Re: Useful activity-tracking tool (for me)

[Guest guest]

Don't worry Helena, the site was just logging you in with a cookie (I imagine). I can't see any of your stuff when I click the link. If it did, that would be appallingly insecure!!!bb

 

Oh horrors, I think the link I provided gives you access to my personal calendar!  At least it does for me when I open it from within this email.  I have deleted the message on the website.  Please respect my privacy and don't read my personal entries if you got the message in your personal email before I had a chance to delete it.  I think you can find the link by googling on your computer.  Even when I google it, it comes up with my personal calendar!

 

Thanks,

Helena

Useful activity-tracking tool (for me)

 

There is a free website that enables you to track daily activities in a very simple and somewhat unusual manner.  I have used it for about two weeks and have found it to be a great tool for someone like me who has a hard time doing things I value every day, often falling into depressive lethargy and what's-the-use thinking.  The link is:  www.idonethis.com  (bad English, I know!).

 

After a simple sign-up process, each morning you will get an email from the site with the subject " What'd you get done today? " (meaning yesterday).  By replying to the email, you can type in what you got done the previous day, and it will record it on a calendar for you.  You can review your calendar at any time, and when you do, you will see a large checkmark on every date that you made an entry.  Click on the date, and it will show you a list of all the things you entered for that day.  You can also download the calendar so you have a permanent record of your entries on file.

 

I happen to have a great deal of unstructured time in my life, which is poison for me because I tend to use my time  more wisely within the framework of structure.  This tool helps me to commit to doing *something* each day because I want to see that checkmark on my calendar!  On one day in the past two weeks, the entry was " Sat on my hands " --and seeing the checkmark for that day helped me to realize that I had permission to do just that without beating myself up for it. 

 

On some days, my entries are tiny, such as " changed the bed sheets " , but on other days, I have found that doing just one thing has energized me to keep going and accomplish many other things in a domino effect.  I also enter activities I spend in relaxing and enjoying myself; I tend to feel guilty spending time watching a movie or reading a book just for fun, but simply entering it on my calendar gives having fun credence and value--no room for guilt!

 

This would also be a good tool to track your progress toward a particular goal; e.g., if your goal is to lose weight, you could track your food intake, time spent exercising, etc.  Or use it to track activities you engage in on your ACT journey, which is how I use it.

 

I thought this might be a helpful tool for others; if so, I'd be interested in hearing how you use it.

 

Helena

 

P.S.  I know most of you probably have smart phones where you can do this kind of tracking, but I don't have one. Still, this could be a useful adjunct.

[Guest guest]

This is brilliant! I just signed up...BruceThere is a free website that enables you to track daily activities in a very simple and somewhat unusual manner. I have used it for about two weeks and have found it to be a great tool for someone like me who has a hard time doing things I value every day, often falling into depressive lethargy and what's-the-use thinking. The link is: www.idonethis.com (bad English, I know!). After a simple sign-up process, each morning you will get an email from the site with the subject "What'd you get done today?" (meaning yesterday). By replying to the email, you can type in what you got done the previous day, and it will record it on a calendar for you. You can review your calendar at any time, and when you do, you will see a large checkmark on every date that you made an entry. Click on the date, and it will show you a list of all the things you entered for that day. You can also download the calendar so you have a permanent record of your entries on file. I happen to have a great deal of unstructured time in my life, which is poison for me because I tend to use my time more wisely within the framework of structure. This tool helps me to commit to doing *something* each day because I want to see that checkmark on my calendar! On one day in the past two weeks, the entry was "Sat on my hands"--and seeing the checkmark for that day helped me to realize that I had permission to do just that without beating myself up for it. On some days, my entries are tiny, such as "changed the bed sheets", but on other days, I have found that doing just one thing has energized me to keep going and accomplish many other things in a domino effect. I also enter activities I spend in relaxing and enjoying myself; I tend to feel guilty spending time watching a movie or reading a book just for fun, but simply entering it on my calendar gives having fun credence and value--no room for guilt! This would also be a good tool to track your progress toward a particular goal; e.g., if your goal is to lose weight, you could track your food intake, time spent exercising, etc. Or use it to track activities you engage in on your ACT journey, which is how I use it. I thought this might be a helpful tool for others; if so, I'd be interested in hearing how you use it. Helena P.S. I know most of you probably have smart phones where you can do this kind of tracking, but I don't have one. Still, this could be a useful adjunct.

[Guest guest]

Great tool, thanks Helena. Could be useful for all sorts of things!CheersKateThere is a free website that enables you to track daily activities in a very simple and somewhat unusual manner. I have used it for about two weeks and have found it to be a great tool for someone like me who has a hard time doing things I value every day, often falling into depressive lethargy and what's-the-use thinking. The link is: www.idonethis.com (bad English, I know!). After a simple sign-up process, each morning you will get an email from the site with the subject "What'd you get done today?" (meaning yesterday). By replying to the email, you can type in what you got done the previous day, and it will record it on a calendar for you. You can review your calendar at any time, and when you do, you will see a large checkmark on every date that you made an entry. Click on the date, and it will show you a list of all the things you entered for that day. You can also download the calendar so you have a permanent record of your entries on file. I happen to have a great deal of unstructured time in my life, which is poison for me because I tend to use my time more wisely within the framework of structure. This tool helps me to commit to doing *something* each day because I want to see that checkmark on my calendar! On one day in the past two weeks, the entry was "Sat on my hands"--and seeing the checkmark for that day helped me to realize that I had permission to do just that without beating myself up for it. On some days, my entries are tiny, such as "changed the bed sheets", but on other days, I have found that doing just one thing has energized me to keep going and accomplish many other things in a domino effect. I also enter activities I spend in relaxing and enjoying myself; I tend to feel guilty spending time watching a movie or reading a book just for fun, but simply entering it on my calendar gives having fun credence and value--no room for guilt! This would also be a good tool to track your progress toward a particular goal; e.g., if your goal is to lose weight, you could track your food intake, time spent exercising, etc. Or use it to track activities you engage in on your ACT journey, which is how I use it. I thought this might be a helpful tool for others; if so, I'd be interested in hearing how you use it. Helena P.S. I know most of you probably have smart phones where you can do this kind of tracking, but I don't have one. Still, this could be a useful adjunct.

[Guest guest]

The email comes in the evening here, so it works out great!BruceThere is a free website that enables you to track daily activities in a very simple and somewhat unusual manner. I have used it for about two weeks and have found it to be a great tool for someone like me who has a hard time doing things I value every day, often falling into depressive lethargy and what's-the-use thinking. The link is: www.idonethis.com (bad English, I know!). After a simple sign-up process, each morning you will get an email from the site with the subject "What'd you get done today?" (meaning yesterday). By replying to the email, you can type in what you got done the previous day, and it will record it on a calendar for you. You can review your calendar at any time, and when you do, you will see a large checkmark on every date that you made an entry. Click on the date, and it will show you a list of all the things you entered for that day. You can also download the calendar so you have a permanent record of your entries on file. I happen to have a great deal of unstructured time in my life, which is poison for me because I tend to use my time more wisely within the framework of structure. This tool helps me to commit to doing *something* each day because I want to see that checkmark on my calendar! On one day in the past two weeks, the entry was "Sat on my hands"--and seeing the checkmark for that day helped me to realize that I had permission to do just that without beating myself up for it. On some days, my entries are tiny, such as "changed the bed sheets", but on other days, I have found that doing just one thing has energized me to keep going and accomplish many other things in a domino effect. I also enter activities I spend in relaxing and enjoying myself; I tend to feel guilty spending time watching a movie or reading a book just for fun, but simply entering it on my calendar gives having fun credence and value--no room for guilt! This would also be a good tool to track your progress toward a particular goal; e.g., if your goal is to lose weight, you could track your food intake, time spent exercising, etc. Or use it to track activities you engage in on your ACT journey, which is how I use it. I thought this might be a helpful tool for others; if so, I'd be interested in hearing how you use it. Helena P.S. I know most of you probably have smart phones where you can do this kind of tracking, but I don't have one. Still, this could be a useful adjunct.

[Guest guest]

>To set your timezone, please go to your settings page. Your daily email will arrive in your inbox at ?>6:45 pm in the timezone of your choice (US/Pacific Time by default).

If everything else fails, read the manual :-)

Thanks, great idea

 

The email comes in the evening here, so it works out great!Bruce

There is a free website that enables you to track daily activities in a very simple and somewhat unusual manner.  I have used it for about two weeks and have found it to be a great tool for someone like me who has a hard time doing things I value every day, often falling into depressive lethargy and what's-the-use thinking.  The link is: www.idonethis.com  (bad English, I know!).

 After a simple sign-up process, each morning you will get an email from the site with the subject " What'd you get done today? " (meaning yesterday).  By replying to the email, you can type in what you got done the previous day, and it will record it on a calendar for you.  You can review your calendar at any time, and when you do, you will see a large checkmark on every date that you made an entry.  Click on the date, and it will show you a list of all the things you entered for that day.  You can also download the calendar so you have a permanent record of your entries on file.

 I happen to have a great deal of unstructured time in my life, which is poison for me because I tend to use my time  more wisely within the framework of structure.  This tool helps me to commit to doing *something* each day because I want to see that checkmark on my calendar!  On one day in the past two weeks, the entry was " Sat on my hands " --and seeing the checkmark for that day helped me to realize that I had permission to do just that without beating myself up for it. 

 On some days, my entries are tiny, such as " changed the bed sheets " , but on other days, I have found that doing just one thing has energized me to keep going and accomplish many other things in a domino effect.  I also enter activities I spend in relaxing and enjoying myself; I tend to feel guilty spending time watching a movie or reading a book just for fun, but simply entering it on my calendar gives having fun credence and value--no room for guilt!

 This would also be a good tool to track your progress toward a particular goal; e.g., if your goal is to lose weight, you could track your food intake, time spent exercising, etc.  Or use it to track activities you engage in on your ACT journey, which is how I use it.

 I thought this might be a helpful tool for others; if so, I'd be interested in hearing how you use it. Helena

 P.S.  I know most of you probably have smart phones where you can do this kind of tracking, but I don't have one. Still, this could be a useful adjunct.

[Guest guest]

Thanks, I've signed up! I'll see what happens tonight.I'm taking it in with a bit of trepidation and hope. After all, that's what makes us all special brand of procrastrinators. It's not the starting, but the follow- through and finishing of any new endeavor. I just hope this will not be just anothernovelty for me which will fizzle-out before 21 days of learning/discipline acquiring skill- cycle.For now, I'm also in search for the drug NZT- 48 that Bradley took in the movie LIMITLESS.THAT is AMAZING if we really have it in real life! I'll trade-in all my Adderal and Ritalin for those meds! Awesome!Just me,To: ACT_for_the_Public Sent: Tue, April 19, 2011 10:31:20 AMSubject: Re: Useful activity-tracking tool (for me)

The email comes in the evening here, so it works out great!BruceThere is a free website that enables you to track daily activities in a very simple and somewhat unusual manner. I have used it for

about two weeks and have found it to be a great tool for someone like me who has a hard time doing things I value every day, often falling into depressive lethargy and what's-the-use thinking. The link is: www.idonethis.com (bad English, I know!). After a simple sign-up process, each morning you will get an email from the site with the subject "What'd you get done today?" (meaning yesterday). By replying to the email, you can type in what you got done the previous day, and it will record it on a calendar for you. You can review your calendar at any time, and when you do, you will see a large checkmark on every date that you made an entry. Click on the date, and it will show you a list of all the things you entered for that day. You can also download the calendar so you have a permanent record of your entries on file. I happen to have a great deal of unstructured time in my life, which is poison for me because I tend to use my time more wisely within the framework of structure. This tool helps me to commit to doing *something* each day because I want to see that checkmark on my calendar! On one day in the past two weeks, the entry was "Sat on my hands"--and seeing the checkmark for that day helped me to realize that I had permission to do just that without beating myself up for it. On some days, my entries are tiny, such as "changed the bed sheets", but on other days, I have found that doing just one thing has energized me to keep going and accomplish many other things in a domino effect. I also enter activities I spend in relaxing and enjoying myself; I tend to feel guilty spending time watching a movie or reading a book just for fun, but simply entering it on my calendar gives having fun credence and value--no room for guilt! This would also be a good tool to track

your progress toward a particular goal; e.g., if your goal is to lose weight, you could track your food intake, time spent exercising, etc. Or use it to track activities you engage in on your ACT journey, which is how I use it. I thought this might be a helpful tool for others; if so, I'd be interested in hearing how you use it. Helena P.S. I know most of you probably have smart phones where you can do this kind of tracking, but I don't have one. Still, this could be a useful adjunct.

