Motivation, Decisions, Procrastination

A few weeks ago I came here and whined about being unproductive.
I thought this was lack of motivation. Several of us then had a
nice thread talking about getting things done, not forgetting
this is recreation, and so on. Since then I've mulled this over.
I even took a few UFO's to my small quilt club and asked for some
ideas and opinions.

Meantime I finished a few quilt blocks and other quilty chores, I
hasten to add so that Wendy won't slap my wrists! That served as
a kind of warm up. I decided to just start a guild challenge
project that I'd been putting off. More about that tomorrow. I
want to get back to the sewing machine! It is due in September,
and while it is optional I did want to participate. Hey, another
few weeks will not make or break my UFOs!

Here is what I think. I think my problem was/is not a lack of
motivation. I think it was/is a two fold problem, undoubtedly
having roots in the fact that I wanted that Ginny Doll for
Christmas but had to wait 33 days until my Birthday!! Sheesh,
what a child hood I had! What is the problem you wonder? I think
it is both a habit of procrastination and indecision.
Procrastination is mainly poor time management and can be
eliminated by using management skills. The greater problem,
indecision, is probably not an uncommon one. We quilters have
sooooo many designs, colors, fabric, and techniques available
that it is difficult to just choose one and start working! So I
have decided to handle this by just setting a deadline to stop
dithering and start the project! Just do it!! Hey, that is a
clever slogan ... do you think I could make up some tee shirts
and sell them? G

PAT in VA, USA

Pat,

I think indecision is an element in procrastination -- and I know exactly
what you're talking about. At work I procrastinate with things I really
don't want to do (I can make the tasks I DO want to do go on and on until I
don't have time to do the things I don't want to do -- and then I start all
over again the next day. I don't always do well with that time management
thing!). But with quilting, I really do think I procrastinate because I
simply cannot make up my mind what to do next or what colors I want to use
or whatever. And then I make up reasons to justify my lack of accomplishment
(i.e., "There were so many messages to read on the newsgroup that I just
didn't have time to quilt tonight." Or, "I only have two hours until it's
time to go to bed, and after all what can I accomplish in two hours?" Or,
"DH is in the living room watching TV, and I just can't go back to the
sewing room and leave him all alone.").

BUT, give me a deadline, and just watch me go! I can make all sorts of
decisions and gets tons of stuff accomplished (and I don't really care if DH
is sitting in the living room alone!). So, I think you've hit on the
solution. And to help you get moving, I'll take one of those tee-shirts
(you'll make a fortune if some athletic company doesn't beat you to the
punch!), and you have until September 25 to get my quilt finished and to me
by my birthday! I'm particularly partial to purple right now.

Louise in Iowa


"Pat in Virginia" wrote in message
...
A few weeks ago I came here and whined about being unproductive.
I thought this was lack of motivation. Several of us then had a
nice thread talking about getting things done, not forgetting
this is recreation, and so on. Since then I've mulled this over.
I even took a few UFO's to my small quilt club and asked for some
ideas and opinions.

Meantime I finished a few quilt blocks and other quilty chores, I
hasten to add so that Wendy won't slap my wrists! That served as
a kind of warm up. I decided to just start a guild challenge
project that I'd been putting off. More about that tomorrow. I
want to get back to the sewing machine! It is due in September,
and while it is optional I did want to participate. Hey, another
few weeks will not make or break my UFOs!

Here is what I think. I think my problem was/is not a lack of
motivation. I think it was/is a two fold problem, undoubtedly
having roots in the fact that I wanted that Ginny Doll for
Christmas but had to wait 33 days until my Birthday!! Sheesh,
what a child hood I had! What is the problem you wonder? I think
it is both a habit of procrastination and indecision.
Procrastination is mainly poor time management and can be
eliminated by using management skills. The greater problem,
indecision, is probably not an uncommon one. We quilters have
sooooo many designs, colors, fabric, and techniques available
that it is difficult to just choose one and start working! So I
have decided to handle this by just setting a deadline to stop
dithering and start the project! Just do it!! Hey, that is a
clever slogan ... do you think I could make up some tee shirts
and sell them? G

PAT in VA, USA

Good for you, Pat! I need to get moving too, but with my mom issue and now
going to Slim and Tone 3X per week, I am not only weary, I am plum tuckered
out. The DH and I are going to Newport, RI for a long weekend, maybe I'll
get my motivation there VVVBG!

ps - I had Ginny Dolls, all the furniture to go with them and my mom made
doll clothes for them. Those were the days. Come to think of it, I made
bed blankies for their beds out of scraps my mom gave me. Hey, wait a
minute, do you think.............

