[ESFP] How does an ESFP keep a schedule and stick to routines?

[defragmybrain]

i'm starting to write in a journal again, i hear it helps turn your scary nagging subconscious thoughts into harmless thoughts that become immediate in your brain and thusly less stressful. if done consistently, should help...

 

[spirilis]

I dunno if this applies to you when you're on the go (probably not), but when I'm at my desk working, I keep a spreadsheet of all my work-related tasks -- listed by ticket# ('cause my workplace uses a ticketing system where everything's referenced by that number--might not apply to you), request date, owner, subject and what I call the "REAL" priority, a number from 1-5. Everything labeled priority "1" I boldface and work on it right away. I typically sort the spreadsheet by the workflow priority so all my #1's are up top, #2's right below them, etc.

Again, doubt this applies to stuff you do "on-the-go" (although you could probably jot down stuff from the spreadsheet in a small paper journal or note on your phone) but if you're having trouble keeping stuff together at a desk job, this might help. My biggest problem at work was a lack of direction as to the "priority" of things and I kept getting blasted from all sides (boss, other teams) for failing to work on certain things, letting things slip by, etc. until I realized our ticketing system was just horribly inadequate for giving us employees an idea of what we're "REALLY" supposed to be doing at any point in time. (That part is being remedied, funny enough..... but I'm still betting I will stick with my little spreadsheet even after the new system is in place, 'cause I'm a snob like that.)

 

[Unique]

sigh. well there goes my seeking advice idea.

I did give you advice... I told you to embrace your P and use it to your advantage rather than try and do things the J way

 

[Halla74]

i'm starting to write in a journal again, i hear it helps turn your scary nagging subconscious thoughts into harmless thoughts that become immediate in your brain and thusly less stressful. if done consistently, should help...

I dunno if I am interpreting this correctly, but scary subconscious thoughts seem like apprehension about a given task and if it will have a bad outcome. When something of importance in my life registers in my subconscious as a "Oh Boy! I don't know how this is going to turn out!" type of task, I am guilty of thinking out the worst possible scenarios and then accepting all of them so I can just move forward and do my best and see what happens, my Mom does this! Arrrgghh!!!

Recently though (past few years) I have short circuited that thinking and I just immediately write down a bulleted list of what needs to be done to fix the problem, in order (1-5). Then go down into a little more detail for each bullet. That kind of journaling seems effective for work related stuff. If its just rambling writing it may relieve some stress, but it will be of limited utility in formulating a solution.

 

[Brouhaha]

Erm...so yeah, I guess I could have things to say as an SP. Yeah, I'm really bad at routines too. The one that relates here is going to gym. Yeah, it's not even a quarter of a mile down the road, and it's free since I'm in college, but I tend to think myself out of it all the time. However I still manage to force myself at least 3 times a week, so I guess that's semi routine.

Well the way that I manage that is something of a combination of what has been said. I definitely want to be healthier and get rid of this unsightly fat, which is definitely a motivation for me. I think that motivation is enough to put a nagging guilty feeling in my head if I don't go to the gym. As for dealing with my laziness, I can't really give too much advice. I generally know all day that I want to go to the gym and then at the last second force myself to put on my running shoes and head out.

Oh, so summary: I think it's important to know that you want to do something as part of a routine that day. Just being aware is important. Then from there it's kind of a battle of will over laziness. Not that I'm calling you lazy. That's just my situation.

 

[defragmybrain]

Erm...so yeah, I guess I could have things to say as an SP. Yeah, I'm really bad at routines too. The one that relates here is going to gym. Yeah, it's not even a quarter of a mile down the road, and it's free since I'm in college, but I tend to think myself out of it all the time. However I still manage to force myself at least 3 times a week, so I guess that's semi routine.

Well the way that I manage that is something of a combination of what has been said. I definitely want to be healthier and get rid of this unsightly fat, which is definitely a motivation for me. I think that motivation is enough to put a nagging guilty feeling in my head if I don't go to the gym. As for dealing with my laziness, I can't really give too much advice. I generally know all day that I want to go to the gym and then at the last second force myself to put on my running shoes and head out.

Oh, so summary: I think it's important to know that you want to do something as part of a routine that day. Just being aware is important. Then from there it's kind of a battle of will over laziness. Not that I'm calling you lazy. That's just my situation.

oh no worries, i am pretty lazy. its just even when i try to make a conscious effort it goes to waste cause i cant stay consistent. i know you have to WANT something... but there are billons of other factors and variables to keep you from doing it. you know how it is.
and you're lucky; my gym is a ways away and its NOT cheap.
thanks though.