[Guest guest]

I'm giving it a go too.

My first 'journal' entry was fun, it really made me think.

I like it because it reflects, to some degree, the valuable stuff I

did, often without thinking ~ here I going doing X valued action ~

This is a great tool.

Thanks HBBR!!!

> Thanks, I've signed up! I'll see what happens tonight.

> I'm taking it in with a bit of trepidation and hope. After all, that's what

> makes us all special brand of procrastrinators.

>

> It's not the starting, but the follow- through and finishing of any new

> endeavor. I just hope this will not be just another

> novelty for me which will fizzle-out before 21 days of learning/discipline

> acquiring skill- cycle.

>

> For now, I'm also in search for the drug NZT- 48 that Bradley took in

> the

> movie LIMITLESS.

> THAT is AMAZING if we really have it in real life! I'll trade-in all my

> Adderal

> and Ritalin for those meds! Awesome!

>

> Just me,

>

>

>

>

>

> ________________________________

>

> To: ACT_for_the_Public

> Sent: Tue, April 19, 2011 10:31:20 AM

> Subject: Re: Useful activity-tracking tool (for me)

>

>

> The email comes in the evening here, so it works out great!

>

> Bruce

>

>

>

>

>

>>

>>There is a free website that enables you to track daily activities in a

>> very

>>simple and somewhat unusual manner. I have used it for about two weeks and

>> have

>>found it to be a great tool for someone like me who has a hard time doing

>>things I value every day, often falling into depressive lethargy and

>>what's-the-use thinking. The link is: www.idonethis.com (bad English, I

>>know!).

>>

>>

>>After a simple sign-up process, each morning you will get an email from the

>> site

>>with the subject " What'd you get done today? " (meaning yesterday). By

>> replying

>>to the email, you can type in what you got done the previous day, and it

>> will

>>record it on a calendar for you. You can review your calendar at any time,

>> and

>>when you do, you will see a large checkmark on every date that you made an

>>entry. Click on the date, and it will show you a list of all the things

>> you

>>entered for that day. You can also download the calendar so you have a

>>permanent record of your entries on file.

>>

>>

>>I happen to have a great deal of unstructured time in my life, which is

>> poison

>>for me because I tend to use my time more wisely within the framework of

>>structure. This tool helps me to commit to doing *something* each day

>> because I

>>want to see that checkmark on my calendar! On one day in the past two

>> weeks,

>>the entry was " Sat on my hands " --and seeing the checkmark for that day

>> helped me

>>to realize that I had permission to do just that without beating myself up

>> for

>>it.

>>

>>

>>On some days, my entries are tiny, such as " changed the bed sheets " , but on

>>

>>other days, I have found that doing just one thing has energized me to keep

>>

>>going and accomplish many other things in a domino effect. I also enter

>>activities I spend in relaxing and enjoying myself; I tend to feel guilty

>>spending time watching a movie or reading a book just for fun, but simply

>>entering it on my calendar gives having fun credence and value--no room for

>>

>>guilt!

>>

>>

>>This would also be a good tool to track your progress toward a particular

>> goal;

>>e.g., if your goal is to lose weight, you could track your food intake,

>> time

>>spent exercising, etc. Or use it to track activities you engage in on your

>> ACT

>>journey, which is how I use it.

>>

>>

>>I thought this might be a helpful tool for others; if so, I'd be interested

>> in

>>hearing how you use it.

>>

>>

>>Helena

>>

>>

>>P.S. I know most of you probably have smart phones where you can do this

>> kind

>>of tracking, but I don't have one. Still, this could be a useful adjunct.

>>

>>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Yep, mine comes in the evening, too. It's just that I usually shut down my computer at 6:00 pm so I don't see the email until the next morning. I like it that way, since I am an morning person and can think and reflect better in the morning!Helena

Re: Useful activity-tracking tool (for me)

>To set your timezone, please go to your settings page. Your daily email will arrive in your inbox at ?>6:45 pm in the timezone of your choice (US/Pacific Time by default).

If everything else fails, read the manual :-)

Thanks, great idea

The email comes in the evening here, so it works out great!

Bruce

There is a free website that enables you to track daily activities in a very simple and somewhat unusual manner. I have used it for about two weeks and have found it to be a great tool for someone like me who has a hard time doing things I value every day, often falling into depressive lethargy and what's-the-use thinking. The link is: www.idonethis.com (bad English, I know!).

After a simple sign-up process, each morning you will get an email from the site with the subject "What'd you get done today?" (meaning yesterday). By replying to the email, you can type in what you got done the previous day, and it will record it on a calendar for you. You can review your calendar at any time, and when you do, you will see a large checkmark on every date that you made an entry. Click on the date, and it will show you a list of all the things you entered for that day. You can also download the calendar so you have a permanent record of your entries on file.

I happen to have a great deal of unstructured time in my life, which is poison for me because I tend to use my time more wisely within the framework of structure. This tool helps me to commit to doing *something* each day because I want to see that checkmark on my calendar! On one day in the past two weeks, the entry was "Sat on my hands"--and seeing the checkmark for that day helped me to realize that I had permission to do just that without beating myself up for it.

On some days, my entries are tiny, such as "changed the bed sheets", but on other days, I have found that doing just one thing has energized me to keep going and accomplish many other things in a domino effect. I also enter activities I spend in relaxing and enjoying myself; I tend to feel guilty spending time watching a movie or reading a book just for fun, but simply entering it on my calendar gives having fun credence and value--no room for guilt!

This would also be a good tool to track your progress toward a particular goal; e.g., if your goal is to lose weight, you could track your food intake, time spent exercising, etc. Or use it to track activities you engage in on your ACT journey, which is how I use it.

I thought this might be a helpful tool for others; if so, I'd be interested in hearing how you use it.

Helena

P.S. I know most of you probably have smart phones where you can do this kind of tracking, but I don't have one. Still, this could be a useful adjunct.

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

What helps me to keep going on the tracking is that the email always comes automatically to remind me. When I think about ignoring the email (and I do sometimes), I remember that I won't get a checkmark for that day, and that little thing keeps me going! Plus, I like how simple and easy it is to do.Helena

Re: Useful activity-tracking tool (for me)

The email comes in the evening here, so it works out great!

Bruce

There is a free website that enables you to track daily activities in a very simple and somewhat unusual manner. I have used it for about two weeks and have found it to be a great tool for someone like me who has a hard time doing things I value every day, often falling into depressive lethargy and what's-the-use thinking. The link is: www.idonethis.com (bad English, I know!).

After a simple sign-up process, each morning you will get an email from the site with the subject "What'd you get done today?" (meaning yesterday). By replying to the email, you can type in what you got done the previous day, and it will record it on a calendar for you. You can review your calendar at any time, and when you do, you will see a large checkmark on every date that you made an entry. Click on the date, and it will show you a list of all the things you entered for that day. You can also download the calendar so you have a permanent record of your entries on file.

I happen to have a great deal of unstructured time in my life, which is poison for me because I tend to use my time more wisely within the framework of structure. This tool helps me to commit to doing *something* each day because I want to see that checkmark on my calendar! On one day in the past two weeks, the entry was "Sat on my hands"--and seeing the checkmark for that day helped me to realize that I had permission to do just that without beating myself up for it.

On some days, my entries are tiny, such as "changed the bed sheets", but on other days, I have found that doing just one thing has energized me to keep going and accomplish many other things in a domino effect. I also enter activities I spend in relaxing and enjoying myself; I tend to feel guilty spending time watching a movie or reading a book just for fun, but simply entering it on my calendar gives having fun credence and value--no room for guilt!

This would also be a good tool to track your progress toward a particular goal; e.g., if your goal is to lose weight, you could track your food intake, time spent exercising, etc. Or use it to track activities you engage in on your ACT journey, which is how I use it.

I thought this might be a helpful tool for others; if so, I'd be interested in hearing how you use it.

Helena

P.S. I know most of you probably have smart phones where you can do this kind of tracking, but I don't have one. Still, this could be a useful adjunct.

[Guest guest]

.... like helping you keep track or all your wonderful gardening projects : )

Helena

Re: Useful activity-tracking tool (for me)

Great tool, thanks Helena. Could be useful for all sorts of things!

Cheers

Kate

There is a free website that enables you to track daily activities in a very simple and somewhat unusual manner. I have used it for about two weeks and have found it to be a great tool for someone like me who has a hard time doing things I value every day, often falling into depressive lethargy and what's-the-use thinking. The link is: www.idonethis.com (bad English, I know!).

After a simple sign-up process, each morning you will get an email from the site with the subject "What'd you get done today?" (meaning yesterday). By replying to the email, you can type in what you got done the previous day, and it will record it on a calendar for you. You can review your calendar at any time, and when you do, you will see a large checkmark on every date that you made an entry. Click on the date, and it will show you a list of all the things you entered for that day. You can also download the calendar so you have a permanent record of your entries on file.

I happen to have a great deal of unstructured time in my life, which is poison for me because I tend to use my time more wisely within the framework of structure. This tool helps me to commit to doing *something* each day because I want to see that checkmark on my calendar! On one day in the past two weeks, the entry was "Sat on my hands"--and seeing the checkmark for that day helped me to realize that I had permission to do just that without beating myself up for it.

On some days, my entries are tiny, such as "changed the bed sheets", but on other days, I have found that doing just one thing has energized me to keep going and accomplish many other things in a domino effect. I also enter activities I spend in relaxing and enjoying myself; I tend to feel guilty spending time watching a movie or reading a book just for fun, but simply entering it on my calendar gives having fun credence and value--no room for guilt!

This would also be a good tool to track your progress toward a particular goal; e.g., if your goal is to lose weight, you could track your food intake, time spent exercising, etc. Or use it to track activities you engage in on your ACT journey, which is how I use it.

I thought this might be a helpful tool for others; if so, I'd be interested in hearing how you use it.

Helena

P.S. I know most of you probably have smart phones where you can do this kind of tracking, but I don't have one. Still, this could be a useful adjunct.

[Guest guest]

Me too!

I signed onto iDoneThis yesterday. It's a great way to see all the good things

I've done during the day. The email reminder is a great way to keep me moving

forward.

I use Task Pro on my iPad to list what I'm going to do and break them into

small, doable steps. Then as I do them, I list them in iDoneThis.

