RomanceClass.com Forums Romance Organizing and Cleaning What Project are you Putting Off?

What projects are on your to-do list that you keep putting off? That make you weary just to look at them and see they are lurking in your horizon?

I got an extension on my taxes so they aren't due until mid-May. I keep putting them off day after day and it is just such as "black cloud" hanging over me to see them there. Finally I sat down today and plowed through entering all the mileage figures. It is a royal pain, but it adds up to a lot of money and is worth doing. I am SO SO glad that is done!! It's been this painful thing to have to keep seeing on the list. The months of angst weren't worth the 3 hours it took me to just sit down and do it. I should have just done it months ago and saved myself all that mental grief.

Started detailing for kitchen painted. pulled off de-cals
cleaned kitchen all ready to go and STOPPED! got the
new beautiful paint & was already to start and Stopped!
made a date for May 11th Done Deal:) small kitchen area too.
I usually pick a few things ( a year) so not alot of things.
and easier to stick with & do. Yes This was a project I
dreamed about & wanted so badly & saved the $$ for paint
and all? I called someone to come help me 'with'
so I'll keep my word & date. But I had the most hard time
even calling (making the phone call) to get this started

Wow, that's interesting, that you wanted it so much but then stalled! Maybe you were worried about it not coming out the way you dreamed?

For some reason I am putting off Invoicing my clients for the month. It's crazy - you'd think i would like to get paid. And it will take me only 15 minutes. What is wrong with me?

Also, all i want to do is dream about my possible new land/house and my upcoming bellaonline gathering this month.

And it's really nice outside.

I cannot focus on work at all.

You definitely want to create an invoicing system because you are going to need that for anything you do in life. It doesn't need to be complex. It just needs to work.

What I would do is make a master folder called CLIENTS for all my clients. Then create a sub folder for each one with their name. Simple, easy, you know where to find their things. So that is step 1 and very easy to think about.

Step 2. You want an invoice template. This is just a word document with your name and address at the top, and then the client's name and address a little further down on the left. Then just a statement on the page about "this invoice is for the amount of $xxxx for the following project:

sssssssssssssssssssssssss

and list out what you did that month. If it's the same every month then that's even easier. So if you want help creating an invoice template, let us know. We can help with that! That should also be fairly straightforward.

So then to create a new actual invoice, open that template and save it out with the date of the invoice. So maybe inv2010-03.doc for example. That way any time you want to see what you've invoiced you just look in the directory and you see *exactly* what months you've created invoices for, for a given client. It makes all of that very easy to track.

If you're not sure if you should send someone an invoice, because you don't have a record of their check (a common issue), then just write them and ask them for the check number, for your records. They can then write back and tell you the check number, so you know they gave it to you. Or they write back and say "Oh I haven't given you a check yet" in which case you send them an invoice.

I do have a template - I just pull their last invoice from my emails and update them. So it's easy. I have no idea why I keep procrastinating this, though. It will really only take me 15 minutes. Sometimes I think I need a smack upside the head. :-)

That is a GREAT idea about asking for the check numbers! HA, perfect.

I did accomplish a few other things today that I had been putting off, in particular making a press release for someone. Now that that is off my plate, I will hopefully get my invoices out tomorrow. Then I have a few tasks that i just need to put my head down on and plow through.


I am meeting someone in Sedona tomorrow, though, so I probably won't be able to get much done. If I can get the invoices out and do a few hours of client work, I'll feel better.

Jilly - that is great that you already have templates! You are doing very well! I didn't realize you had invoices already Great!

So yes, it sounds like your next step is straightforward, hopefully you will have time to do that!

Thank you! I did get the invoices out yesterday. Now I somehow need to track down people to get paid. I can't seem to keep up with this as a monthly task.

The next tasks I am putting off is making another set of press releases (for someone else), making two bids for to develop blogs for a couple of local businesses, and to edit someone's articles for publication.

OMG and I am leaving for San Diego in a few days and then to Chicago!

By the time I get done with all these I will already be late with June's invoices.

It's no fun to live in a state of perpetual behind-ed-ness.