 

[defragmybrain]

I did give you advice... I told you to embrace your P and use it to your advantage rather than try and do things the J way

unfortunately doing things the P way doesnt get anything done... at least in my case. shrug.

 

[Unique]

unfortunately doing things the P way doesnt get anything done... at least in my case. shrug.

Ohhh yes It does Ps can be super productive

We work best in bursts of energy... just in my opinion there's no point in having routines if its not your style, then you may as well become a J and be done with it.

I get things done by having fun first... after I've had fun I feel much happier and my good mood carries through to my work

I do things when I feel is the best time to get them done... not at a specific time... I often will do MANY things at once in a short space of time!

 

[King sns]

Ohhh yes It does Ps can be super productive

We work best in bursts of energy... just in my opinion there's no point in having routines if its not your style, then you may as well become a J and be done with it.

I get things done by having fun first... after I've had fun I feel much happier and my good mood carries through to my work

I do things when I feel is the best time to get them done... not at a specific time... I often will do MANY things at once in a short space of time!

Agreed. You have to have enough fun time to give you the energy for the productive time. And then you get these energy bursts where you should be working and getting things done. Its an on-the-edge way to live, but its the only thing that works for me.

 

[defragmybrain]

Agreed. You have to have enough fun time to give you the energy for the productive time. And then you get these energy bursts where you should be working and getting things done. Its an on-the-edge way to live, but its the only thing that works for me.

i guess for me it doesnt'.. i'm very much 'on the edge' and live always having fun and put my indulgences first... don't know how to prioritize for the life of me.
But when thats' done, even then i cant get myself to sit down and get busy.

 

[Unique]

i guess for me it doesnt'.. i'm very much 'on the edge' and live always having fun and put my indulgences first... don't know how to prioritize for the life of me.
But when thats' done, even then i cant get myself to sit down and get busy.

You usually won't, I remember back in school I'd always leave assignments to the last day sometimes even the last hour.

Sounds like you need a bit of discipline

Remember play first work second
not
play first work never


Though it would be nice

 

[passingby]

Just attempt a structural approach to some things, not all, and those things have to hold some kinda importance. For example, your work or projects, even diets. As for everything else, you're in control of your own life and how ya wanna live... if you focus on 'structure' in the aforementioned things, it might gradually get you to focus more on other routine stuff if you want to... otherwise, don't worry about it.

 

[INFtha14]

unfortunately doing things the P way doesnt get anything done... at least in my case. shrug.

okay I'm going to try to take stab at this of what i think unique might mean *not a mindreader so bare with me *

like doing things the p way like for me what helps is to make it seem like it's not a scheduled thing like I have the freewill to choose when and if i want to do this *when really i don't but it helps*.

I will feel more motivated if i have nothing to do that is requiring me to do something earlier cause of having to do this or that....really kills my motivation.

So whenever i go to do something usually i try to pick a day where i don't have any obligations needed to be met then i feel "free" and like it's my choice. Hedonistic but Hedonistic with style .

or if i do have a day of obligations I'll wake up extra early *like 5/6 am* just so i can chill first/read/exercise/ so i get more time to relax before i'd leave to go where i'm going and sunrises what a great start in my opinion .

Cause i can play first get it out of my system then when i'm ready and done playing then i finally go "okay i have to move my butt now xDD" then i do what needs to be done.

I trick myself into thinking you got all the time in the world it helps enough to get the job done.*schedules kill motivation for me but externally imposed helps cause i don't have a say/ still kills but another tool that helps me move things along.*

It messes me up if it feels like i'm forcing myself to do something so that's why i kinda do the SP thing and make into a game of "just do it or you got all the time in the world so it's up to you/ kind of thing"

Even if it means If i see a opening to procrastinate and i feel i just need to digest what i'm doing or not ready to move yet I just follow that feeling and honor it.

Deadlines do help me move whether i feel like it or not. Even telling some friends what i'm doing with regards to fitness/healthy eating. Usually it just helps for me at least with a diet/fitness journal.

*thoughts slipped darn it *............ahh there we go it's back ...
it helps cause it's like i'm imposing a deadline onto myself through Te I don't like to say by this time i want to do this cause then it seems to routine I just say I want to exercise/eat healthy today. Everyday is a new slate.