Technology might be a powerful and addictive distraction (count the number of

people you see on a train f***king around on their mobile/cell phone) but, when

you find the right tools, it's fantastic!

Cheers,

Stan

>

> >

> > There is a free website that enables you to track daily activities

> > in a very simple and somewhat unusual manner. I have used it for

> > about two weeks and have found it to be a great tool for someone

> > like me who has a hard time doing things I value every day, often

> > falling into depressive lethargy and what's-the-use thinking. The

> > link is: www.idonethis.com (bad English, I know!).

> >

> >

> > After a simple sign-up process, each morning you will get an email

> > from the site with the subject " What'd you get done today? " (meaning

> > yesterday). By replying to the email, you can type in what you got

> > done the previous day, and it will record it on a calendar for you.

> > You can review your calendar at any time, and when you do, you will

> > see a large checkmark on every date that you made an entry. Click

> > on the date, and it will show you a list of all the things you

> > entered for that day. You can also download the calendar so you

> > have a permanent record of your entries on file.

> >

> >

> > I happen to have a great deal of unstructured time in my life, which

> > is poison for me because I tend to use my time more wisely within

> > the framework of structure. This tool helps me to commit to doing

> > *something* each day because I want to see that checkmark on my

> > calendar! On one day in the past two weeks, the entry was " Sat on

> > my hands " --and seeing the checkmark for that day helped me to

> > realize that I had permission to do just that without beating myself

> > up for it.

> >

> >

> > On some days, my entries are tiny, such as " changed the bed sheets " ,

> > but on other days, I have found that doing just one thing has

> > energized me to keep going and accomplish many other things in a

> > domino effect. I also enter activities I spend in relaxing and

> > enjoying myself; I tend to feel guilty spending time watching a

> > movie or reading a book just for fun, but simply entering it on my

> > calendar gives having fun credence and value--no room for guilt!

> >

> >

> > This would also be a good tool to track your progress toward a

> > particular goal; e.g., if your goal is to lose weight, you could

> > track your food intake, time spent exercising, etc. Or use it to

> > track activities you engage in on your ACT journey, which is how I

> > use it.

> >

> >

> > I thought this might be a helpful tool for others; if so, I'd be

> > interested in hearing how you use it.

> >

> >

> > Helena

> >

> >

> > P.S. I know most of you probably have smart phones where you can do

> > this kind of tracking, but I don't have one. Still, this could be a

> > useful adjunct.

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Helena,

Thank you for introducing me to "iDONEthis!". I'm just on my 4th day, and I'm having a roll!

This combined with the lessons from ACT book, combined with Dr. Fiore's The NOW Habit

gave me so much enjoyment in accomplishing tasks while having fun in between. This never

come in a better time (though I wish it happened 20 years earlier, I could have suffered lessfrom bouts of depression and procrastination - it's a chicken and egg situation, really...I don't

know which comes first, as I am bipolar with ADD...lucky me)!

The previous week was one of my worst: after working hard and long hours on 4 design projects with my staffs for 2 weeks, we accomplished what we thought can't happen. Thus I enjoyed a care-free, "this is my reward

weekend". But Monday was TERRIBLE. I can't go back to work! I was mentally drained and depressed.

I feigned illness (again) and called my office for a sick leave. I slept the WHOLE DAY! (my natural escape)

only to wake up at 4:00pm to see our company doctor for the sick-leave certificate. Even her was

"convinced" I have a flu and my throat is swollen! (Well, anybody who's depressed always look "really"

sick, she even wants to give me 2 days leave certs!)

Tues and Wed, I just "floated" in the office, letting my staffs do what they can without my usual

checking. But I was racked with guilt (wasting my company's resources, including me) and agony

of my "perform well-perform ill" see-saw and disgusted and down with myself. Thursday, facing the same

prospect of "floating" in the office, I called in sick and saw the doctor again. But most of all, slept the whole

day or re-reading all the National Geographic mags I have for the nth time, just ot numb my inner critics!

Friday, with my boss and client back from the business trip outside the country, I went back to the office,

and with the prospect of "having a gun pointed in my head" I started to ease into work calmly and

able to catch up. Then I saw your e-mail on IDT...

I'm going out on a limb here, but nowI can only tell you that for the first time with certainty, I'm

already moving towards the road on the right (Acceptance and Commitment) and moving away

from the road on the left (Control and Avoidance). Put it this way, I have already started to trek

on the road on the right!

With iDONEthis (as in iPhone - thus the quirky grammar), seeing what I've accomplished on a

day "on-line" (which I've already pre-planned and commited to before I sleep at night) is empowering

and reinforcing what ACT is all about!

I'm also throwing caution in the air, putting a realistic expectation as well...funny, today's iDoneThis message is:

"As the ancients said: "Don't worry about moving slowly; worry only about hitting refresh on your email too many times."

I'll "see" you in 2 weeks, and regards to all our friends in ACT!

Always,

To: ACT <act_for_the_public >Sent: Sun, April 17, 2011 8:52:52 PMSubject: Useful activity-tracking tool (for me)

There is a free website that enables you to track daily activities in a very simple and somewhat unusual manner. I have used it for about two weeks and have found it to be a great tool for someone like me who has a hard time doing things I value every day, often falling into depressive lethargy and what's-the-use thinking. The link is: www.idonethis.com (bad English, I know!).

After a simple sign-up process, each morning you will get an email from the site with the subject "What'd you get done today?" (meaning yesterday). By replying to the email, you can type in what you got done the previous day, and it will record it on a calendar for you. You can review your calendar at any time, and when you do, you will see a large checkmark on every date that you made an entry. Click on the date, and it will show you a list of all the things you entered for that day. You can also download the calendar so you have a permanent record of your entries on file.

I happen to have a great deal of unstructured time in my life, which is poison for me because I tend to use my time more wisely within the framework of structure. This tool helps me to commit to doing *something* each day because I want to see that checkmark on my calendar! On one day in the past two weeks, the entry was "Sat on my hands"--and seeing the checkmark for that day helped me to realize that I had permission to do just that without beating myself up for it.

On some days, my entries are tiny, such as "changed the bed sheets", but on other days, I have found that doing just one thing has energized me to keep going and accomplish many other things in a domino effect. I also enter activities I spend in relaxing and enjoying myself; I tend to feel guilty spending time watching a movie or reading a book just for fun, but simply entering it on my calendar gives having fun credence and value--no room for guilt!

This would also be a good tool to track your progress toward a particular goal; e.g., if your goal is to lose weight, you could track your food intake, time spent exercising, etc. Or use it to track activities you engage in on your ACT journey, which is how I use it.

I thought this might be a helpful tool for others; if so, I'd be interested in hearing how you use it.

Helena

P.S. I know most of you probably have smart phones where you can do this kind of tracking, but I don't have one. Still, this could be a useful adjunct.

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I'm thrilled that this is working out so well for you! I have found it so useful, too. Mostly, I tend to beat myself up for not getting things done, but when I look at my calendar and see a check mark on every day, it reminds me that I am doing something every day towards my values, and I can accept myself for doing my best. Sometimes my best is just "sitting on my hands" and that, too, is OK--so I get a checkmark for that, too. It's very encouraging and validating!

Helena

Useful activity-tracking tool (for me)

There is a free website that enables you to track daily activities in a very simple and somewhat unusual manner. I have used it for about two weeks and have found it to be a great tool for someone like me who has a hard time doing things I value every day, often falling into depressive lethargy and what's-the-use thinking. The link is: www.idonethis.com (bad English, I know!).

After a simple sign-up process, each morning you will get an email from the site with the subject "What'd you get done today?" (meaning yesterday). By replying to the email, you can type in what you got done the previous day, and it will record it on a calendar for you. You can review your calendar at any time, and when you do, you will see a large checkmark on every date that you made an entry. Click on the date, and it will show you a list of all the things you entered for that day. You can also download the calendar so you have a permanent record of your entries on file.

I happen to have a great deal of unstructured time in my life, which is poison for me because I tend to use my time more wisely within the framework of structure. This tool helps me to commit to doing *something* each day because I want to see that checkmark on my calendar! On one day in the past two weeks, the entry was "Sat on my hands"--and seeing the checkmark for that day helped me to realize that I had permission to do just that without beating myself up for it.

On some days, my entries are tiny, such as "changed the bed sheets", but on other days, I have found that doing just one thing has energized me to keep going and accomplish many other things in a domino effect. I also enter activities I spend in relaxing and enjoying myself; I tend to feel guilty spending time watching a movie or reading a book just for fun, but simply entering it on my calendar gives having fun credence and value--no room for guilt!

This would also be a good tool to track your progress toward a particular goal; e.g., if your goal is to lose weight, you could track your food intake, time spent exercising, etc. Or use it to track activities you engage in on your ACT journey, which is how I use it.

I thought this might be a helpful tool for others; if so, I'd be interested in hearing how you use it.

Helena

P.S. I know most of you probably have smart phones where you can do this kind of tracking, but I don't have one. Still, this could be a useful adjunct.

[Guest guest]

Who implemented this website--anyone know? It sure sounds nice from all the

multiple kudos here!

Terry

>

>

>

> Hi ,

>

>

>

> I'm thrilled that this is working out so well for you!  I have found it so

useful, too.  Mostly, I tend to beat myself up for not getting things done, but

when I look at my calendar and see a check mark on every day, it reminds me that

I am doing something every day towards my values, and I can accept myself for

doing my best.  Sometimes my best is just " sitting on my hands " and that, too,

is OK--so I get a checkmark for that, too.  It's very encouraging and

validating!

>

>

>

> Helena

>

>

> Useful activity-tracking tool (for me)

>

>  

>

>

>

>

>

> There is a free website that enables you to track daily activities in a very

simple and somewhat unusual manner.  I have used it for about two weeks and

have found it to be a great tool for someone like me who has a hard time doing

things I value every day, often falling into depressive lethargy and

what's-the-use thinking.  The link is:  www . idonethis .com   (bad English,

I know!).

>

>

>

> After a simple sign-up process, each morning you will get an email from the

site with the subject " What'd you get done today? " (meaning yesterday).  By

replying to the email, you can type in what you got done the previous day,

and it will record it on a calendar for you.  You can review your calendar at

any time, and when you do, you will see a large checkmark on every date that you

made an entry.  Click on the date, and it will show you a list of all the

things you entered for that day.  You can also download the calendar so

you have a permanent record of your entries on file.

>

>

>

> I happen to have a great deal of unstructured time in my life, which is poison

for me because I tend to use my time  more wisely within the framework of

structure.  This tool helps me to commit to doing *something* each day because

I want to see that checkmark on my calendar!  On one day in the past two

weeks, the entry was " Sat on my hands " --and seeing the  checkmark for that day

helped me to realize that I had permission to do just that without beating

myself up for it. 

>

>

>

> On some days, my entries are tiny, such as " changed the bed sheets " , but on

other days, I have found that doing just one thing has energized me to keep

going and accomplish many other things in a domino effect.  I also enter

activities I spend in relaxing and enjoying myself; I tend to feel guilty

spending time watching a movie or reading a book just for fun, but simply

entering it on my calendar gives having fun credence and value--no room for

guilt!

>

>

>

> This would also be a good tool to track your progress toward a

particular goal; e.g., if your goal is to lose weight, you could track your

food intake, time spent exercising, etc.  Or use it to track activities you

engage in on your ACT journey, which is how I use it.

>

>

>

> I thought this might be a helpful tool for others; if so, I'd be interested

in hearing how you use it.

