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We want to hear from you: please tell us about your experience of the online community.

Hi, my name is Scooby222

Scooby222

I signed up to this Scope community a year ago, and I've only just plucked up the courage to post! So thank you for the email telling me that I've "earned the First Anniversary badge." - it was the push I needed to actually write my first post!

Talking of procrastination, does anyone have a good method to get you motivated? E.g. a piece of music, or a bribe of treats, or a motivational quote? All suggestions welcome!

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Scooby222

that's a good quote Bluebell21, thank you!

Albus_Alumni

Heya @Scooby222 and an official welcome to the community from me too. 😊

As Bluebells has said, feel free to just have a look around and join in when you feel ready, there's no rush. But I'm very glad you chose to say hello. 😁

As for procrastination tips, I find setting alarms for certain things and putting time aside for them really helps me.

onedayatatime

Procrastination and the extra umph to get motivated! @Scooby222 Ive found creating a functional environment, a work space, helps me a lot to do my arty things, you know, a dedicated space. With help, I've set up an area with a table at a window overlooking the garden, with my materials at hand. It's far from being one of this gorgeous 'art studio / craft rooms' you see on YouTube or the internet 🤣 but it's my little space. I put pictures on a board of things that I like, I'm currently making a little area of found objects in one corner and use pictures printed from Pinterest of lots of things to decorate and inspire. I try to dedicate at least an hour of my day to do something. So I'd say creating an environment, a space of your own, filled with things that interest you, definitely helps with motivation.

Scooby222

Onedayatatime, your answer is absolutely smack on relevant to me, as I too have a table set up overlooking the garden for craft/art type work! And yesterday I was tidying up the space, getting it ready to start making stuff again! Your post is spookily relevant! 🤣

I have the table in the window, and used to use it daily, but I haven't done anything at all with it since last year. My husband became very ill just before Christmas, and since then life for both of us has been constant medical appointments, hospital stays, operations, and daily treatments. Those only paused at the end of July, so we have both been pretty shell-shocked - and all our usual activities were dropped because we were both too knackered to do anything. I should say that I am disabled, but my husband is not and has always been very fit, so it was doubly shocking when he became so ill.

I'm now trying to get back to doing the things I used to enjoy, but so far I have made a lot of 'To Do' lists but not actually done anything! I can at least now sit at my table and gaze out over the garden again, so that is progress. Of sorts. 😊

Jimm_Alumni

hey @Scooby222, I can struggle a lot with motivation and tackling procrastination. I really agree with @onedayatatime, make a specific space for work. I've had issues in the past when my "work space" is also used for leisure time. I'm more likely to procrastinate or get distracted.

Funnily enough I had the same issue when I was a student and would just chill/hang out on my bed on my phone or laptop. Sharing my "sleeping space" with other activities made going to sleep harder. I was procrastinating sleep! So yeah, I keep separate spaces for sleeping, working, and leisure/other things.

And all those little things over time can build up into big things, which makes them harder to tackle. Is it possible at all to bring in one-off help for certain things at all? Me and my partner are both disabled, we can usually stay on top of things, but when a lot is happening or one of us is doing worse things can build up. When that happens, which it doesn't too often but has a few times, we ask some family or friends if they can help us sort things out in return for something. Usually a very nice meal that we cook, we really enjoy cooking and they seem to like what we cook!

I know that isn't available to everyone, and it can be difficult to open up about possibly needing some help. I certainly struggled with it at first, I think I am quite lucky that I have a few understanding family members. One time we did actually hire someone to help clean the house (I think it was £50 for 3 hours) as no family were able to help us. Having someone to help us clean the space really helps us after we've had a few months of all the little chores building up.

I'm not sure if this post was all that helpful sorry 😅 feel like I went a bit off track. I guess one final thing is to say congrats on the badge! It's never too late to join in and I'm glad you did 😊

Albus_Alumni

I really find having the things you need in eyeshot helps so much when it comes to hobbies. I've taken over the shed and turned it into my hobby room and I'm getting lots more done these days. 😁 When the paints were in a drawer, it was so hard to get the motivation to do anything.

A photo of a shed with paint racks everywhere.

Lola_Scope

Welcome to the community @Scooby222. That’s a great question. I find that breaking a larger task into smaller more achievable steps, to help you get started, is a good idea. So, you’re right sitting at the table is a great first step. 😊 A strategy I use to help with procrastination is keeping a TaDa List. Instead of listing what I need to do, and beating myself up for not getting it done, I list what I achieve. I find it a more positive experience and I’m motivated to make the list longer. Putting washing in, putting it on the line and folding it when dry is clearly three separate tasks! As is going for a walk, in the fresh air, while chatting with a friend. Some days despite not necessarily achieving what I set out to do I’m able to reflect on what I have achieved.

Scooby222

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/903330#Comment_903330

I absolutely love the idea of a 'TaDah' list, I am going to do that! That is so much more positive than an endless (and not much reducing) To Do list. Brilliant idea ! 💡

Scooby222

Jimm_Scope, your post is very pertinent to my situation, because I am very bad at asking for help. Or rather, I an very bad at asking for help with something that I don't like doing myself (like housework), but i feel okay about asking for a hand with something I enjoy doing - like gardening. So I've had some help with the garden (so that looks really good), but couldn't ask for help with the housework so the house has looked like a midden at times these last few months! I considered trying to arrange for a home help for a few weeks, but there were so many hospital appointments that I didn't know how to make it all work.

Luckily things are getting back to normal with my OH, so we have been tackling the housework together. I do need to have a better plan for the future though. 🤔

Scooby222

Albus-Scope, that is one stonkingly great shed you have, what a fantastic workspace! I am green with envy. 👍

Albus_Alumni

Haha, thanks @Scooby222 it was already renovated when we moved in, but it's taken a few years to get it all set up. I'm happy to have a little nerd paradise where I can just unwind and do some meditation. 😊

onedayatatime

@Albus_Scope I have shed envy!🤣 What a great place to take yourself off to and spend time.👍. You're definitely so right about reaching out and asking for help when needed. I think many of us are more willing to give help rather than accept it. A TaDa list @Lola_Scope is a great idea and definitely something I'm going to start! I've tried ToDo lists but they get so long and make things feel like such a chore. I can definitely see myself rewarding myself at the end of the week with all the TaDa things I've accomplished! What a great way of focusing on achievements!

Scooby222

I think my very first entry in this week's TaDah list will be.... me finally getting around to starting a thread on this forum! I am so glad I did, I am already feeling so much more motivated. Thank you everyone who has replied!

Albus_Alumni

Haha thanks @onedayatatime it'd be even better if it had air conditioning it gets mighty hot/cold down there!

I do love the TaDa list, I think I'll be using that too. 😊

Well @Scooby222 I've very glad you have added posting on the community to your TaDa list, here's to many more! 😁