Like shortnsweet said when there is a peak in the day of the most energy/motivation is when i'll take advantage of it. It gets the job the done pretty good that way cause then it's more "in the moment" not planned sort of hehe, feels more flexible. One time exercised around 10 pm at night ended at 11 pm then went to bed at 12ish.

I've learned to plan my need of feeling "free from constraint" helps ease the urge to shirk what i need to do.

true also on the writing stuff down I have a diet/fitness journal and i try *XD* to right in what i eat for breakfast/lunch/dinner/ snacks/ any fitness. Maybe you could you use a journal for other goals too. Each his own for what works but it never hurts to try. Good luck Defrag

When i'm going to write in it if i see how i haven't been following through i'll usually go okay I got to exercise or oooh shouldn't of ate that xDD.
My Te is what saves me, it's pretty developed seriously.

hopefully that will be helpful for you. Just hope this topic isn't too old even though it's only been a couple months since defrag started this so forgive me if it's been beaten to death. .

 

[ColonelGadaafi]

Hmmm.. it seem's like your suffering from a case of severe procrastination. No matter, we shall remedy this. ESFP's cannot keep the organized mind-state, neither can they keep any long term solid structure. It's one of the negative traits's of Dominant Se combined with Fi. Even keeping structure for ESFP's is done with concious effort, and hardly lasts long, so trying to create one is far from easy let alone adopting it.

However.. fortunely we have the concept of tactics to working to our advantage.

Ive found this method to be most effective and easiest to follow for me as a dominant Se.

Todo list: It's easy to create... easy to follow-through. You grab a pen and paper.. whenever you feel that you need to get a good number of things done, or when things to begin to pile up and become must-do's.

You go to a spot where you feel most comfortable for a brainstorm(no distractions). Sit down for half an hour and scribble things down(thats just enough time, before the boring capacity reaches it's limits). Just remember to be in a neutral mode when your doing this.. otherwise things go wrong, and you stray. When your finished compiling the list of chores/routines/things that you need to do.. introspect with FI for some positive motivation and try to motivate yourself with the "get at it attitude". Before starting, calculate roughly of how much time each task will take you.. and apply it to your current situation, if it doesn't work out, you can always adjust it and cancel out the unfeasible bits.

You have to do it a few times before it catches on, eventually it will become like that glass of coke you enjoy now and then.

Dont pressure yourself and yet at the same time avoid being lax.. the first few times you'll have to invest some mental energy and sheer will, since the tendency to want to do stimulating things can be overwhelming.. remember to think of it as in your benefit whenever the will is flailing, clear your head of erratic things and take control(meditation helps this). Whatever you do.. dont stop half ways, P will kick in and soon enough you'll fall on your couch capitulating to the natural slacker mode.

Thats how i learned to deal with things, harsh at first, but beneficial in the end.

 

[bettyboop]

hey, i have the same problem but i think i have found my self bit better as a mum of four i kinda had to be organised so one week i could be really organised and the next nothing is done and I'm rushing around to get things done.
it actually makes me feel crap but i soon bounce back and as soon as i get on my toes i feel better that things are in order that my house work is done, on top of the washing, shopping is done, bill's paid etc etc.....
I also do try list of thing's to do but i find myself slip out of that quickly, i think it's what you find easy to do to get yourself motivated or organised.

 

[icebreaka]

Maybe some things that might work for you...

Planning for me is boringgggg... I get bored when making plans for the future because I feel like I'm wasting the present...

On the other hand, when I've actually been bothered to make something like a to-do list for 1 day and I get some or all of the stuff done, its a great feeling!

My advice is to first push yourself to realise what you need to get done. Its no use planning too far into the future... even a few days into the future is too long. Lol. Day by day is the best, and the biggest challenge is pushing yourself to write this list in the first place.

It might be a good idea to do it at the start of the day when you wake up, but you might still be too drowsy or in a cant be bothered mood or you might be rushing to go somewhere and thus not get it done. I suggest you do it right before you sleep. Write a few things you want to do the next day. Even just one or two things you want to get done. I think its important to start small, dont jump into it and start writing 10+ things you want to do. Start with one or two things, and if you're able to get that done the next day you'll start gaining momentum!