>

>

>

> Helena

>

>

>

> P.S.  I know most of you probably have smart phones where you can do this

kind of tracking, but I don't have one. Still, this could be a useful adjunct.

>

[Guest guest]

btw, the reason I asked is privacy concerns..a lot of linked sites here and on

the net keep and use your info. just an FYI..this sounds like a very personal

thing to do on the web..but if it helps so many here, thanks for broaching it

Helena!

> >

> >

> >

> > Hi ,

> >

> >

> >

> > I'm thrilled that this is working out so well for you!  I have found it so

useful, too.  Mostly, I tend to beat myself up for not getting things done, but

when I look at my calendar and see a check mark on every day, it reminds me that

I am doing something every day towards my values, and I can accept myself for

doing my best.  Sometimes my best is just " sitting on my hands " and that, too,

is OK--so I get a checkmark for that, too.  It's very encouraging and

validating!

> >

> >

> >

> > Helena

> >

> >

> > Useful activity-tracking tool (for me)

> >

> >  

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > There is a free website that enables you to track daily activities in a very

simple and somewhat unusual manner.  I have used it for about two weeks and

have found it to be a great tool for someone like me who has a hard time doing

things I value every day, often falling into depressive lethargy and

what's-the-use thinking.  The link is:  www . idonethis .com   (bad English,

I know!).

> >

> >

> >

> > After a simple sign-up process, each morning you will get an email from the

site with the subject " What'd you get done today? " (meaning yesterday).  By

replying to the email, you can type in what you got done the previous day,

and it will record it on a calendar for you.  You can review your calendar at

any time, and when you do, you will see a large checkmark on every date that you

made an entry.  Click on the date, and it will show you a list of all the

things you entered for that day.  You can also download the calendar so

you have a permanent record of your entries on file.

> >

> >

> >

> > I happen to have a great deal of unstructured time in my life, which is

poison for me because I tend to use my time  more wisely within the framework

of structure.  This tool helps me to commit to doing *something* each day

because I want to see that checkmark on my calendar!  On one day in the past

two weeks, the entry was " Sat on my hands " --and seeing the  checkmark for that

day helped me to realize that I had permission to do just that without beating

myself up for it. 

> >

> >

> >

> > On some days, my entries are tiny, such as " changed the bed sheets " , but on

other days, I have found that doing just one thing has energized me to keep

going and accomplish many other things in a domino effect.  I also enter

activities I spend in relaxing and enjoying myself; I tend to feel guilty

spending time watching a movie or reading a book just for fun, but simply

entering it on my calendar gives having fun credence and value--no room for

guilt!

> >

> >

> >

> > This would also be a good tool to track your progress toward a

particular goal; e.g., if your goal is to lose weight, you could track your

food intake, time spent exercising, etc.  Or use it to track activities you

engage in on your ACT journey, which is how I use it.

> >

> >

> >

> > I thought this might be a helpful tool for others; if so, I'd be interested

in hearing how you use it.

> >

> >

> >

> > Helena

> >

> >

> >

> > P.S.  I know most of you probably have smart phones where you can do this

kind of tracking, but I don't have one. Still, this could be a useful adjunct.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

It was posted as the "Cool site of the Day" on Kim Komando's website (computer guru; has a radio show, etc.). You can check her out at www.kimkomando.com. She never posts anything that is unsafe. I also had an email conversation with the creator of the site a few days ago. Here is his response:

Helena, thanks so much for sharing the link!

Other people do not have access to your calendar. Your calendar is absolutely private. Rest assured that you can forward the link to anyone without it being tied to your personal entries.

Again, thanks! We're so happy that you're sharing iDoneThis with your friends.

Walter Chen

*******

Helena

Useful activity-tracking tool (for me) > > > >  > > > > > > > > > > > > There is a free website that enables you to track daily activities in a very simple and somewhat unusual manner.  I have used it for about two weeks and have found it to be a great tool for someone like me who has a hard time doing things I value every day, often falling into depressive lethargy and what's-the-use thinking. The link is: www . idonethis .com  (bad English, I know!). > > > > > > > > After a simple sign-up process, each morning you will get an email from the site with the subject " What'd you get done today?" (meaning yesterday). By replying to the email, you can type in what you got done the previous day, and it will record it on a calendar for you. You can review your calendar at any time, and when you do, you will see a large checkmark on every date that you made an entry. Click on the date, and it will show you a list of all the things you entered for that day. You can also download the calendar so you have a permanent record of your entries on file. > > > > > > > > I happen to have a great deal of unstructured time in my life, which is poison for me because I tend to use my time more wisely within the framework of structure. This tool helps me to commit to doing *something* each day because I want to see that checkmark on my calendar!  On one day in the past two weeks, the entry was "Sat on my hands"--and seeing the checkmark for that day helped me to realize that I had permission to do just that without beating myself up for it. > > > > > > > > On some days, my entries are tiny, such as "changed the bed sheets", but on other days, I have found that doing just one thing has energized me to keep going and accomplish many other things in a domino effect. I also enter activities I spend in relaxing and enjoying myself; I tend to feel guilty spending time watching a movie or reading a book just for fun, but simply entering it on my calendar gives having fun credence and value--no room for guilt! > > > > > > > > This would also be a good tool to track your progress toward a particular goal; e.g., if your goal is to lose weight, you could track your food intake, time spent exercising, etc. Or use it to track activities you engage in on your ACT journey, which is how I use it. > > > > > > > > I thought this might be a helpful tool for others; if so, I'd be interested in hearing how you use it. > > > > > > > > Helena > > > > > > > > P.S. I know most of you probably have smart phones where you can do this kind of tracking, but I don't have one. Still, this could be a useful adjunct.> >>

[Guest guest]

This is a work in progress, and I guess it should be consi

dered as such as long as we live. I suppose if we consider

all we do in ACT and all our hungry quest for self-improve

ments, we will be more empowered and encouraged to

keep at it no matter what. I suppose that is being kind,

realistic and compassionate with oursleves and cushions

us when we fail to do some "promised" deeds. When we

look at ourselves as a work in progress, then we don't see

ourselves as failures when we squander time or energy

once in a while, and because when such "slip-offs" occur,

we move faster to stand up and brush ourselves up when

we fall. Reclaiming from what we "left-off" is easier and

even more exciting. We will treat it is a game, like in a

basketball, when we fail to sink the ball into the ring,

you can't wait to get THE ball back into your possession,

in order to try and shoot and sink the ball again. Stops and

starts are never tiring, much more never DISCOURAGING.

This, I just learned today. Especially when you mention

your classic phrase "SAT ON MY HAND". I want to "anoint"

this "phrase" as the ANTIDOTE to pain of procrastination.

It has a "gentle" connotation, especially when I castigate

myself when I "fail to act" on simple stuffs like brushing

my teeth when I'm depressed. "Sitting on my hand" is a

choice a conscious decision, not a victim of "not wanting to

do" (procrastination). We are bidding our time while we

decide what to do WHEN we can or when it is good for us to

do so. So, Helena, you are right, to claim SOMH as an

"accomplishment" in iDONEthis!

I have a good Easter Sunday morning, and mindful with the

enjoyment along the way as I tick-off my to do list from going

to church, changing the bulb in my bathroom, to making it to

my laundry cleaners before they close at 2pm. I also have a

lot of "pre-Monday" office stuffs to do after going to the gym.

After, gym, I'm physically very tired which makes me mentally

lethargic. I accepted that I will not be able to accomplish the

rest of the work plans, so I decided to replan it for tomorrow.

I guess that is NO LONGER procrastination but a well planned

and realistic course of action. This I'm happy and very proud

about it (wow!).

I have a party to go to, which is more of a community commit

ment, so I'm off there now and I'm not guilty about it!

Funny, on my excel chart of iDONEthis, I put a column marked

"iDIDN'TdidIT" (yes, the grammar is bad, but it's catchy!) which

I just deleted now. Why bother about things not done, when

life should be measured and savored by what we've done

and capable of doing. Things not done, are just things not

done yet. They will get done, that's why we're sitting on our

hands right now!

I am also compiling a journal on the following to help me more

encouraged and be on tract, so far on these 2 topics:

1. my observation on the BLISS of commitment, acting and

accomplishing (BCAA)

2. the rewards of acting on planned "to do list" (most of it

are things we thought we could never afford or worth having!)

Till next issue,

= ;-)

To: ACT for the Public <ACT_for_the_Public >Sent: Sun, April 24, 2011 1:10:58 AMSubject: Re: Useful activity-tracking tool (for me)

Hi ,

I'm thrilled that this is working out so well for you! I have found it so useful, too. Mostly, I tend to beat myself up for not getting things done, but when I look at my calendar and see a check mark on every day, it reminds me that I am doing something every day towards my values, and I can accept myself for doing my best. Sometimes my best is just "sitting on my hands" and that, too, is OK--so I get a checkmark for that, too. It's very encouraging and validating!

Helena

Useful activity-tracking tool (for me)

There is a free website that enables you to track daily activities in a very simple and somewhat unusual manner. I have used it for about two weeks and have found it to be a great tool for someone like me who has a hard time doing things I value every day, often falling into depressive lethargy and what's-the-use thinking. The link is: www.idonethis.com (bad English, I know!).

After a simple sign-up process, each morning you will get an email from the site with the subject "What'd you get done today?" (meaning yesterday). By replying to the email, you can type in what you got done the previous day, and it will record it on a calendar for you. You can review your calendar at any time, and when you do, you will see a large checkmark on every date that you made an entry. Click on the date, and it will show you a list of all the things you entered for that day. You can also download the calendar so you have a permanent record of your entries on file.

I happen to have a great deal of unstructured time in my life, which is poison for me because I tend to use my time more wisely within the framework of structure. This tool helps me to commit to doing *something* each day because I want to see that checkmark on my calendar! On one day in the past two weeks, the entry was "Sat on my hands"--and seeing the checkmark for that day helped me to realize that I had permission to do just that without beating myself up for it.

On some days, my entries are tiny, such as "changed the bed sheets", but on other days, I have found that doing just one thing has energized me to keep going and accomplish many other things in a domino effect. I also enter activities I spend in relaxing and enjoying myself; I tend to feel guilty spending time watching a movie or reading a book just for fun, but simply entering it on my calendar gives having fun credence and value--no room for guilt!

This would also be a good tool to track your progress toward a particular goal; e.g., if your goal is to lose weight, you could track your food intake, time spent exercising, etc. Or use it to track activities you engage in on your ACT journey, which is how I use it.

I thought this might be a helpful tool for others; if so, I'd be interested in hearing how you use it.

Helena

P.S. I know most of you probably have smart phones where you can do this kind of tracking, but I don't have one. Still, this could be a useful adjunct.

[Guest guest]

It's so inspirational to read about your progress on your journey, ! The phrase sitting on my hands was coined by . He posted an article about that on Facebook, here: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=134839170789

In case you (or others) don't have a FB account, I have taken the liberty of copying/pasting his entire article below (with much appreciation to ).

