Overcoming Procrastination
Procrastination … potentially the biggest thing standing between you and ‘getting it done’.
It’s the act of deliberately delaying a task even though you know that it’ll have a negative effect or consequence.
It’s reducing the amount of time you have to complete a task, therefore increasing stress levels.
When you read it like that it’s very clearly an act of self sabotage - so why do we do it?
Brain Hijack - the amygdala (the part of the brain that moderates our fear response) is left in charge when we are distressed. The rational part of the brain shuts down & forces the amygdala to take over. If we feel negatively towards a task/activity and our brain perceives it as ‘distressing’ then the amygdala will get involved & encourage us NOT to do it.
Instant Gratification - Each time that we complete a task we get a dopamine hit (dopamine is the feel good chemical) so we will actively - but often unconsciously - search out quicker and quicker ways to get that hit. Chances are the task you’re delaying is going to take a while to complete so you’ll look for quicker things to complete so you can get that dopamine hit just a little faster.
Present Bias - we find it much easier to focus on the ‘now’ us rather than the ‘future’ us. MRI scans have shown that we actually think of our future self in the same way we think of strangers and this makes it really difficult to focus on the long term benefits of completing a task. it is much easier for us to defer the task as it give the ‘now’ us a break without realising the consequences that ‘future’ us will have to face.
So how can we overcome procrastination? There’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution so have a read through of the options below and decide which would work best for you.
Find your WHY - we’ve spoken about this in terms of motivation before but your reason why is one of the most powerful factors in encouraging you to complete a task. If you make that motivator and EXTERNAL factor it will make it even stringer so have a think about others who could benefit from your completing of the task.
Swallow the Frog - an analogy that my sister-in-law taught me and it gives me the shivers but basically if you knew you had to eat a frog wouldn’t you rather just get it over & done with?! It’s all about listing out your tasks and then tackling your least favourite first so that your day seems a whole lot easier from there on!!
Eat the Elephant - apologies for all the animal consumption metaphors but this one is actually pretty useful. How would you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Looking at the smaller details of the task can make it feel a whole lot more achievable. Small, easy wins allow you to build momentum gradually and prevent overwhelm.
The 5 minute rule - set a timer and focus on the task for only that allowed amount of time. 3, 5, 10 minutes … whatever feels achievable. Hopefully by the time it goes off you’ve built a little momentum and you’re more encouraged to keep going & get it done. Or you’re not, but at least you’ve done some of it!!
So there you have a few ideas to help you overcoming the obstacles that you’re putting in the way of getting it done.
But, take it from an expert the longer you leave it the more it’ll weigh on you. And once it’s done life feels just a little easier!
Love Gem x
