Stopping an activity before it's complete

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Do you hate to stop an activity before it's complete?

I do, and I sometimes lack the self-control to stop anyway.

Aside from planning better, do you have little tricks you use to force yourself to move on?

Yes. I don't like to split my focus up. Once I engage in something, usually I am totally immersed & its difficult to leave it undone. I often have to go over the logic about the situation in my head to make sure I am keeping my priorities straight. Having someone I am accountable to (spouse) is helpful as it gives the need to take care of priorities more importance. When really befuddled about what to do, when multiple things need doing, I will go to my spouse and ask her opinion on the correct order. She will usually have a logical sequence and it also is beneficial in keeping her happy about what I am doing.

I can't stand leaving things incomplete; it's somewhat of a neurosis of mine.

I also don't like to "backtrack" under any circumstances. I frequently take the "long way around" before I'd backtrack.

It can go either way with me. I tend to have a one track mind, I like to do one thing until it's completely done. Except when I can't keep my mind on anything and then I just go from one thing to another getting nothing done.

So, how do you handle those life events where you really *should* stop your project?

Toy_Soldier, sometimes I ask my husband to do that for me too! I actually wish I could more. I think I know what you mean. There are absolutely times when I cannot figure out what is most important. Whenever I've asked him priorities, or just a simple, "what should I do now?", I end up feeling very accomplished when I am done. It's nice to put my energy with his decision-making skills. It can be incredibly productive.



I'm mostly talking about those times when I *do* know the thing I'm not doing is more important, but I still have incredible trouble forcing myself to stop.


My best trick is to never work on one task for very long unless I have all day. But, it happens anyway.

I need some more tricks.

It depends entirely on the task. Some tasks I wanna finish, others I'm happy to stop. Some tasks I know I have no way of finishing in one go and then I just continue it later.

Not sure what they call it in english, but i seem to have a all or nothing approach to stuff. Even with basic stuff like if i travel somewhere, i walk a full pace, if i excercise its full pace until im seeing stars and stuff. Its like i have the neutral gear in a car, and then the highest gear. I dont understand it.

Its a curse i think.

Yes, I hate it. It's an aspect of my tendency to perfectionism.

Oh yeah...being a perfectionist sometimes I just don't know when to accept something is finished and let it go.

I started working on reglazing my windows over the weekend and it took me 2 hours just to do the first pane of glass. At first I was getting extremely frustrated and wanted to quit altogether because it wouldn't go on smoothly. But after I got in a rhythm I was obsessively smoothing it over and over trying to get it perfect.

Absolutely. I hate it when I'm engrossed in something, and all of a sudden the phone rings, or someone tries to get my attention, or whatever. This is part of the reason why I'm almost never logged into Steam. Somehow, it just seems that people have trouble comprehending the fact that I absolutely abhor being interrupted.

Yep. If I'm in the zone I have to solve the problem, even if that means staying up into the wee hours of the morning. But, you know, that's what it means to have a special interest. Nothing - not even time - matters.

Oh. Well then, yeah. Take care of the kids. And the dog. The cat not so much....

I can pretty much never complete anything. Quite sure I have ADD.