Helena

*******

Appreciating the days I spent sitting on my hands.

by on Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 7:56am

Even slower than baby steps, the best I can do some days is to sit on my hands. If I am sitting on my hands, it is very hard to make much mess to clean up later. Let's say I started down this road something like 24 years ago. There was a a time, in the winter of 1985, when I would be up in the night, lying on the bathroom floor, heartsick, the house quiet all around me, alone. Lying on that floor, between bouts of retching, I could feel the cool of the linoleum on my cheek and it was good. There in the bathroom, in the middle of the night, tortured, I found a moment's rest, my cheek pressed to the cool floor. My whole world was reduced to six square inches of cool linoleum. I could not leave that room without the terrors welling up around me. Even trying to rise from the floor filled me with awareness of all that I had done and regretted, and not done and regretted more.It was a starting point. People taught me about acceptance. By inches, I made my way up off the floor and out of that bathroom.When I look where acceptance has taken me over the years, I have to pinch myself. I have fallen in love with people all over the world. I have become intimate with people and places and ideas that I could not have imagined. I have found souls all along the way who saw possibilities in me that I could not see in myself. And, I have in turn had the privilege of seeing in others strength and beauty and possibility that they could not see.And, and, I can count a lot of days, a lot, between that barren winter of '85 and this day, this morning, this moment, a lot of days, when the best I could do was sit on my hands. And, today, I count those days sitting on my hands as good days. All in a row they brought me right here together with you. Welcome. Welcome. Rest a while. There will be time. Perhaps we can sit together on our hands today. And tomorrow, there won't be much mess to clean up. And, we will rise together and sweep up and go about our day as best we are able. So if today is a day of hand sitting, think of it as practice. The day will surely come when someone in need calls out. We are not likely to be able to reach out and reverse time in their world -- bring parents back from the dead, retrieve a lost opportunity, a lost love -- any more than we can turn back the clock in our own world. But perhaps if we have practiced, we can sit with them, on our hands if it is that kind of day, but together. And, perhaps we will find a way in this world, just as it is, to fall in love, and see beauty and strength and possibility together.peace to all,kelly

Useful activity-tracking tool (for me)

There is a free website that enables you to track daily activities in a very simple and somewhat unusual manner. I have used it for about two weeks and have found it to be a great tool for someone like me who has a hard time doing things I value every day, often falling into depressive lethargy and what's-the-use thinking. The link is: www.idonethis.com (bad English, I know!).

After a simple sign-up process, each morning you will get an email from the site with the subject "What'd you get done today?" (meaning yesterday). By replying to the email, you can type in what you got done the previous day, and it will record it on a calendar for you. You can review your calendar at any time, and when you do, you will see a large checkmark on every date that you made an entry. Click on the date, and it will show you a list of all the things you entered for that day. You can also download the calendar so you have a permanent record of your entries on file.

I happen to have a great deal of unstructured time in my life, which is poison for me because I tend to use my time more wisely within the framework of structure. This tool helps me to commit to doing *something* each day because I want to see that checkmark on my calendar! On one day in the past two weeks, the entry was "Sat on my hands"--and seeing the checkmark for that day helped me to realize that I had permission to do just that without beating myself up for it.

On some days, my entries are tiny, such as "changed the bed sheets", but on other days, I have found that doing just one thing has energized me to keep going and accomplish many other things in a domino effect. I also enter activities I spend in relaxing and enjoying myself; I tend to feel guilty spending time watching a movie or reading a book just for fun, but simply entering it on my calendar gives having fun credence and value--no room for guilt!

This would also be a good tool to track your progress toward a particular goal; e.g., if your goal is to lose weight, you could track your food intake, time spent exercising, etc. Or use it to track activities you engage in on your ACT journey, which is how I use it.

I thought this might be a helpful tool for others; if so, I'd be interested in hearing how you use it.

Helena

P.S. I know most of you probably have smart phones where you can do this kind of tracking, but I don't have one. Still, this could be a useful adjunct.

[Guest guest]

That's great. Thx so much for posting this Helena. Oh, the messes I could have avoided, and hopefully will avoid in the future!Sent from my iPhone

It's so inspirational to read about your progress on your journey, ! The phrase sitting on my hands was coined by . He posted an article about that on Facebook, here: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=134839170789

In case you (or others) don't have a FB account, I have taken the liberty of copying/pasting his entire article below (with much appreciation to ).

Helena

*******

Appreciating the days I spent sitting on my hands.

by on Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 7:56am

Even slower than baby steps, the best I can do some days is to sit on my hands. If I am sitting on my hands, it is very hard to make much mess to clean up later. Let's say I started down this road something like 24 years ago. There was a a time, in the winter of 1985, when I would be up in the night, lying on the bathroom floor, heartsick, the house quiet all around me, alone. Lying on that floor, between bouts of retching, I could feel the cool of the linoleum on my cheek and it was good. There in the bathroom, in the middle of the night, tortured, I found a moment's rest, my cheek pressed to the cool floor. My whole world was reduced to six square inches of cool linoleum. I could not leave that room without the terrors welling up around me. Even trying to rise from the floor filled me with awareness of all that I had done and regretted, and not done and regretted more.It was a starting point. People taught me about acceptance. By inches, I made my way up off the floor and out of that bathroom.When I look where acceptance has taken me over the years, I have to pinch myself. I have fallen in love with people all over the world. I have become intimate with people and places and ideas that I could not have imagined. I have found souls all along the way who saw possibilities in me that I could not see in myself. And, I have in turn had the privilege of seeing in others strength and beauty and possibility that they could not see.And, and, I can count a lot of days, a lot, between that barren winter of '85 and this day, this morning, this moment, a lot of days, when the best I could do was sit on my hands. And, today, I count those days sitting on my hands as good days. All in a row they brought me right here together with you. Welcome. Welcome. Rest a while. There will be time. Perhaps we can sit together on our hands today. And tomorrow, there won't be much mess to clean up. And, we will rise together and sweep up and go about our day as best we are able. So if today is a day of hand sitting, think of it as practice. The day will surely come when someone in need calls out. We are not likely to be able to reach out and reverse time in their world -- bring parents back from the dead, retrieve a lost opportunity, a lost love -- any more than we can turn back the clock in our own world. But perhaps if we have practiced, we can sit with them, on our hands if it is that kind of day, but together. And, perhaps we will find a way in this world, just as it is, to fall in love, and see beauty and strength and possibility together.peace to all,kelly

Useful activity-tracking tool (for me)

There is a free website that enables you to track daily activities in a very simple and somewhat unusual manner. I have used it for about two weeks and have found it to be a great tool for someone like me who has a hard time doing things I value every day, often falling into depressive lethargy and what's-the-use thinking. The link is: www.idonethis.com (bad English, I know!).

After a simple sign-up process, each morning you will get an email from the site with the subject "What'd you get done today?" (meaning yesterday). By replying to the email, you can type in what you got done the previous day, and it will record it on a calendar for you. You can review your calendar at any time, and when you do, you will see a large checkmark on every date that you made an entry. Click on the date, and it will show you a list of all the things you entered for that day. You can also download the calendar so you have a permanent record of your entries on file.

I happen to have a great deal of unstructured time in my life, which is poison for me because I tend to use my time more wisely within the framework of structure. This tool helps me to commit to doing *something* each day because I want to see that checkmark on my calendar! On one day in the past two weeks, the entry was "Sat on my hands"--and seeing the checkmark for that day helped me to realize that I had permission to do just that without beating myself up for it.

On some days, my entries are tiny, such as "changed the bed sheets", but on other days, I have found that doing just one thing has energized me to keep going and accomplish many other things in a domino effect. I also enter activities I spend in relaxing and enjoying myself; I tend to feel guilty spending time watching a movie or reading a book just for fun, but simply entering it on my calendar gives having fun credence and value--no room for guilt!

This would also be a good tool to track your progress toward a particular goal; e.g., if your goal is to lose weight, you could track your food intake, time spent exercising, etc. Or use it to track activities you engage in on your ACT journey, which is how I use it.

I thought this might be a helpful tool for others; if so, I'd be interested in hearing how you use it.

Helena

P.S. I know most of you probably have smart phones where you can do this kind of tracking, but I don't have one. Still, this could be a useful adjunct.

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your appreciation, Helena. It surely is encouraging. One thing I could be proud of myself is when I deliberately "suspended" my facebook account as a wedding anniversary promise/sacrifice for my wife last January (we live apart for now, she's in Chicago, my sons are in universities in Texas and I'm on a project in Malaysia) who incidentally shares the same name as yours.

There was an uproar among my fb friends and up to now they still want me to re-activate it. It is difficult for me as whenever I am depressed or riddled of guilt in procrastinating, fb has been my refuge (or crutch) short of blogging. But I'm holding on, something that I am reminded of, that to some extent, I could discipline myself or could keep a promise. I suppose with iDONEthis, it keeps me occupied and the best way to conclude my day. I will go back to fb later on, as a reward to being able to hurdle a lot of mess in me and once i know fb will be more of an enhancement to my life rather than an escape or a crutch.

Thank you for the article below, and I will treasure it.

= ;-)

To: ACT for the Public <ACT_for_the_Public >Sent: Sun, April 24, 2011 8:23:31 PMSubject: Re: Useful activity-tracking tool (for me)

It's so inspirational to read about your progress on your journey, ! The phrase sitting on my hands was coined by . He posted an article about that on Facebook, here: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=134839170789

In case you (or others) don't have a FB account, I have taken the liberty of copying/pasting his entire article below (with much appreciation to ).

Helena

*******

Appreciating the days I spent sitting on my hands.

by on Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 7:56am

Even slower than baby steps, the best I can do some days is to sit on my hands. If I am sitting on my hands, it is very hard to make much mess to clean up later. Let's say I started down this road something like 24 years ago. There was a a time, in the winter of 1985, when I would be up in the night, lying on the bathroom floor, heartsick, the house quiet all around me, alone. Lying on that floor, between bouts of retching, I could feel the cool of the linoleum on my cheek and it was good. There in the bathroom, in the middle of the night, tortured, I found a moment's rest, my cheek pressed to the cool floor. My whole world was reduced to six square inches of cool linoleum. I could not leave that room without the terrors welling up around me. Even trying to rise from the floor filled me with awareness of all that I had done and regretted, and not done and regretted more.It was a starting point. People taught me about

acceptance. By inches, I made my way up off the floor and out of that bathroom.When I look where acceptance has taken me over the years, I have to pinch myself. I have fallen in love with people all over the world. I have become intimate with people and places and ideas that I could not have imagined. I have found souls all along the way who saw possibilities in me that I could not see in myself. And, I have in turn had the privilege of seeing in others strength and beauty and possibility that they could not see.And, and, I can count a lot of days, a lot, between that barren winter of '85 and this day, this morning, this moment, a lot of days, when the best I could do was sit on my hands. And, today, I count those days sitting on my hands as good days. All in a row they brought me right here together with you. Welcome. Welcome. Rest a while. There will be time. Perhaps we can sit together on our hands today. And tomorrow, there

won't be much mess to clean up. And, we will rise together and sweep up and go about our day as best we are able. So if today is a day of hand sitting, think of it as practice. The day will surely come when someone in need calls out. We are not likely to be able to reach out and reverse time in their world -- bring parents back from the dead, retrieve a lost opportunity, a lost love -- any more than we can turn back the clock in our own world. But perhaps if we have practiced, we can sit with them, on our hands if it is that kind of day, but together. And, perhaps we will find a way in this world, just as it is, to fall in love, and see beauty and strength and possibility together.peace to all,kelly

Useful activity-tracking tool (for me)

There is a free website that enables you to track daily activities in a very simple and somewhat unusual manner. I have used it for about two weeks and have found it to be a great tool for someone like me who has a hard time doing things I value every day, often falling into depressive lethargy and what's-the-use thinking. The link is: www.idonethis.com (bad English, I know!).

