Freedomain Radio

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This is a hard problem to deal with, but, to me, it's kind of like jumping in a cold pool.

I have a procrastination problem (I don't know how severe).
But, when I have something that I have to do, and am under the impression taht it would be best to get started early...I JUMP IN!

It works for homework.
It hasn't worked for paying my Trespassing fine.
(I got a ticket about a year ago for trespassing on a "public" park like 30 minutes after it was legally closed)

it doesn't work like jumping in a pool.

if i dont think and just do it, in some way or another i get distracted and don't do the job

i have to be forced to do something, this does not only happen with homework

there has to be repercussions and the other side thats why i do it the last second because then there is a repercussion of not finishing it

 im really stuggeling with this

any suggestions?

It sounds like your procrastination may be connected to issues that are larger than the assignment right in front of you. 

In my experience with procrastination (which is extensive), I have found that it usually is the result of some other, huge problem in my life that I have been ignorning.  It's not about the task itself, which might range from mildly annoying to even marginally interesting, but because of my mind-set about Some Other Thing that's going un-solved, the procrastination manifests itself in various, unrelated places, like with car repairs, or lawn care, or paying bills, etc. 

In other words, your procrastination with regard to your Friday assigments might require some attention to matters that extend far beyond the way you approach those assignments themselves.

that sounds very interesting, i though exactly the same, thanks. its not about the task self, which is midly interesting, but because of my mindset im doing something wrong.

it would be, tremendous if i figer this out. it would mean a life with inner-peace and no unecessary stress

I don't know if this will help, but I am an absolute master of procrastination ... and based on what Stef has pointed out in some podcast or two among the 1,400 of them, this probably goes back to my relationship (or lack thereof) with my authoritarian father.

He insisted on getting up at 5am and start nagging me to get ready for school - 4 hours later! The nagging was also repeated with all other chores. So I took up the "slave response" of passive-aggressive dissociation and procrastination in order to retain control of the interchange. The habit continued through school (always late for classes, always last to complete any task, studying only on the night before any exam) and to this day (paying ALL bills late, completing reports on the last day possible, arriving at the airport 2 minutes before takeoff, preparing for a conference speech in the plane/cab on the way to the venue, etc, etc).

Nothing I can consciously do to change this behaviour ever works (though all would question how hard I actually try to change it). Even giving up smoking is high on my list of priorities ... and has been for about 20 years ... but I will probably only stop on my way to the cancer clinic!