--
Alice in NJ
RCTQ - "Royal Cybrarian"
www.ourcyberfamily.us
"The older the violin, the sweeter the music."




"Pat in Virginia" wrote in message
...
A few weeks ago I came here and whined about being unproductive.
I thought this was lack of motivation. Several of us then had a
nice thread talking about getting things done, not forgetting
this is recreation, and so on. Since then I've mulled this over.
I even took a few UFO's to my small quilt club and asked for some
ideas and opinions.

Meantime I finished a few quilt blocks and other quilty chores, I
hasten to add so that Wendy won't slap my wrists! That served as
a kind of warm up. I decided to just start a guild challenge
project that I'd been putting off. More about that tomorrow. I
want to get back to the sewing machine! It is due in September,
and while it is optional I did want to participate. Hey, another
few weeks will not make or break my UFOs!

Here is what I think. I think my problem was/is not a lack of
motivation. I think it was/is a two fold problem, undoubtedly
having roots in the fact that I wanted that Ginny Doll for
Christmas but had to wait 33 days until my Birthday!! Sheesh,
what a child hood I had! What is the problem you wonder? I think
it is both a habit of procrastination and indecision.
Procrastination is mainly poor time management and can be
eliminated by using management skills. The greater problem,
indecision, is probably not an uncommon one. We quilters have
sooooo many designs, colors, fabric, and techniques available
that it is difficult to just choose one and start working! So I
have decided to handle this by just setting a deadline to stop
dithering and start the project! Just do it!! Hey, that is a
clever slogan ... do you think I could make up some tee shirts
and sell them? G

PAT in VA, USA

Slap your wrists, nothin'! If I don't see some progress before the Ft.
Washington show, I'm gonna kick your pants, woman!!!

I know what you mean about indesciion and procrastination. I've just started
researching a new project (details at a later date), and I took a break from
that, went into my sewing room, looked around and couldn't decide what to
work on! After going out and coming in the room several times, I finally
grabbed the oldest project at hand, and worked on it. I got the binding
strips sewn together for the picnic quilt. Tomorrow, I'll do some ironing of
fabric to cut some HUG blocks I need to work on, and those strips.

--
Wendy, just doin' it!
http://griffinsflight.com/Quilting/quilt1.htm
De-Fang email address to reply
"Pat in Virginia" wrote in message
...
A few weeks ago I came here and whined about being unproductive.
I thought this was lack of motivation. Several of us then had a
nice thread talking about getting things done, not forgetting
this is recreation, and so on. Since then I've mulled this over.
I even took a few UFO's to my small quilt club and asked for some
ideas and opinions.

Meantime I finished a few quilt blocks and other quilty chores, I
hasten to add so that Wendy won't slap my wrists! That served as
a kind of warm up. I decided to just start a guild challenge
project that I'd been putting off. More about that tomorrow. I
want to get back to the sewing machine! It is due in September,
and while it is optional I did want to participate. Hey, another
few weeks will not make or break my UFOs!

Here is what I think. I think my problem was/is not a lack of
motivation. I think it was/is a two fold problem, undoubtedly
having roots in the fact that I wanted that Ginny Doll for
Christmas but had to wait 33 days until my Birthday!! Sheesh,
what a child hood I had! What is the problem you wonder? I think
it is both a habit of procrastination and indecision.
Procrastination is mainly poor time management and can be
eliminated by using management skills. The greater problem,
indecision, is probably not an uncommon one. We quilters have
sooooo many designs, colors, fabric, and techniques available
that it is difficult to just choose one and start working! So I
have decided to handle this by just setting a deadline to stop
dithering and start the project! Just do it!! Hey, that is a
clever slogan ... do you think I could make up some tee shirts
and sell them? G

PAT in VA, USA

You aren't the only one. I really need to pull my finger out and get going
with DH's nightmare quilt but I find myself looking for any and all excuses
not to. I just can't be bothered. I HATE, HATE, HATE that quilt. I'm
going to do some on it tonight. There. That's my deadline. Yuck. I hate
deadlines.