After a simple sign-up process, each morning you will get an email from the site with the subject "What'd you get done today?" (meaning yesterday). By replying to the email, you can type in what you got done the previous day, and it will record it on a calendar for you. You can review your calendar at any time, and when you do, you will see a large checkmark on every date that you made an entry. Click on the date, and it will show you a list of all the things you entered for that day. You can also download the calendar so you have a permanent record of your entries on file.

I happen to have a great deal of unstructured time in my life, which is poison for me because I tend to use my time more wisely within the framework of structure. This tool helps me to commit to doing *something* each day because I want to see that checkmark on my calendar! On one day in the past two weeks, the entry was "Sat on my hands"--and seeing the checkmark for that day helped me to realize that I had permission to do just that without beating myself up for it.

On some days, my entries are tiny, such as "changed the bed sheets", but on other days, I have found that doing just one thing has energized me to keep going and accomplish many other things in a domino effect. I also enter activities I spend in relaxing and enjoying myself; I tend to feel guilty spending time watching a movie or reading a book just for fun, but simply entering it on my calendar gives having fun credence and value--no room for guilt!

This would also be a good tool to track your progress toward a particular goal; e.g., if your goal is to lose weight, you could track your food intake, time spent exercising, etc. Or use it to track activities you engage in on your ACT journey, which is how I use it.

I thought this might be a helpful tool for others; if so, I'd be interested in hearing how you use it.

Helena

P.S. I know most of you probably have smart phones where you can do this kind of tracking, but I don't have one. Still, this could be a useful adjunct.

[Guest guest]

Dear Birgit,

I am replying to your e-mail as a way to reply Helena's the second time, after reading the 's article about "sitting on my hands". I'm just amazed that his experience could be as close as mine about 2 years ago (though it has been more than once for me, before and after that). The way that expressed his anguish were seems to be the "exact words/thoughts and experience" that was going on, on me that 2nd of Jan of 2009.

As he says..."There was a a time, in the winter of 1985, when I would be up in the night, lying on the bathroom floor, heartsick, the house quiet all around me, alone. Lying on that floor, between bouts of retching, I could feel the cool of the linoleum on my cheek and it was good. There in the bathroom, in the middle of the night, tortured, I found a moment's rest, my cheek pressed to the cool floor. My whole world was reduced to six square inches of cool linoleum. I could not leave that room without the terrors welling up around me. Even trying to rise from the floor filled me with awareness of all that I had done and regretted, and not done and regretted more...." pertains to something similar to my "facing the day" after 2 weeks of procrastinating on a very important project...

That morning I was inside and cocooned in my bath tub, retching in fear, shame and guilt yet I know in 2 hours time, I have to face my clients with blank papers and no drawings/designs that would suppose to earn them their company a chance out of recession (and my livelyhood). I was throwing up and pulling my hair, I thought I was going insane...but since I need to take a shower, I did have one. After calming down and a coffee after 2 hours, I called my client to postpone my design presentation late at 3:00pm insted of 9:00am. With that repreive, I calmed down and finished the job in 3 hours. I presented it, and was approved on the spot and I was called a hero (only if they know, where was I in the early hours of the morning...)

I'm still here, hit and miss, and it is a painful cycle. Being able to read 's account gave me a new insight

that I am not unique, I am not special, that if and when I give myself a "dangerous shot of self-pity" I shall remind myself that there is "nothing" so "romantic"about this, so I need to stop "romanticizing" my situation as it happens to a lot of people. So from today...I wish and want to strive for the next words for me to say, when I one day I would be able to say...(and I also remind myself - on myself as "continually a work in progress") what had said below...

"....When I look where acceptance has taken me over the years, I have to pinch myself. I have fallen in love with people all over the world. I have become intimate with people and places and ideas that I could not have imagined. I have found souls all along the way who saw possibilities in me that I could not see in myself. And, I have in turn had the privilege of seeing in others strength and beauty and possibility that they could not see..."

I will call this day...my day of acceptance. Wish me luck and peace.

Best regards,

= ;-)

To: "ACT_for_the_Public " <ACT_for_the_Public >Sent: Sun, April 24, 2011 9:11:54 PMSubject: Re: Useful activity-tracking tool (for me)

That's great. Thx so much for posting this Helena.

Oh, the messes I could have avoided, and hopefully will avoid in the future!

Sent from my iPhone

It's so inspirational to read about your progress on your journey, ! The phrase sitting on my hands was coined by . He posted an article about that on Facebook, here: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=134839170789

In case you (or others) don't have a FB account, I have taken the liberty of copying/pasting his entire article below (with much appreciation to ).

Helena

*******

Appreciating the days I spent sitting on my hands.

by on Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 7:56am

Even slower than baby steps, the best I can do some days is to sit on my hands. If I am sitting on my hands, it is very hard to make much mess to clean up later. Let's say I started down this road something like 24 years ago. There was a a time, in the winter of 1985, when I would be up in the night, lying on the bathroom floor, heartsick, the house quiet all around me, alone. Lying on that floor, between bouts of retching, I could feel the cool of the linoleum on my cheek and it was good. There in the bathroom, in the middle of the night, tortured, I found a moment's rest, my cheek pressed to the cool floor. My whole world was reduced to six square inches of cool linoleum. I could not leave that room without the terrors welling up around me. Even trying to rise from the floor filled me with awareness of all that I had done and regretted, and not done and regretted more.It was a starting point. People taught me about

acceptance. By inches, I made my way up off the floor and out of that bathroom.When I look where acceptance has taken me over the years, I have to pinch myself. I have fallen in love with people all over the world. I have become intimate with people and places and ideas that I could not have imagined. I have found souls all along the way who saw possibilities in me that I could not see in myself. And, I have in turn had the privilege of seeing in others strength and beauty and possibility that they could not see.And, and, I can count a lot of days, a lot, between that barren winter of '85 and this day, this morning, this moment, a lot of days, when the best I could do was sit on my hands. And, today, I count those days sitting on my hands as good days. All in a row they brought me right here together with you. Welcome. Welcome. Rest a while. There will be time. Perhaps we can sit together on our hands today. And tomorrow, there

won't be much mess to clean up. And, we will rise together and sweep up and go about our day as best we are able. So if today is a day of hand sitting, think of it as practice. The day will surely come when someone in need calls out. We are not likely to be able to reach out and reverse time in their world -- bring parents back from the dead, retrieve a lost opportunity, a lost love -- any more than we can turn back the clock in our own world. But perhaps if we have practiced, we can sit with them, on our hands if it is that kind of day, but together. And, perhaps we will find a way in this world, just as it is, to fall in love, and see beauty and strength and possibility together.peace to all,kelly

Useful activity-tracking tool (for me)

There is a free website that enables you to track daily activities in a very simple and somewhat unusual manner. I have used it for about two weeks and have found it to be a great tool for someone like me who has a hard time doing things I value every day, often falling into depressive lethargy and what's-the-use thinking. The link is: www.idonethis.com (bad English, I know!).

After a simple sign-up process, each morning you will get an email from the site with the subject "What'd you get done today?" (meaning yesterday). By replying to the email, you can type in what you got done the previous day, and it will record it on a calendar for you. You can review your calendar at any time, and when you do, you will see a large checkmark on every date that you made an entry. Click on the date, and it will show you a list of all the things you entered for that day. You can also download the calendar so you have a permanent record of your entries on file.

I happen to have a great deal of unstructured time in my life, which is poison for me because I tend to use my time more wisely within the framework of structure. This tool helps me to commit to doing *something* each day because I want to see that checkmark on my calendar! On one day in the past two weeks, the entry was "Sat on my hands"--and seeing the checkmark for that day helped me to realize that I had permission to do just that without beating myself up for it.

On some days, my entries are tiny, such as "changed the bed sheets", but on other days, I have found that doing just one thing has energized me to keep going and accomplish many other things in a domino effect. I also enter activities I spend in relaxing and enjoying myself; I tend to feel guilty spending time watching a movie or reading a book just for fun, but simply entering it on my calendar gives having fun credence and value--no room for guilt!

This would also be a good tool to track your progress toward a particular goal; e.g., if your goal is to lose weight, you could track your food intake, time spent exercising, etc. Or use it to track activities you engage in on your ACT journey, which is how I use it.

I thought this might be a helpful tool for others; if so, I'd be interested in hearing how you use it.

Helena

P.S. I know most of you probably have smart phones where you can do this kind of tracking, but I don't have one. Still, this could be a useful adjunct.

[Guest guest]

That was indeed a powerful piece of writng which gives me hope that I

too can move from A to B, despite how bad it feels at B. Ups and downs,

but the movement is always towards love, contentment, and peace. Hope is

always the saviour - which can always be found if you really want it.

This stuff is hard, but worth it.

Kv

>

>

> Â

> >It's so inspirational to read about your progress on your journey,

! The

> >phrase sitting on my hands was coined by . He

posted an article

> >about that on Facebook, here:Â

> >http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=134839170789

> >Â

> >In case you (or others) don't have a FB account, I have taken the

liberty of

> >copying/pasting his entire article below (with much appreciation

to ).

> >Â

> >Helena

> >*******

> >Appreciating the days I spent sitting on my hands.

> >by on Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 7:56am

> >Â

> >Even slower than baby steps, the best I can do some days is to sit on

my hands.

> >If I am sitting on my hands, it is very hard to make much mess to

clean up

> >later.

> >

> >

> >Let's say I started down this road something like 24 years ago. There

was a a

> >time, in the winter of 1985, when I would be up in the night, lying

on the

> >bathroom floor, heartsick, the house quiet all around me, alone.

Lying on that

> >floor, between bouts of retching, I could feel the cool of the

linoleum on my

> >cheek and it was good. There in the bathroom, in the middle of the

night,

> >tortured, I found a moment's rest, my cheek pressed to the cool

floor. My whole

> >world was reduced to six square inches of cool linoleum. I could not

leave that

> >room without the terrors welling up around me. Even trying to rise

from the

> >floor filled me with awareness of all that I had done and regretted,

and not

> >done and regretted more.

> >

> >It was a starting point. People taught me about acceptance. By

inches, I made my

> >way up off the floor and out of that bathroom.

> >

> >When I look where acceptance has taken me over the years, I have to

pinch

> >myself. I have fallen in love with people all over the world. I have

become

> >intimate with people and places and ideas that I could not have

imagined. I have

> >found souls all along the way who saw possibilities in me that I

could not see

> >in myself. And, I have in turn had the privilege of seeing in others

strength

> >and beauty and possibility that they could not see.

> >

> >And, and, I can count a lot of days, a lot, between that barren

winter of '85

> >and this day, this morning, this moment, a lot of days, when the best

I could do

> >was sit on my hands. And, today, I count those days sitting on my

hands as good

> >days. All in a row they brought me right here together with you.

Welcome.

> >Welcome.

> >

> >

> >Rest a while. There will be time. Perhaps we can sit together on our

hands

> >today. And tomorrow, there won't be much mess to clean up. And, we

will rise

> >together and sweep up and go about our day as best we are able.

> >

> >

> >So if today is a day of hand sitting, think of it as practice. The

day will

> >surely come when someone in need calls out. We are not likely to be

able to

> >reach out and reverse time in their world -- bring parents back from

the dead,

> >retrieve a lost opportunity, a lost love -- any more than we can turn

back the

> >clock in our own world. But perhaps if we have practiced, we can sit

with them,

> >on our hands if it is that kind of day, but together. And, perhaps we

will find

> >a way in this world, just as it is, to fall in love, and see beauty

and strength

> >and possibility together.

