A Snake Called Procrastination

[aadel]

Apart from all the other triggers that can send me into one or the other end of BP2, I have a mortal dread of certain tasks--especially those that involve paperwork and a deadline.

  As an example, I am once again two years behind with my income tax.  Example #2:  ln 5 weeks I have to give a public talk that needs to be advertised in the news media; press releases need to be written; interviews given etc.  (It is not the talk that I worry about; that's no problem for me;  it's the lead-up that's killing me.)

When chores such as these are staring me in the face, I turn into the mouse that's scared rigid by the hypnotic eyes of the snake.  I try to look everywhere around me for something to distract me as long as I don't have to face those steely eyes.  Thus time passes and the chore becomes ever more urgent, ever more monstrous;  my panic grows and with it my inability to get started....

My question is twofold:
a)  Is procrastination a common element in BP?
b)  How can one tame this evil snake?

[irishwriter]

yes, very familiar with the 'i'll start tomorrow' syndrome. phone calls, paperwork, going to post office all things i have problems with! so no, you're not alone!

[bernie40]

lol :-)

[aadel]

Wow,

So YOU are the identical twin they took from the incubator next to mine right after birth!!!  

[bernie40]

I hate deadlines!  My income tax return is due today and I still haven't done it.  Here I am sat on here, doing laundry, making lunch - anything other than what I should be doing.  When I was doing my uni course last year, even though I was given 6 weeks to prepare my assignments I always left them until the very last day and would then sit up till all hours to get it completed.

I have done the things ILAD suggests, I've got a planner (more than one in fact) and I enjoy sorting out my planner so much that I still don't get round to doing the actual work, lol!  Shouldn't laugh really.  I sometimes wonder though if the fact that I do leave these things to the last minute gets my adrenaline going and I end up far more focused on the job in hand.

[ILADVOCATE]

Yes its common and I don't have so much of a problem with it now from bipolar but I used to but I'd say in general its best to keep schedules of what needs to be done, journals, reminders, bulletin boards. I have this issue now from other disabilities but it works just the same. The typical thing that happens is you say "where did the day go by?'. Very familiar with it. The best thing to do is to plan the day out as needed.