🏁 Productivity
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Sep 9, 2024
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8 min read
We’ve all been there. It’s 3 pm and you haven’t made any progress on your project yet, but you are scrolling on Instagram for the 5th time today. You know you should get started as the deadline is coming soon, but you just can’t get yourself to sit down and get started.
This happens to all of us, whether you’re a student, an entrepreneur, or a professional. In fact, it happened to me when I was writing this article too. You might even be reading this right now because you are putting something off.
As we all know, this is called procrastination, which is when you delay or postpone a task or project. It is so common and has been a problem humans have faced since ancient times. In fact, Greek philosophers like Aristotle & Socrates struggled with this too. They even had a word for it: akrasia, which means to act against your better judgment.
These days, we call it procrastination, but the concept has become even more apparent as we struggle with the distractions that our phones and screens offer us.
The good thing is that there is something we can do about it. In this article, we’ll explore why we procrastinate and some actionable strategies that you can use to stop procrastinating right now. First, let’s dive into why we procrastinate in the first place.
Why do we procrastinate?
So, why do we procrastinate?
Some may think that we delay our work because we’re lazy or incompetent. Others may think that it’s because we’re not disciplined enough. The truth is, the real reason why we procrastinate is because we’re wired that way.
Procrastination isn’t just normal — it’s part of being human.
Inside your head, there’s a never-ending battle between 2 parts of your brain, the limbic system and the prefrontal cortex.
The limbic system is your “monkey” brain. It’s the part of the brain that loves short-term gain & immediate gratification. It’s responsible for your emotions, instincts, and automatic responses. The limbic system prioritizes your “present” self.
The prefrontal cortex is your “rational” brain. This is the part of the brain that acts as a responsible adult. It plans and makes decisions for you and thinks long term. According to Dr. Tim Pychyl, the prefrontal cortex is “the part of the brain that really separates humans from animals, who are just controlled by stimulus.” The prefrontal cortex prioritizes your “future” self.
When you procrastinate, what happens is that your limbic system takes control and puts the responsible prefrontal cortex on the bench.
You don’t think about the long-term effects of your actions and focus on immediate gain. The limbic system is acting when you watch cat videos instead of working out. Your monkey brain is choosing the short-term gain of comfort and entertainment over the long-term health benefits of working out.
The problem is that the limbic system is more developed and is also one of the most dominant parts of your brain. So it wins out most of the time. There’s an ongoing battle between the present you and future you, and present you is winning most of the battle, often at the expense of your future.
Some of our faulty beliefs may also be contributing to procrastination, such as:
Perfectionism: “If I can’t do it perfectly, I shouldn’t do it at all.”
Fear of failure: “What if I fail? It’s better for me to not start.”
Overestimation: “I’ll feel more like it tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week.” — Spanish Proverb
The good news is that there is something we can do about this.
How to stop procrastinating
Here are some practical tips on how you can overcome procrastination:
⛳️ Just get started
In 1687, Isaac Newton published his magnum opus: “Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica,” which introduces his three laws of motion. While his masterpiece is influential in physics and mathematics, it can also be applied in the context of procrastination.
Take the First Law of motion, which states that "an object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force."
This law perfectly describes the nature of procrastination and how to overcome it. When you're procrastinating, you're at rest, and it's difficult to get started. However, once you begin a task, you're more likely to continue working on it.
This law tells us that the hardest part is often just getting started. Once you’ve started, it’s easier to keep going.
One tip to get started is the 2-minute rule: just work on your task for 2 minutes. Notice that it’s not about finishing the task or getting it perfect. The goal is simply to start. You’ll find that it’s easier for you to keep going after you have some momentum, even if it’s for 2 minutes.
And it’s not a cheap mental trick either. Stick to the rule, work for 2 minutes, and you can always stop after 2 minutes if you truly don’t feel like it. If you don’t let yourself stop, the rule loses its magic.
🔍 Get clarity on your next steps
Dr. Tim Pychyl has spent more than 20 years researching and writing about procrastination. So when he tells you how to stop delaying your work, you should listen.
His advice for overcoming procrastination is simple:
Whenever he finds himself procrastinating, he simply asks himself, ‘What’s the next action step?’
