Beating the Blerch | brokeGIRLrich
Confession: I don’t know what it is lately, but I just feel super unmotivated to deal with anything.
I’m procrastinating like 800 different things – from scheduling a dentist appointment and sorting out my car insurance for next year to looking for a cheaper internet provider to writing blog posts ahead of time to even looking for freelance work to working on my Etsy store to buying my best friend’s birthday gift to doing the grocery shopping… seriously, folks, that doesn’t even feel like the tip of my procrastination iceberg.
So all of those things add up to a lot of stress when I hit the deadline and just have to get the thing done anyway. Or pay extra money because I didn’t fix it sooner, resulting in even more stress.
Then the stress makes me want to crawl into my bed and be even more unmotivated. What is this cycle??
This lead me to believe I’m being visited by The Blerch.
The Blerch is from one of the best comics I’ve ever read. I’m not a runner by any stretch of the imagination. I barely even exercise. But I’m pretty sure The Blerch is real. And he actually just follows me around, trying to turn me into a wretched, lazy beast.
He thinks we’re pals.
Sometimes I do too.
The Robocop trilogy on Netflix isn’t gonna watch itself.
I know, Blerch! And that sounds way better than waiting on hold with my car insurance company for 6 hours.
Hey! Instead of working let’s go read bad review of things we already hate in order to reaffirm that we still hate them.
Great idea, Blerch! Sounds much more useful that researching mutual funds so I can actually make some money. Oh, AND write a post about them. But why kill two birds with one stone when I can read about how much other people hate Special K too!
Sigh. The thing about The Blerch though, is that he can totally be beaten. There are times when I barely notice he’s there. Actually, there are times when I’m sure he’s not. But once he get’s an opening, he gloms on like nobody’s business.
So you’ve just got to keep going and ignore The Blerch’s pleas to sit and eat cake. At the end of the day, not too many people are going to really care what you’re doing, so it’s up to you to get your act together and keep it together. Or you might turn into The Blerch.
That being said, I’ve got several hundred pieces of paper to crumple into “parchment.”
What are you avoiding?
*Part of Financially Savvy Saturdays on Femme Frugality and Family Balance Sheet*
ha ha I love the Blerch. He followed me around when I was training for my half marathon. Little bastard. I haven’t been feeling unmotivated per say, but very lethargic for some reason. I feel like I could nap more and go to bed early and sleep late. It feels like my body is going into hibernation and it’s spring. I’m thinking allergies? Not sure. I hope it passes for both of us soon!
Tonya@Budget and the Beach recently posted…Productive Week/Link Love
Oh my gosh. Hibernation. I would be such a good bear.
I totally know how you feel. I tried to get a to-do list together yesterday and decided to stop. There were too many things to deal with! When I get overwhelmed I’m tempted to go and hide, which isn’t productive at all. I’m hoping to get at least a few things done today though.
E.M. recently posted…Being Grateful: Twenty-Fourth Edition
Honestly, if I manage to get it together enough to make a to-do list, I do a lot a better. There’s such a feeling of accomplishment crossing each item off.
Avoiding:
– Getting stuff ready for my taxes.
– Cleaning up the kitchen.
– Speaking with my partners
in crimeat the farm about sitting down and actually putting together some sort of plan for the place.– Getting started on my own blog.
– and yada yada yada.
The Blerch eh? Nice to know he has a name.
Well, lets get started. Time to get to work.
Have you ever heard of the two-minute rule?
Goes a little something like this:
When there’s nothing you have to do RIGHT THIS SECOND — like submitting by a deadline or getting to a bank before it closes or insulin — when a task pops into your head that’ll take less than two minutes, you bang it out right then. Making a dentist appointment might fit into this category, but writing blog posts might not.
It works OK sometimes. If anything, it gives you a nice accomplished feeling…
Mario Adventuresinfrugal recently posted…A friendly reminder: There is a BIG difference between frugal and cheap (Somewhat rant-y)
I like that! Especially the insulin caveat. I’ll definitely start giving it a try.
This is so me lately! And this post cracked me up.
Laina Turner recently posted…Fab 5 Friday
I’m avoiding everything from getting a dress hemmed I need for a wedding NEXT weekend to sending my bio for a concert I’m singing at to writing all the articles I have due to finishing my unpacking. It’s bad.