Not sure but figuring out later, so silly of me stalling.
Got the kitchen painted by 5-11 actually a few days early
and the white color is nice. I was glad my husband was home
to help me with keeping our bird safe from paint fumes.
(I think I was stressed from worrying about the bird)
and we actually had a Motel Revs. on hold 'just incase'
things didn't go right. We closed our room off & had good
air and No fumes. I had paid alot$$ for good paint and
(not much smell) <--actually i like the smell of paint
but can't have it lingering because of our bird. So things
were going TOO good ( almost) and as I was putting things back
on my shelves ect. I noticed my kitchen floor Scratched badly.
Darn it and really bad looking and from moving the refriderator.
Had forgotten that it was Stuffed with EXtra food for my
husband's Vacation week OMG and when the painter guy had moved
it? So next year new floor. Maybe that's what I was feeling?
'something'? the first few days the spots drove me nutty?!
Like I am a person who mops the floor ( alot) I don't like
anything ON it?! and these black spots? But now I'm use to
them, hardly think of them and walk right over them. I guess
because i look up ( to the nice paint job) thankful it's done:)

It's another month and i need to do invoices again. Also i have to track down everyone from last month, as only one person paid me.

Have I mentioned I hate invoicing?

I will wait until i am home and no longer traveling to do this (both the june invoicing and getting my checks from May). What a pain.

Maybe i need to create a late fee for people who do not pay on their own within a certain date?

Ha, it's invoice time again. I still hate doing it. You'd think the idea of getting paid would be a motivator.

I am also putting off ordering new checks, starting a new bank account for my business, and finding a local dr to renew my prescriptions.

I have my new checks but still need to get a new bank account - one for my personal account. They are having a special coupon where you get $125 free money if you jump some hoops for a new account with them.

Oh and I also found a dr. I am putting off finding a closer one, but she will do for now.

What else am in putting off?

I need to make campground reservations for Nov in Wash state.

I am putting off getting a mammogram and pap smear.

I am avoiding having my studio fixed up - needs windows fixed before winter comes!

Jilly - it's great that you have checks! Checks can be very useful!

$125 for a few hoops sounds like a good deal to me! Think of it as a mini-job. Someone will pay you $125 for say an hour of work. Can you make the time for your new mini-job?

It turned out that I could not do it. The hoops were too complicated for me right now. I will try again next time the coupon comes around.

What am i putting off now?

Heh, getting rid of this pool table...see other thread on that. It really is not a large priority right now, but i tell you, it will be a relief to have it gone and be able to use that studio.

How is everyone else? What are you putting off?

Putting the pool table aside for now - not a huge priority, I need to get on top of sending a very expensive rebate back. I have to find the receipt, the coupon, fill out an envelop, add a stamp, and drop it on the box. How hard can this be? So this is the only really big thing on my list this week!

I Still have not done this. I need to find the receipt. I have the coupon, envelope, address and stamp. Just have to find this last slip of paper and put it all together.

Dear Jilly -

Did you ever find the receipt? It sounds like it's time for a receipts box to put all receipts in! That's what we do here.

I have no idea where the receipt is. I need to find it ASAP but am out of ideas of where to look.

Dear Jilly -

It is funny how we use receipts as bookmarks and other things. We write on the back of them. It's part of why I have to be so careful to always put receipts in my box. Otherwise I have no idea where they get to.

Many stores can easily print out a duplicate receipt from their register. What store did you get this at?

It's proof of my stay with dan at the RV place in seattle. If i can find it, it will rebate him $250. I know there is a time limit for this rebate and I hope it is not too late.

Dear Jilly -

Aha, that sounds easy! Can't you just email them and ask them to send you a new receipt? Surely they have copies in their records of who stayed with them when, for their own tax purposes.

How did you pay for your stay?

Dan paid for it with his debit card.

I will call them on monday and see if they can send me a new one. I hope I still have time to get this in. Good idea. I did not even consider trying to get a new one.

Dear Jilly -

The debit card means there is a record with your bank for the payment. The record should have the date, time, and exactly who was paid. So you have records in two places.

I still have not done this yet. I am really unclear what my problem is.