For example:
If you are procrastinating from working out, the next action step is to put on your gym clothes.
If you are procrastinating from writing an article, the next action step is to open your word processor and open a new document.
If you're procrastinating studying for your exams, the next action step is to open your notes.
This method helps you focus on what you can do now instead of worrying about the end goal that is further away down the line, like completing the project.
This method may sound overly simple, but by breaking down your tasks into smaller, manageable and clear steps, you reduce the mental barrier to getting started.
“You don’t actually do a project; you can only do action steps related to it. When enough of the right action steps have been taken, some situation will have been created that matches your initial picture of the outcome closely enough that you can call it “done.” ― David Allen, Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
🗓️ Schedule your tasks
One of the easiest ways to stop procrastinating is to simply schedule your tasks in your calendar. This is what some call timeblocking, or timeboxing. It’s a simple tip, yet a lot of people don’t do it.
It may feel rigid and robotic to schedule your whole day, but structure, in this case, actually helps you. When you know exactly what to do in a given moment, you get the freedom to actually start doing it. You don’t have to think about what to do, you just do it.
Timeblocking your tasks makes it clear when and where you should do something. It also helps you be realistic about what you can accomplish in a day.
To get started with timeblocking, make time in your calendar for your most important tasks. This may be the task that has been in your to-do list for a while, or one that you’re most uncomfortable with. And when the scheduled time comes, show up and treat it with the same respect as if you’re meeting with another person.
🤝 Ask someone to keep you accountable
One of my favorite ways to stop myself procrastinating is to co-work with someone. You can either do it via a video call or face to face, but the main idea is to work on your projects at the same time.
It’s simple: You start a co-work session by stating to each other your goals, check in with each other halfway to make sure they’re working, and wrap up by sharing the progress you made.
Whenever I co-work with someone else, I find that I don’t procrastinate as much and can focus better. Working through a hard project is less painful when you’re doing it with another person. You’re also going to show up and get started, as you don’t want to look like a jerk who bailed on their friend.
Who should you co-work with? Find someone who is excited to work with you, ideally a person who has a roughly similar goal to you and can empathize with your struggle. Schedule a recurring time to work with them, and work on the projects you find yourself procrastinating on often together.
❤️🩹 Forgive yourself
What do you do whenever you procrastinate? Do you feel bad and beat yourself up over it?
If so, you’re not alone. Many people feel guilt and resort to self-criticism when they put off their tasks. However, research suggests that forgiving yourself can actually reduce future procrastination.
In 2010, a psychologist from Carleton University took 119 university students and asked them to rate how much they forgave themselves for not studying before their midterm examinations. What he found was interesting: students who were able to forgive themselves for not studying were much more productive.
When students are more forgiving to themselves, they procrastinate less for their next exams. When you forgive yourself, you reduce the feeling of guilt and shame, which reduces procrastination in the long run. When you can forgive yourself, you can move on from your mistakes and focus on the future.
So, instead of looking back at your failures, be kind to yourself. Think about the good things that you did today and celebrate the wins you have. It’s okay to acknowledge that you didn’t do as well as you’d like, but take time to celebrate what you did right as well. Remember, everyone procrastinates sometimes, it’s completely normal.
🔒 Control your digital distractions
Let’s face it, your phone is a major factor to why you procrastinate.
It’s so easy to put off work when you can open Netflix and stream F.R.I.E.N.D.S for the 5th time.
This is why we built Jomo, an app that can help you manage your screen time.
With Jomo, you can block distracting apps and websites like Instagram and Facebook so you can focus on the task at hand:
Block apps on a timer or have the block run on a recurring schedule.
Use Strict Mode to make it hard for you to bypass these blocks, which means you don’t have a choice but to get started with your work.
Track your screen time and journal your progress
When you stop getting distracted on your phone and reduce your screen time, you might be surprised at how much more you get done.
It’s important to realize that overcoming procrastination is something that will take time. It’s all about making progress, instead of seeking perfection, as that can lead to even more procrastination. The next time you find yourself putting off a task, be kind to yourself and try one of our tips. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have another task I’ve been putting off 😄