> >

> >peace to all,

> >kelly

> >

> > Useful activity-tracking tool (for me)

> >

> >Â

> >There is a free website that enables you to track daily activities in

a very

> >simple and somewhat unusual manner.  I have used it for about

two weeks and have

> >found it to be a great tool for someone like me who has a hard time

doing

> >things I value every day, often falling into depressive

lethargy and

> >what's-the-use thinking. The link is: www.idonethis.comÂ

(bad English, I

> >know!).

> >Â

> >After a simple sign-up process, each morning you will get an

email from the site

> >with the subject " What'd you get done today? " (meaning

yesterday). By replying

> >to the email, you can type in what you got done the previous day,

and it will

> >record it on a calendar for you. You can review your calendar at

any time, and

> >when you do, you will see a large checkmark on every date that you

made an

> >entry. Click on the date, and it will show you a list of all the

things you

> >entered for that day. You can also download the calendar so

you have a

> >permanent record of your entries on file.

> >Â

> >I happen to have a great deal of unstructured time in my life, which

is poison

> >for me because I tend to use my time more wisely within the

framework of

> >structure. This tool helps me to commit to doing *something*

each day because I

> >want to see that checkmark on my calendar!  On one day inÂ

the past two weeks,

> >the entry was " Sat on my hands " --and seeing the checkmark for

that day helped me

> >to realize that I had permission to do just that without beating

myself up for

> >it.Â

> >

> >Â

> >On some days, my entries are tiny, such as " changed the bed sheets " ,

but on

> >other days, I have found that doing just one thing has energized

me to keep

> >going and accomplish many other things in a domino effect. I

also enter

> >activities I spend in relaxing and enjoying myself; I tend toÂ

feel guilty

> >spending time watching a movie or reading a book just for fun, but

simply

> >entering it on my calendar gives having fun credence and value--no

room for

> >guilt!

> >Â

> >This would also be a good tool to track your progress toward a

particular goal;

> >e.g., if your goal is to lose weight, you could track your food

intake, time

> >spent exercising, etc. Or use it to track activities you engage

in on your ACT

> >journey, which is how I use it.

> >Â

> >IÂ thought this might be a helpful tool for others; if so, I'd be

interested in

> >hearing how you use it.

> >Â

> >Helena

> >Â

> >P.S. I know most of you probably have smart phones where you can

do this kind

> >of tracking, but I don't have one. Still, this could be a useful

adjunct.

>

[Guest guest]

I'm goimg from piller to post at the moment and I just woke up with fear and

dread in my eyes. I tried to meditate but the pain would not go and then I

remembered willingness so I accepted the discomfort.

Atypical depression is not nice, my arms and legs feel lead and it is fifficult

to move around, and yet, I can't stop moving. I crave so much for rest and

peace, especailly after years of this. And the food cravings I have can never be

really be satified. But I go into willingness again and then I find I can bear

it. But I want all of the discomfort to go as well and so it starts getting

unpleasant again, but back to more willingeness saves the day.

Now there is hope once more, yet again, as I have found a tool which seems to

work. I'ts 1 am so it will be meditation and willingeness until the morning. I'm

loooking forward to it as I have found some peace and I don't have to do

anything right now, just enjoy.

Bye,

Kv

> >

> >

> > Â

> > >It's so inspirational to read about your progress on your journey,

> ! The

> > >phrase sitting on my hands was coined by . He

> posted an article

> > >about that on Facebook, here:Â

> > >http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=134839170789

> > >Â

> > >In case you (or others) don't have a FB account, I have taken the

> liberty of

> > >copying/pasting his entire article below (with much appreciation

> to ).

> > >Â

> > >Helena

> > >*******

> > >Appreciating the days I spent sitting on my hands.

> > >by on Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 7:56am

> > >Â

> > >Even slower than baby steps, the best I can do some days is to sit on

> my hands.

> > >If I am sitting on my hands, it is very hard to make much mess to

> clean up

> > >later.

> > >

> > >

> > >Let's say I started down this road something like 24 years ago. There

> was a a

> > >time, in the winter of 1985, when I would be up in the night, lying

> on the

> > >bathroom floor, heartsick, the house quiet all around me, alone.

> Lying on that

> > >floor, between bouts of retching, I could feel the cool of the

> linoleum on my

> > >cheek and it was good. There in the bathroom, in the middle of the

> night,

> > >tortured, I found a moment's rest, my cheek pressed to the cool

> floor. My whole

> > >world was reduced to six square inches of cool linoleum. I could not

> leave that

> > >room without the terrors welling up around me. Even trying to rise

> from the

> > >floor filled me with awareness of all that I had done and regretted,

> and not

> > >done and regretted more.

> > >

> > >It was a starting point. People taught me about acceptance. By

> inches, I made my

> > >way up off the floor and out of that bathroom.

> > >

> > >When I look where acceptance has taken me over the years, I have to

> pinch

> > >myself. I have fallen in love with people all over the world. I have

> become

> > >intimate with people and places and ideas that I could not have

> imagined. I have

> > >found souls all along the way who saw possibilities in me that I

> could not see

> > >in myself. And, I have in turn had the privilege of seeing in others

> strength

> > >and beauty and possibility that they could not see.

> > >

> > >And, and, I can count a lot of days, a lot, between that barren

> winter of '85

> > >and this day, this morning, this moment, a lot of days, when the best

> I could do

> > >was sit on my hands. And, today, I count those days sitting on my

> hands as good

> > >days. All in a row they brought me right here together with you.

> Welcome.

> > >Welcome.

> > >

> > >

> > >Rest a while. There will be time. Perhaps we can sit together on our

> hands

> > >today. And tomorrow, there won't be much mess to clean up. And, we

> will rise

> > >together and sweep up and go about our day as best we are able.

> > >

> > >

> > >So if today is a day of hand sitting, think of it as practice. The

> day will

> > >surely come when someone in need calls out. We are not likely to be

> able to

> > >reach out and reverse time in their world -- bring parents back from

> the dead,

> > >retrieve a lost opportunity, a lost love -- any more than we can turn

> back the

> > >clock in our own world. But perhaps if we have practiced, we can sit

> with them,

> > >on our hands if it is that kind of day, but together. And, perhaps we

> will find

> > >a way in this world, just as it is, to fall in love, and see beauty

> and strength

> > >and possibility together.

> > >

> > >peace to all,

> > >kelly

> > >

> > > Useful activity-tracking tool (for me)

> > >

> > >Â

> > >There is a free website that enables you to track daily activities in

> a very

> > >simple and somewhat unusual manner.  I have used it for about

> two weeks and have

> > >found it to be a great tool for someone like me who has a hard time

> doing

> > >things I value every day, often falling into depressive

> lethargy and

> > >what's-the-use thinking. The link is: www.idonethis.comÂ

> (bad English, I

> > >know!).

> > >Â

> > >After a simple sign-up process, each morning you will get an

> email from the site

> > >with the subject " What'd you get done today? " (meaning

> yesterday). By replying

> > >to the email, you can type in what you got done the previous day,

> and it will

> > >record it on a calendar for you. You can review your calendar at

> any time, and

> > >when you do, you will see a large checkmark on every date that you

> made an

> > >entry. Click on the date, and it will show you a list of all the

> things you

> > >entered for that day. You can also download the calendar so

> you have a

> > >permanent record of your entries on file.

> > >Â

> > >I happen to have a great deal of unstructured time in my life, which

> is poison

> > >for me because I tend to use my time more wisely within the

> framework of

> > >structure. This tool helps me to commit to doing *something*

> each day because I

> > >want to see that checkmark on my calendar!  On one day inÂ

> the past two weeks,

> > >the entry was " Sat on my hands " --and seeing the checkmark for

> that day helped me

> > >to realize that I had permission to do just that without beating

> myself up for

> > >it.Â

> > >

> > >Â

> > >On some days, my entries are tiny, such as " changed the bed sheets " ,

> but on

> > >other days, I have found that doing just one thing has energized

> me to keep

> > >going and accomplish many other things in a domino effect. I

> also enter

> > >activities I spend in relaxing and enjoying myself; I tend toÂ

> feel guilty

> > >spending time watching a movie or reading a book just for fun, but

> simply

> > >entering it on my calendar gives having fun credence and value--no

> room for

> > >guilt!

> > >Â

> > >This would also be a good tool to track your progress toward a

> particular goal;

> > >e.g., if your goal is to lose weight, you could track your food

> intake, time

> > >spent exercising, etc. Or use it to track activities you engage

> in on your ACT

> > >journey, which is how I use it.

> > >Â

> > >IÂ thought this might be a helpful tool for others; if so, I'd be

> interested in

> > >hearing how you use it.