--
Sharon From Melbourne Australia (Qof DU)
http://www.geocities.com/shazrules/index.html
Member of the Houston 2004 Party Animals
"Pat in Virginia" wrote in message
...
A few weeks ago I came here and whined about being unproductive.
I thought this was lack of motivation. Several of us then had a
nice thread talking about getting things done, not forgetting
this is recreation, and so on. Since then I've mulled this over.
I even took a few UFO's to my small quilt club and asked for some
ideas and opinions.

Meantime I finished a few quilt blocks and other quilty chores, I
hasten to add so that Wendy won't slap my wrists! That served as
a kind of warm up. I decided to just start a guild challenge
project that I'd been putting off. More about that tomorrow. I
want to get back to the sewing machine! It is due in September,
and while it is optional I did want to participate. Hey, another
few weeks will not make or break my UFOs!

Here is what I think. I think my problem was/is not a lack of
motivation. I think it was/is a two fold problem, undoubtedly
having roots in the fact that I wanted that Ginny Doll for
Christmas but had to wait 33 days until my Birthday!! Sheesh,
what a child hood I had! What is the problem you wonder? I think
it is both a habit of procrastination and indecision.
Procrastination is mainly poor time management and can be
eliminated by using management skills. The greater problem,
indecision, is probably not an uncommon one. We quilters have
sooooo many designs, colors, fabric, and techniques available
that it is difficult to just choose one and start working! So I
have decided to handle this by just setting a deadline to stop
dithering and start the project! Just do it!! Hey, that is a
clever slogan ... do you think I could make up some tee shirts
and sell them? G

PAT in VA, USA

wow, thems'r big words.
i'll have to go look'em up in my big book.
i'll get back to ya when i have time.
which book shall i use, hmmm.
guess it can wait til i make up my mind, eh.
jeanne*
--
RCTQ Houston 2004 Party Animals
A good friend will come and bail you out of jail....
but, a true friend will be sitting next to you saying,
"Damn...that was fun!"
i'll be there!!! will you???


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Great slogan! And a good rule for life and quilting. But don't you sometimes
just come to a point where you're not ready to take the next step? It's not
indecision exactly. But those times when you just can't find the right
fabric for the sashing, the right thread for the quilting, or whatever. Or
you're way out on a limb of inexperience and need to acquire some skills to
move forward. And sometimes if you're lucky, you can just wait a week or two
and the right book or fabric appears to help you get going.

IMO, it's a good reason to have more than one project on the table at all
times so you can always sew on something.
Roberta in D

"Pat in Virginia" wrote in message
...
A few weeks ago I came here and whined about being unproductive.
I thought this was lack of motivation. Several of us then had a
nice thread talking about getting things done, not forgetting
this is recreation, and so on. Since then I've mulled this over.
I even took a few UFO's to my small quilt club and asked for some
ideas and opinions.

Meantime I finished a few quilt blocks and other quilty chores, I
hasten to add so that Wendy won't slap my wrists! That served as
a kind of warm up. I decided to just start a guild challenge
project that I'd been putting off. More about that tomorrow. I
want to get back to the sewing machine! It is due in September,
and while it is optional I did want to participate. Hey, another
few weeks will not make or break my UFOs!

Here is what I think. I think my problem was/is not a lack of
motivation. I think it was/is a two fold problem, undoubtedly
having roots in the fact that I wanted that Ginny Doll for
Christmas but had to wait 33 days until my Birthday!! Sheesh,
what a child hood I had! What is the problem you wonder? I think
it is both a habit of procrastination and indecision.
Procrastination is mainly poor time management and can be
eliminated by using management skills. The greater problem,
indecision, is probably not an uncommon one. We quilters have
sooooo many designs, colors, fabric, and techniques available
that it is difficult to just choose one and start working! So I
have decided to handle this by just setting a deadline to stop
dithering and start the project! Just do it!! Hey, that is a
clever slogan ... do you think I could make up some tee shirts
and sell them? G

PAT in VA, USA

"Pat in Virginia" wrote in message
...
I think my problem was/is not a lack of
motivation. I think it was/is a two fold problem, undoubtedly
having roots in the fact that I wanted that Ginny Doll for
Christmas but had to wait 33 days until my Birthday!! Sheesh,
what a child hood I had!