Second, when you've actually got something you need to do, the next step is motivation. Its so much easier to not do things and just keep having fun. So find a way to motivate yourself to do the things you need to do. Usually the actual process of doing the things you need to do won't be as fun as other things, so a good motivator is thinking about the result of doing that thing. This can be positive or negative motivation. For example positive - What will I gain from doing this? how much better will I feel from getting this done? and negative - How will not doing this affect me? what good things will I miss out on from not doing this?
You have be able to motivate yourself and once you're able to do that you'll be on your way. Breaking things down is very effective as well. Even just doing a bit of what you need to get done, just that step of getting started on it might give you the momentum to keep going and get it done!

An example.
Last night I had an assignment due today. I needed to (start and) finish it lol. It was a powerpoint presentation of seven slides. These are the thoughts that go through my head.

7PM - Wow I just need seven slides, this is easy and I got so much time to do it
7:30 - Why are you still browsing the web get started already
8PM - Opens up word/powerpoint, writes headings goes back to browsing web
10PM - Wow you just wasted 2 hours *keeps browsing*
11PM - Man its late, gotta wake up at 5am, hmm, You still got time before class at 9am to i finish it, its just 7 slides anyway. I should just sleep now
11:01 - Actually, maybe I should just not do it at all, I mean its only 5% of the grade. I can just not do it and not show up to class and do something else 2moro morning
11:02 - Yeah hmm.. nah I need that 5%! It's just a short easy presentation and its 5% guaranteed. I should just do it.
11:03 - I shouldn't leave it till 2moro morning to do it... it'll just put me in a bad mood for the day if I have to get it done 2moro morning
11:04 - Hmm ok, Just finish off two slides then you can sleep. At least get something done to show you didn't put the whole night to waste!

11:10 - Goes to do two slides ... Gets them done
11:20 - Woah that was actually pretty easy, let me do another slide...
11:50 - WOW Finished the whole thing. LOL how awesome.
11:55 - That was easy now I can sleep!... Nah lets watch some tv shows

3:00am *falls asleep

Haha. Yeah thats how bad I am with the stuff I need to get done. I go from really bad procrastination, then I go into thoughts about not doing it all together (which actually wins about 50% of the time), then i finally do it last minute. But what I'm trying to show is how I was able to motivate myself to just get even a bit done, then in doing that it led me to actually finishing the whole thing!

Haha wow this whole post seems random to me, but I hope it helps you!

 

[Unique]

Use perceiving, think of it like a yo-yo, there's a time after "relaxation/enjoyment" that you are in a positive mood and you're up which is the best time to get as much done as possible before you come back down again and so on

A judger plans to get stuff done, gets stuff done, then pleases themselves with "relaxation/enjoyment" afterwards

Why would you schedule or plan if its not what your naturally good at? You can use perceiving productively. The worst thing to do is grab things from the judgers column and try and work with them

Instead grab things from the perceiving column and go "hum, what can I do to use these traits productively"

Seriously.

 

[ColonelGadaafi]

Use perceiving, think of it like a yo-yo, there's a time after "relaxation/enjoyment" that you are in a positive mood and you're up which is the best time to get as much done as possible before you come back down again and so on

A judger plans to get stuff done, gets stuff done, then pleases themselves with "relaxation/enjoyment" afterwards

Why would you schedule or plan if its not what your naturally good at? You can use perceiving productively. The worst thing to do is grab things from the judgers column and try and work with them

Instead grab things from the perceiving column and go "hum, what can I do to use these traits productively"

Seriously.

I see no reason why SP's cannot apply J's methods to a certain degree, when it can be beneficial in the long run, as usually they can be very effective. Aslong as it doesn't compromise the natural swiftness or improvising nature, i see no reason why any SP's should do chores and other trivial day-to-day stuff the "P" way just because it comes off natural, when clearly the "J" way is usually more effective at accomplishing these tedious tasks. Remember we SP'S are chamleons that have the ability to adopt anything towards a practical purpose, including other tempraments ways of doing things.

Remaining open is one of our greatest strengths.

 

[Unique]

I'm pretty sure perceiving types have no problem with being open monkey

Also I do just fine without using judging traits thanks

 

[ColonelGadaafi]

I'm pretty sure perceiving types have no problem with being open monkey

Also I do just fine without using judging traits thanks

But remember.. being a T you are more likely prone to solving the problems and sorting your mess out quickly. An ESFP on the other hand, would have trouble with solving this stuff effectively, and they usually end up in repetive cycles, always getting stuck in the same position over and over again, because of the lack of consideration. Therefore they need some form of flexible structure or a certain mental perk, that allows them to easier deal with this stuff.