INTRODUCTION – Combat Procrastination
Right now, I am fighting the urge to start a binge marathon on Blindspot. And I am sure my place definitely needs a thorough cleaning as in right now. How long has it been since I dusted? For sure I cannot be the only procrastinator out there?! Comment below if you procrastinate and how you combat your procrastination. Has procrastination ever gotten you in trouble and how?
This post will be uploaded a little too late, because yesterday afternoon I thought reading a Karen Rose thriller is the better idea. It’s almost funny, how when a deadline comes close, I am suddenly capable of pulling all-nighters and writing page after page in one go, but when I procrastinate a simple task can drag on for days. And then there are the non-procrastinators. The ones who say: Just do it! As if it was that simple… They do not understand. I can’t “just do it”. It feels like me having to fight against my own mind. We procrastinators are not lazy. Do not let anyone tell you that. It feels more like something is blocking us. I guess there are people, who also tell a depressed person “cheer up”.
You might think, why should I listen to her obviously she still procrastinates. But believe me it has gotten so much better. Living as a procrastinator I have learned a trick or two to overcome procrastination. Of course, I still have bad days. But the productive days outweigh procrastination days.
I am sure what I have learned might help you as well. And researching this topic helps me. I will jot down some techniques that work(ed) for me and also some that others recommend. I will try new things and I recommend you do the same. Try different methods until you find the ones that suit you and the situation.
INNER CHILD VS ADULT MIND
For me it helps to imagine my urge to procrastinate as my inner child. Let’s call her Nina. That’s the way my grandparents used to call me when I was small. She is my sub consciousness. She likes playing and immediate gratification. What she does’t like is boring adult stuff. Pain. Uncomfortable situations. And long-term planning. She is more the live in the moment person.
Her slogan:
Why wait, let us have fun now!
She especially gets triggered when:
- Tasks are boring
- The goal is unclear
- The goal is unachievable
- I do not know how to actually complete the task
- Plans are overwhelming
- No end is in sight
- I see no prompt rewards
- Fear of success, embarrassment, and failure
- The task makes me feel uncomfortable
- It is important to me and I want to do especially well
- I am excited about something else
- I am lonely
Those situations make her stronger. Who is your inner child? How does your inner child get triggered?
The other Part of my mind is my conscious mind. Adult me. That part of me makes long-term plans. Wants to be successful. Has goals. So how come that tiny me can beat adult me? Logically I should have the upper hand.
Imagine a little kid in your head asking for sweets. Over and over again. We know it is a bad idea. But in certain situations, we might get weak. Especially when:
- we have low energy. For example, after a long workday.
- we are lonely or sad
- we have failed before
- the task goes against our values or what we subconsciously want
- perfectionism
Those situations make adult me weaker.
First you feel good about giving into the distraction. And then the guilt comes. And the more guilt we feel the more we procrastinate. A guilt-procrastination loop starts. That behavior is downright self-defeating.
One thing always beats the inner child. Hard deadlines. The little kid understands punishment and fear. And a missed deadline is usually something that would lead to severe punishment.
Obviously, we do not want to wait till hard deadlines get close. And Important long-term goals often do not even have deadlines. So, let us take a look at how we can overcome our inner child.
18 Methods To Combat Procrastination And To Improve Self-Regulation
1. Combine Boring Tasks With Fun Activities
As said before one of the reasons why we procrastinate is that tasks are downright boring. This does not please our instant gratification driven inner child. There are ways to make the tasks more enjoyable, such as
combining the unpleasant with the pleasant.
You do not like working out? Watch a movie while you do it.You do not like learning languages? Go to a language meetup or learn through comics. Your dishes are piling up? Let a friend clean them. Just kidding. Do them while you call a friend. If you can combine a boring task with something you enjoy your brain will automatically connect the positive emotion with the task. Be careful not to only do the fun part thought.
2. Watch Someone Else Work On A Similar Task
It often helps me to watch a Youtuber study while I study. I like to watch TheStriveStudies. Or go to a library to work on a project. It increases my motivation when others are working as well. I guess if they work and don’t look like it hurts, the task can’t be that bad. My inner child must think if they enjoy it, I can enjoy it too.
3. Listen To Music
I think music is the greatest invention of all time. Listening to one song can immediately change my mood. When I feel anxious about starting a task, I always listen to studio Ghibli Music. Sometimes I have to turn on the music real loud. So that it drowns out my thoughts. It calms me down and as soon as I hear the songs, my brain knows it is work time. After about 15 minutes I can turn off the music. I no longer need it. But especially when I start It helps.