And for me the cup was half full: my birthday is 28 days before Christmas --
as a child, I thought this was perfect, as it gave everyone just enough time
to buy me the things I didn't get for my birthday. (Did it ever work out
that way? No! But I was ever the optimist! *grin*)

--
Kathy A. (Woodland, CA)
longarm machine quilting, Queen of Fabric Tramps
http://www.kayneyquilting.com ,
remove the obvious to reply

LOL lucky you....my birthday is 12/12.....not as bad as my great-aunt,
who was born on 12/24, but still....if there was something that got
forgotten, then they waited to see if I mentioned it the following year
before getting it

Kathy Applebaum wrote:


And for me the cup was half full: my birthday is 28 days before Christmas --
as a child, I thought this was perfect, as it gave everyone just enough time
to buy me the things I didn't get for my birthday. (Did it ever work out
that way? No! But I was ever the optimist! *grin*)

Howdy!
Reminds me of the old Sears after-Christmas sale ad:
"Almost everything you wanted but didn't get for Christmas
is on sale now at Sears!" cute jingle, easy to sing g
"Almost everything I wanted but didn't get for b-day...." VBG

Procrastination: most often because I don't *want* to do what
needs to be done, like sitting down on payday to write checks,
like putting on not-so-hole-y clothes to go to the post office and
pick up the mail there, like not calling someone because I might
interrupt her at work & she always puts me on hold when she calls
me (which I NEVER do to ANYone!), like just not getting the
dust rags out, because I'd rather be doing something else! And it's
too hot to leave the a/c, even to get an oil change in my much loved
Cruiser. And those flower beds the dog's been digging thru' all
summer--too hot to mess w/ right now. So I procrastinate.
Decisions: I'm good at making decisions; I don't suffer much from
indecision, esp. about quilting. I know what I want something to look
like, I love playing w/ the put-it-together process, and I love Finishing.
I really don't have any UFOs in my quilting world.
!! However !! I still haven't caulked the baseboards
in the bathroom that I vinyl-tiled 3 yrs. ago; I'm the only one
who recognizes that it needs to be done, I just haven't been motivated
to get back to that project. robably next month
when I peel off the old wallpaper (seafoam teal--yuck!)
and slap on my new wall treatments, I'll dig out the caulking gun, too.
And I really do intend to get the door sealer/tape around all 3 doors
before too long; one of these days. Eventually. Just not too motivated
to make a decision on which product to use,
so I continue to procrastinate about that. VBG
But meantime, I'm not going to beat myself up over it.
I have a beautiful purple-&-gold quilt that a "client" sent to me last week
that I'm enjoying quilting; I trade off to work on my very colorful quilt,
one for the back living room (mine) and one quilt for the front living room
(hers). And they will both be finished in the next month. Because quilting
is a priority for me, like water & reading books, and other things can wait.
Good luck, Pat, whatever you're working on, or if you're not working on
anything at all. We still love you. Besides, you'll have more time to
mail out squishies!
Ragmop/Sandy


"Kathy Applebaum" wrote in message
m...

"Pat in Virginia" wrote in message
...
I think my problem was/is not a lack of
motivation. I think it was/is a two fold problem, undoubtedly
having roots in the fact that I wanted that Ginny Doll for
Christmas but had to wait 33 days until my Birthday!! Sheesh,
what a child hood I had!

And for me the cup was half full: my birthday is 28 days before
Christmas --
as a child, I thought this was perfect, as it gave everyone just enough
time
to buy me the things I didn't get for my birthday. (Did it ever work out
that way? No! But I was ever the optimist! *grin*)
--
Kathy A. (Woodland, CA)
longarm machine quilting, Queen of Fabric Tramps
http://www.kayneyquilting.com ,
remove the obvious to reply