How to Calm Your Panic Monster and Get More Done

How to Calm Your Panic Monster and Get More Done
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Have you ever had something to do, but found yourself inexplicably browsing your email?

Is it 5pm, and you’re still scrolling through Facebook (oops, where did the day go)?

When you plan to go to that Zumba class, is it suddenly more important to vacuum your floor, or do the laundry?

The Greeks called procrastination akrasia — doing something you wouldn’t normally do. That is, knowingly putting something off, even though delaying it will make you worse off. (Source)

To begin with, the confusing thing about procrastination is, it seems we are avoiding unpleasant tasks. In fact, indulging in it generally doesn’t make us happy.

Where does procrastination come from?

Procrastination often comes from feeling that we have so much to do that no single part of the to-do is worth doing. Correspondingly, the more unsettling question is, “Is it worth doing anything at all?”

We also tend to underestimate the time it will take to complete a given task. First, we fail to take account how long it took us to complete similar projects in the past. Then, we rely on smooth scenarios in which accidents or unforeseen problems never happen.

By the same token, we are programmed to procrastinate. As an illustration, it’s easier to process concrete, rather than abstract things. Thus, the immediate hassle is very tangible, compared with uncertain future benefits.

How can you become open-minded about intangible tasks?

For one thing, make acting feel bigger and more real. For example: Spend a moment painting a vivid mental picture of the benefits of getting something done. On the positive side, this can be enough to get you unstuck.

The first thing to remember is make yourself publicly accountable. For one thing, our brain is highly responsive to how we’re viewed. Notably, we care whether we’re respected, or if we look foolish or lazy to other people.

3 Steps to defeat procrastination

Step 1: Make commitment easier. Design strategies to change your behavior either by reducing the obstacles or the effort needed to start. For example, to change your snacking habit, purchase food in individual packages. All in all, find ways to automate your behavior beforehand rather than relying on willpower in the moment.

Step 2: Make starting easier. First, it’s not doing the work that’s hard, it’s starting the work. In general, once you begin, it’s usually less painful to do the work. To put it differently, make it as easy as possible to get started. Then, don’t worry about the results until you’ve mastered the art of showing up.

Step 3: Make your goal specific and doable. Making specific goals positively impacts everything from exercise habits to brushing your teeth. How can you transform feeble intentions into effective plans for action? Ultimately, the answer is make your plan specific and actionable.

For example, stating an exercise goal this way, “I will exercise for 30 minutes on [DATE] in [PLACE] at [TIME],” has been shown to make you 2x to 3x more likely to succeed. (Source)

A final thought

From time to time, procrastination can go too far. But, it won’t help to wallow with disgust over your failure to start a task. Accordingly, remember that the right kind of procrastination can make you more creative. After all, thinking more slowly, instead of using the first, or easiest solution is often the key to success.

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