4. Take A Deep Breath
Whenever you feel like you don’t want to start. Breath in hold it. Breath out slowly and while you do that start the first task. You have to completely focus on your breath. Push down all other feelings and thoughts. Every time you feel the emotions rising repeat the exercise.
5. Create A Clean And Quiet Work Environment
For me working at a messy table surrounded by clutter is bad. Doing so between my chatting family members is the end of any productivity I might have had. It’s especially difficult if I have to watch others having “fun”. If
you get easily distracted by your surroundings create a calm and clean space or go to a coffee shop or library. Clean the desk at the end of the day or the next day cleaning will be another opportunity to procrastinate.
6. Remove Distractions
I like gaming, so before important tasks I send my people farming. If they are busy, I can’t play. Or I turn on the app forest. The app lets me grow trees and if I use my phone, while the app is turned on my tree dies. I also try to remove my phone, tablet and all other kinds of distractions from my workspace.
7. Have A Clear And Achievable Goal
Often, I procrastinate because my goal is unclear, or even worse I logically know it is unachievable and I know I will fail for sure. So, I procrastinate to avoid the inevitable failure. Step one is to set clear goals. Plan time buffers when you prepare your calendar for unexpected occurrences.
8. One Step At A Time
Every journey starts with a single step. Break your goal down into tiny, actionable steps. And then concentrate on one step at a time. Don’t look ahead. And don’t look back. I really like hiking. When you hike up a mountain and you look up you get exhausted just by looking at all the steps still left. So, it’s better to focus just on one task at a time.
9. Promise Yourself To Work At Least 5 Minutes On The Task
Write down, that you will at least try to work 5 minutes on a task. And if you have done that congratulate yourself. Don’t get angry, if you don’t do more. I am sure you will work more than 5 minutes, because once you
start it gets easier.
10. Start With An Easy Task First
Starting is the most difficult part. It is like a threshold. Once you’ve crossed starting it just flows. So, starting with an easy task might help. And when you have had the success of finishing one task you are more likely to finish the next task.
11. Do The Worst Task First
Sometimes it is better if you start with the worst task. At least you know nothing worse will come all day. And you will feel accomplished even if you can’t finish the other tasks.
12. Adapt Your Tasks To Your Productivity Cycle
During mornings and evenings, we generally feel more productive. Especially in the mornings we have more
willpower left. And as a women did you know that your menstrual cycle also plays an important role in your productivity? Adapt your schedule to your personal productivity cycle.
13. Reward Yourself
Spoil yourself for a job well done and celebrate the little triumphs. Your inner child will be happy if it can actually see the immediate effects your hard work has. One has to fall in love with the process.
14. Set A Date, Time, And Place
When you put on your to-do list “work out” without any time or place. It will be easy to postpone. The more specific with the date, time and location you are the less likely it is you postpone.
15. Real Deadlines Instead Of Fake Deadlines
I learned the hard way that fake deadlines are useless. What are fake deadlines? Fake deadlines are self-given deadlines. For example, if I say until next Sunday, I will have read a book I most likely won’t do it. No one will hold it against me if I do not achieve it. On the other hand, if I join a book club and I have to present the book next Sunday I am fairly sure I will be done by that time.
16. Self-Forgiveness
According to Dr. Ferrari a psychologist and the writer of Still Procrastinating: The no Regret Guide to getting it done around 20% of all U.S. adults are chronic procrastinators. So, do not be too hard on yourself. I certainly still have to learn that. Self-criticism and self-loathing just causes stress and even increases procrastination.
17. Break The Habit Of Procrastination
Here the good news stopping procrastination gets easier. With every task you finish despite the urge to procrastinate it gets easier. Your willpower is like a muscle the more often you train it the stronger it will get. So, try not to procrastinate on easy tasks. See them as a chance to break the procrastination habit, which forms after some time. Do the dishes on time, before they pile up ß Note to myself. Make that call you really hate. The longer you wait the more difficult it gets.
18. Use Procrastination
Last But Not Least. Sometimes You Can Use Procrastination. For Example, You Can Swap The Task You Are
Procrastinating On With A Task That Is Also Important. You Procrastinate On One Task And Do Another. Maybe
The Second Task Is Less Important, But It Also Has To Get Done. E.G. You Don’t Want To Make That Phone Call,
So You Prepare A Whole Presentation, Which Is Due Next Month In Advance.
So that’s it. Quite a lot to digest. Try out some of the tips and see if anything works. Also check out the free worksheet. We’d also be happy if you subscribe to us for new updates or follow us on our social media. If you have any questions or content you would like to read about, message us.
