I am yet another procrastinator, and also seem to be unable to pick up the phone to contact people, even close friends. I think it may stem from a childhood lacking in confidence and fearing consequences which has all become ingrained and its hard to overcome. I constantly have a pile of things that need doing, particularly financial things or domestic duties, and I cannot face doing them. Its almost as if I need the anxiety…..

Me too! Until the consequences of not doing it outweigh my lack of desire to do it, it stays not done.
And the guilt of not doing it tends to stop me doing what I’d rather do, so I p*** my life away up the wall doing nothing useful at all.

Also a procrastinator and also driven by what if…. I’ve got it wrong.  Two things that have helped me from advice I’ve been given:

a) replace “what if” with “let’s pretend”.  It very much changes the perception of the goal

b) during a rather Americanised motivational sales conference, the guest speaker focused on one of many things, that one being the only thing of that day that stuck with me; there will always be a difficult phone call, text, action, email or conversation.  Make it your goal to have that one piece of difficult communication a day sweeping all thought and emotive content about it before diving straight in, just do it an you’ll be surprised as the mostly positive outcomes.  I do this and he’s right for example:

I’ve been procastinating over putting the (heavy) garden furniture away for winter.  Today at 10 I made a conscious effort to get off my arse and do it.  Two hours later I’d not only done that, but cleaned and swept the patio, tidied the garage, lopped a few more branches of an overgrown shrub and unblocked some airbricks.    It feels good.

I can’t wait to procrastinate, as they say.

Like so many others on this thread, I build up the task in my head to have a bad outcome. Then ignore it and hopes it goes away.

It sucks really.