Stefanie @ The Broke and Beautiful Life recently posted…Budget Travel: 5 Ways I Paid For My Last Vacation
Must be something in the air. I feel a little better knowing I’m not alone.
I must have multiple Blerches because I am the best/worst procrastinator EVER! LOL. Currently avoiding: laundry, finishing a handful of DIY projects, planning travel/entertainment for guests who arrive in 3 weeks!!!, making appointments for hair stylist and dentist, revamping the good ol’ resume, and I’m sure there are hundreds of other things.
Nichole @BudgetLovingMilitaryWife recently posted…Lakenheath Commissary Deals: April 25, 2013
Ugh. The Blerch is attacking everyone this week.
Ha ha you and the BLERCH made me laugh. He’s bugging me too now!
~ doctors appt ~ not made
~ call for eye glasses prescription ~ not done
~ sort through clothes my sister gave me ~ still in two bags on my floor
~ birthday gift and wedding shower gifts needed sooner or later ~ unbought
~ pile of paperwork to be sorted ~ undispositioned
~ laundry piles starting to grow ~ and still growing
We won’t even talk about housework, because that just never ends or never gets done until there’s a party or get together!
On a positive note, happy #FinSavSat to ya! Oh, and say ‘hi’ to your Blerch.
debt debs recently posted…My New Enlightenment Since Acknowledging our Debt Crisis
Oh, man, I get this way sometimes. Just taking one step forward and then not allowing myself to stop once I’ve got momentum is what does it for me. (Not talking about running, though, I haven’t really ran as a habit for years. That’s another Blerch story.) It can be really hard to take that first step. Also, I think sleeping more would help. At least for me. But I think the next time I’ll sleep is when my kids are grown.
femmefrugality recently posted…Financially Savvy Saturdays: Thirty-Fifth Edition
So, inquiring minds want to know if/why you really hate Special K 🙂 And more importantly, I can so totally relate to the need to beat the blerch. Sigh.
I don’t know. They have those Special K cereal bars and I got them free to try and they tasted like gross trees. It just was just really not good.
Right now my garden needs to be weeded desperately and I have absolutely no motivation to do so. I’ll avoid it until the last possible second before I have to plant my veggies and then I’ll be cursing at myself for not weeding. It’s a vicious cycle.
Kristia {Family Balance Sheet} recently posted…Financially Savvy Saturday
It’s April and its astrological happenings! One new moon to go (tomorrow) and things will start to flow again 🙂
Debby recently posted…Day 196 – Arts & Crafts.
Good to know! I can totally make it 24 more hours.
Update: I’m getting some put off work done!
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’d better get out of here before The Blerch tricks me in to spending the rest of the afternoon reading through personal finance blogs (as much as I’d like to 😉 instead of dealing with some more pressing matters outside the world of the internet.
Wow the Blerch is a very interesting character. I’m not sure I’m actually avoiding anything as much as I just forget some things since I have the daily to do stuff. For some things I realize I need to make a list sometimes! Thanks so much for sharing this with us at Countdown in Style!
Brittnei recently posted…Why I Started Wearing a Head Covering
Love it! I haven’t heard of the The Blerch but now he’s part of my vernacular. I think he conspires with people in my life sometimes. 🙁
I find using the timer really helps when I’m feeling overwhelmed and unmotivated. I have a nifty 4-part timer I keep on my desk. I have it preset for 45, 30, 20, and 15 minute increments. Sometimes all I need is to get going for 15 minutes, and then I’m productive again.
And sometimes, we just need a day off. 🙂
Barb @ A Life in Balance recently posted…Salads, a Healthy, Quick, and Easy Summer Dinner
I didn’t have a computer for a couple of weeks, and I have to say it was nice to just concentrate on my family. Now that I have a computer, I’m procrastinating on getting back on the ball and getting things done! Thanks for linking up with Countdown in Style.
April recently posted…#AskAwayFriday with Sherri {God Life, Happy Wife}
I honestly can’t imagine not having a computer. I didn’t have a TV for years and I barely use the one I have now, but not having my computer would really freak me out. On the flip side, I’d probably be a lot more productive in a lot of other areas of life.