> > >Â

> > >Helena

> > >Â

> > >P.S. I know most of you probably have smart phones where you can

> do this kind

> > >of tracking, but I don't have one. Still, this could be a useful

> adjunct.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I am sitting on my hands today, as I have the last three. At least on these days I have the reason that I'm sick with the flu. Yesterday I started to recover and today I feel fairly normal but have called in sick to work. So I have time on my hands and I make the choice to sit on them. I can't think of anything I really want to do, anything that seems worthwhile. But today I did have the insight that my anxiety is much better. Unfortunately, I now feel depression all the more. But not to have the acute anxiety is a great blessing. 's message to take another shot after a miss is inspiring advice for me. I put a lot of pressure on myself over "shoulds" in my life and I fall very far short of them. Or at least of doing them perfectly. I know I need to take steps with hands and feet but they are literally very heavy at the moment.My last two days of iDoneThat have been empty.Thanks,BruceThis is a work in progress, and I guess it should be considered as such as long as we live. I suppose if we considerall we do in ACT and all our hungry quest for self-improvements, we will be more empowered and encouraged tokeep at it no matter what. I suppose that is being kind,realistic and compassionate with oursleves and cushionsus when we fail to do some "promised" deeds. When welook at ourselves as a work in progress, then we don't seeourselves as failures when we squander time or energyonce in a while, and because when such "slip-offs" occur, we move faster to stand up and brush ourselves up whenwe fall. Reclaiming from what we "left-off" is easier andeven more exciting. We will treat it is a game, like in abasketball, when we fail to sink the ball into the ring,you can't wait to get THE ball back into your possession,in order to try and shoot and sink the ball again. Stops andstarts are never tiring, much more never DISCOURAGING.This, I just learned today. Especially when you mentionyour classic phrase "SAT ON MY HAND". I want to "anoint"this "phrase" as the ANTIDOTE to pain of procrastination.It has a "gentle" connotation, especially when I castigatemyself when I "fail to act" on simple stuffs like brushingmy teeth when I'm depressed. "Sitting on my hand" is a choice a conscious decision, not a victim of "not wanting todo" (procrastination). We are bidding our time while wedecide what to do WHEN we can or when it is good for us todo so. So, Helena, you are right, to claim SOMH as an "accomplishment" in iDONEthis!I have a good Easter Sunday morning, and mindful with theenjoyment along the way as I tick-off my to do list from goingto church, changing the bulb in my bathroom, to making it tomy laundry cleaners before they close at 2pm. I also have alot of "pre-Monday" office stuffs to do after going to the gym.After, gym, I'm physically very tired which makes me mentallylethargic. I accepted that I will not be able to accomplish therest of the work plans, so I decided to replan it for tomorrow.I guess that is NO LONGER procrastination but a well plannedand realistic course of action. This I'm happy and very proudabout it (wow!).I have a party to go to, which is more of a community commitment, so I'm off there now and I'm not guilty about it!Funny, on my excel chart of iDONEthis, I put a column marked"iDIDN'TdidIT" (yes, the grammar is bad, but it's catchy!) whichI just deleted now. Why bother about things not done, when life should be measured and savored by what we've doneand capable of doing. Things not done, are just things notdone yet. They will get done, that's why we're sitting on ourhands right now! I am also compiling a journal on the following to help me moreencouraged and be on tract, so far on these 2 topics:1. my observation on the BLISS of commitment, acting and accomplishing (BCAA)2. the rewards of acting on planned "to do list" (most of it are things we thought we could never afford or worth having!) Till next issue,= ;-)To: ACT for the Public <ACT_for_the_Public >Sent: Sun, April 24, 2011 1:10:58 AMSubject: Re: Useful activity-tracking tool (for me) Hi , I'm thrilled that this is working out so well for you! I have found it so useful, too. Mostly, I tend to beat myself up for not getting things done, but when I look at my calendar and see a check mark on every day, it reminds me that I am doing something every day towards my values, and I can accept myself for doing my best. Sometimes my best is just "sitting on my hands" and that, too, is OK--so I get a checkmark for that, too. It's very encouraging and validating! Helena Useful activity-tracking tool (for me) There is a free website that enables you to track daily activities in a very simple and somewhat unusual manner. I have used it for about two weeks and have found it to be a great tool for someone like me who has a hard time doing things I value every day, often falling into depressive lethargy and what's-the-use thinking. The link is: www.idonethis.com (bad English, I know!). After a simple sign-up process, each morning you will get an email from the site with the subject "What'd you get done today?" (meaning yesterday). By replying to the email, you can type in what you got done the previous day, and it will record it on a calendar for you. You can review your calendar at any time, and when you do, you will see a large checkmark on every date that you made an entry. Click on the date, and it will show you a list of all the things you entered for that day. You can also download the calendar so you have a permanent record of your entries on file. I happen to have a great deal of unstructured time in my life, which is poison for me because I tend to use my time more wisely within the framework of structure. This tool helps me to commit to doing *something* each day because I want to see that checkmark on my calendar! On one day in the past two weeks, the entry was "Sat on my hands"--and seeing the checkmark for that day helped me to realize that I had permission to do just that without beating myself up for it. On some days, my entries are tiny, such as "changed the bed sheets", but on other days, I have found that doing just one thing has energized me to keep going and accomplish many other things in a domino effect. I also enter activities I spend in relaxing and enjoying myself; I tend to feel guilty spending time watching a movie or reading a book just for fun, but simply entering it on my calendar gives having fun credence and value--no room for guilt! This would also be a good tool to track your progress toward a particular goal; e.g., if your goal is to lose weight, you could track your food intake, time spent exercising, etc. Or use it to track activities you engage in on your ACT journey, which is how I use it. I thought this might be a helpful tool for others; if so, I'd be interested in hearing how you use it. Helena P.S. I know most of you probably have smart phones where you can do this kind of tracking, but I don't have one. Still, this could be a useful adjunct.

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the reply and input Bruce. I really appreciate it.

I'm off to work (Asian time) so I'll respond longer tonight! (oooppss)

One thought that just occured to me: "Sitting on my hand"

is LIBERATING when we know that we consciously chose to

do it because that's what we want to do for these moments and

believe in ourselves we have the capacity and self-love to be

able to get out of it, when we KNOW we already want to, as

it is already warranted.

I could "imagine" the message that is saying:

Sitting on our hands is about ACCEPTING who we are and

what we are at the moment, without giving pain to ourselves

when we decide to "SIT" for a while. So soak in the moment.

I also believe, iDONE this is not an exercise of MUST NOT

fail to log in DONE STUFFS or else! I believe this is a tool to

look and face ourselves at EVERY end of the day and ACCEPTING

and being GRATEFUL and APPRECIATIVE of our day and WHAT

WE HAVE BEEN and WHAT WE DID or DID NOT DO is the

BEST thing this daily iDONEthis "online" tool is giving us.

So, no matter what, I will DAILY log in and bravely put in

"sit on my hands" if that day/s if what we chose to do! ;-)

The trick, I think is to FACE OURSELVES EVERYDAY and be cool

with it!

Pushing my "methaporing" further, I would liken it (iDONEthis!) to a

"man's best friend" (our dog, if ever we have one - though I have none),

that when we get home thay run to us as soon as they see us out of our car

in the driveway, excited, happy and loving/accepting...giving you the feeling of:

"Well, done, my man! Glad for you to be home! " WITHOUT bothering

or caring what you have done today, or how you performed today!

(Hey, man! Glad you made it home safe! Come home, let's chill!)

Or if you have little and innocent children...all they care is to be happy

when Daddy gets home (funny, imagine a child not coming on to you

because she/he knows you just "moped with self-pity in the office all day).

Even without a dog, maybe that's what I'll do to myself when I get home

to be a friend or an excited child to myself, just happy to be home!

I am also saying this with the premise of me being a bipolar, I could be a friend

to myself when I could not go to work, and as a friend and a responsible leader

to my staffs, I will make sure they have stuffs to do if I am sick....

I am also WRITING this to/for myself because, whenever we’re on a “rollâ€, such good things/

feelings are FLEETING. Whenever I become depressed or FAIL to carry out my

tasks as I’ve set out to do, all the good stuffs/days I’ve had and done are suddenly

out of the window and our GOOD SELF seems never existed! So hopefully, I could go

back to this, and remind myself, I have the EMPOWERED SIDE of me that I could tap

from and be confident about. I believe that itself is a blessing we should always

REMEMBER, THERE IS IN US, always.

I'm new to this premise as well, and with Helena's, Steve's and the ACT group's sincere

encouragements, I look forward to get far. Wish me luck and take it easy my friend.

To: ACT_for_the_Public Sent: Tue, April 26, 2011 4:29:37 AMSubject: Re: Useful activity-tracking tool (for me)

I am sitting on my hands today, as I have the last three. At least on these days I have the reason that I'm sick with the flu. Yesterday I started to recover and today I feel fairly normal but have called in sick to work. So I have time on my hands and I make the choice to sit on them. I can't think of anything I really want to do, anything that seems worthwhile.

But today I did have the insight that my anxiety is much better. Unfortunately, I now feel depression all the more. But not to have the acute anxiety is a great blessing. 's message to take another shot after a miss is inspiring advice for me. I put a lot of pressure on myself over "shoulds" in my life and I fall very far short of them. Or at least of doing them perfectly. I know I need to take steps with hands and feet but they are literally very heavy at the moment.

My last two days of iDoneThat have been empty.

Thanks,

Bruce

This is a work in progress, and I guess it should be consi

dered as such as long as we live. I suppose if we consider

all we do in ACT and all our hungry quest for self-improve

ments, we will be more empowered and encouraged to

keep at it no matter what. I suppose that is being kind,

realistic and compassionate with oursleves and cushions

us when we fail to do some "promised" deeds. When we

look at ourselves as a work in progress, then we don't see

ourselves as failures when we squander time or energy

once in a while, and because when such "slip-offs" occur,

we move faster to stand up and brush ourselves up when

we fall. Reclaiming from what we "left-off" is easier and

even more exciting. We will treat it is a game, like in a

basketball, when we fail to sink the ball into the ring,

you can't wait to get THE ball back into your possession,

in order to try and shoot and sink the ball again. Stops and

starts are never tiring, much more never DISCOURAGING.

This, I just learned today. Especially when you mention

your classic phrase "SAT ON MY HAND". I want to "anoint"

this "phrase" as the ANTIDOTE to pain of procrastination.

It has a "gentle" connotation, especially when I castigate

myself when I "fail to act" on simple stuffs like brushing

my teeth when I'm depressed. "Sitting on my hand" is a

choice a conscious decision, not a victim of "not wanting to

do" (procrastination). We are bidding our time while we

decide what to do WHEN we can or when it is good for us to

do so. So, Helena, you are right, to claim SOMH as an

"accomplishment" in iDONEthis!

I have a good Easter Sunday morning, and mindful with the

enjoyment along the way as I tick-off my to do list from going

to church, changing the bulb in my bathroom, to making it to

my laundry cleaners before they close at 2pm. I also have a

lot of "pre-Monday" office stuffs to do after going to the gym.

After, gym, I'm physically very tired which makes me mentally

lethargic. I accepted that I will not be able to accomplish the

rest of the work plans, so I decided to replan it for tomorrow.

I guess that is NO LONGER procrastination but a well planned

and realistic course of action. This I'm happy and very proud

about it (wow!).

I have a party to go to, which is more of a community commit

ment, so I'm off there now and I'm not guilty about it!

Funny, on my excel chart of iDONEthis, I put a column marked

"iDIDN'TdidIT" (yes, the grammar is bad, but it's catchy!) which

I just deleted now. Why bother about things not done, when

life should be measured and savored by what we've done

and capable of doing. Things not done, are just things not

done yet. They will get done, that's why we're sitting on our

hands right now!

I am also compiling a journal on the following to help me more

encouraged and be on tract, so far on these 2 topics:

1. my observation on the BLISS of commitment, acting and

accomplishing (BCAA)

2. the rewards of acting on planned "to do list" (most of it

are things we thought we could never afford or worth having!)

Till next issue,

= ;-)

To: ACT for the Public <ACT_for_the_Public >Sent: Sun, April 24, 2011 1:10:58 AMSubject: Re: Useful activity-tracking tool (for me)

Hi ,

I'm thrilled that this is working out so well for you! I have found it so useful, too. Mostly, I tend to beat myself up for not getting things done, but when I look at my calendar and see a check mark on every day, it reminds me that I am doing something every day towards my values, and I can accept myself for doing my best. Sometimes my best is just "sitting on my hands" and that, too, is OK--so I get a checkmark for that, too. It's very encouraging and validating!

Helena

Useful activity-tracking tool (for me)

There is a free website that enables you to track daily activities in a very simple and somewhat unusual manner. I have used it for about two weeks and have found it to be a great tool for someone like me who has a hard time doing things I value every day, often falling into depressive lethargy and what's-the-use thinking. The link is: www.idonethis.com (bad English, I know!).

After a simple sign-up process, each morning you will get an email from the site with the subject "What'd you get done today?" (meaning yesterday). By replying to the email, you can type in what you got done the previous day, and it will record it on a calendar for you. You can review your calendar at any time, and when you do, you will see a large checkmark on every date that you made an entry. Click on the date, and it will show you a list of all the things you entered for that day. You can also download the calendar so you have a permanent record of your entries on

file.

I happen to have a great deal of unstructured time in my life, which is poison for me because I tend to use my time more wisely within the framework of structure. This tool helps me to commit to doing *something* each day because I want to see that checkmark on my calendar! On one day in the past two weeks, the entry was "Sat on my hands"--and seeing the checkmark for that day helped me to realize that I had permission to do just that without beating myself up for it.

On some days, my entries are tiny, such as "changed the bed sheets", but on other days, I have found that doing just one thing has energized me to keep going and accomplish many other things in a domino effect. I also enter activities I spend in relaxing and enjoying myself; I tend to feel guilty spending time watching a movie or reading a book just for fun, but simply entering it on my calendar gives having fun credence and value--no room for guilt!

This would also be a good tool to track your progress toward a particular goal; e.g., if your goal is to lose weight, you could track your food intake, time spent exercising, etc. Or use it to track activities you engage in on your ACT journey, which is how I use it.

I thought this might be a helpful tool for others; if so, I'd be interested in hearing how you use it.

Helena

P.S. I know most of you probably have smart phones where you can do this kind of tracking, but I don't have one. Still, this could be a useful adjunct.