How I Beat Procrastination
(and how you can do it too)
Let’s start by getting familiar with the concept of procrastination, shall we?
We crave short term instant gratification, be it scrolling through Instagram, watching that newly released YouTube video, play games, or whatever it is that suits your fancy.
We can also get the same gratification (i.e. that dopamine rush) when we complete a task like finishing an article, cleaning our room, or studying a chapter. But these tasks will require our energy, attention, dedication… And that’s a lot of work. Naturally, this may seem boring and not as enticing to us. And thus we turn to achieve the short term gratification at the risk of achieving our long term goals.
But the problem with short term gratification is in the name itself, it’s short. So once the high wears off we need to replace it and go for another form of short term gratification or just repeat what we did.
This unwillingness to sacrifice our time and energy without getting instant gratification is the root of procrastination. And this leads to getting nothing substantial done.
To put in other terms, under stressful situations (i.e a paper submission due tomorrow or an exam) we are programmed to fight or flight. And we choose flight (procrastinate).
- Finding the root of procrastination:
I recently found a gem of a video by the YouTube channel Einzelganger that taught me one of the most useful ways to beat procrastination.
The starting point of procrastination is that we dread to perform a certain task. This dread is associated with boredom and pain. We feel that we may not be able to complete it or do it properly.
Low confidence levels and anxiety prevents us from starting it.
The solution: Just start with it. Here, we DO the task and DON’T think about the task.
Focus on the task. Worrying will only decrease the quality of work. And mostly if you focus on your task, you are setting up for a good future.
Remember, the more you do what makes you uncomfortable, the less it will have its power over you.
2. Cut your work into smaller chunks:
This way the task as a whole will feel less daunting. Reasons reap results. An excerpt from Internet’s favorite papa Jordan Peterson on how this method works :
Once you establish your goal and break it into micro-processes (or microtasks in simpler terms) that you can implement, the micro-processes become rewarding in relation to their causal association with the goal. This tangles with your dopaminergic reward system. The system that is responsible for our constant need for instant gratification.
But it works better when it can produce positive emotion, when it can see you move towards the valued goal.
Better have a valued goal. Or else you won’t get a positive motivation working out. So the more the value of the goal, the more the micro-processes associated with that goal start to take on a positive charge.
Ok. So now we finally start doing what we set out to do. Aaaand now the minds start wandering. The next step is common sense but I might as well put it up here.
3. Maintain your momentum by putting away your distractions :
If you have to do your work on your mobile, put it on do not disturb or use one of the various productivity apps available like Forest, for instance.
Remember, when we go for the short term way to get stimulation for that oh so lovely dopamine rush, we are inadvertently sacrificing our long term goals.
4. Be aware of “short term procrastination” which turns into long term delaying of our tasks:
A lot of us have been in the situation where we wait till a “good time” like 5:30 to start something new…whoops it’s 5:35…. I will wait till 6:00… And that goes on till bedtime. Nope… Don’t check the time…. Go straight to your timer and turn on a 30-minute Pomodoro session and focus on your task and nothing else. Not prospects… Nothing but your work in hand.
5. The one minute or 5-minute rule :
Do not delay a task if it is something that you can do in one minute or 5 minutes (this one helps me when I need to make my bed)
This rule can even be tweaked. Like the 20 min rule (useful to study a topic, send your emails).
6. The motivation myth :
In his book The Motivation Myth, author Jeff Haden states that we shouldn’t wait for motivation, instead we should get stuff done and motivation will automatically follow. Motivation is not something you have, it’s something you get.
7. Procrastination as a form of self relief :
According to motivational speaker Mel Robbins, procrastination is a habit that has 3 parts.
The trigger is stress
The pattern is delaying the task
The reward is a stress relief
So when you find urself procrastinating, acknowledge the stress and count to 5–4–3–2–1. This interrupts the act of procrastination and awakens the prefrontal cortex. Now you continue with your work.
The problem isn’t working, it's starting to do the work.
8. Maintaining it long term :
Now that you have completed your tasks for the day (or at least 50 percent of it, ’cause face it no one’s perfect) you get that dopamine rush and motivation to plan for the week or the next two days (in case what you want to do is a long term thing) and this is how you build your momentum to complete the task, by building a…
9. Schedule (with incentives) :
Some people don’t like to specify the goals because they don’t like to specify the conditions for failure.
A schedule doesn’t mean prison. Set a schedule so that you have the day you WANT. Apply the right ratio of responsibility to reward. Negotiate with yourself and don’t tyrannize yourself.
When you are kind to yourself and exhibit self-compassion you are more likely to finish your tasks. When you beat yourself up for not finishing a task you think that it will help you to overcome it the next time and be more motivated to do it. But it has the opposite effect.
Remember action today can prevent a crisis tomorrow. Now off you go to be your productive best!!