01
Why is it procrastinating?
If you keep doing things until the last moment, but in the end you will finish it and do it well every time, then it’s not a procrastination -you can accurately determine what is needed to do something You just don’t want to start doing this too early.
If the only problem that bothers you is that other people define your behavior as procrastination, then you can ignore them and continue your own practice, because it works for you.
To understand procrastination, let’s see how temptation works.
Usually, you need to choose from two or more things. And generally speaking, the “right” option will pay off in the long run. The return of the “wrong” option is immediate. Therefore, the “wrong” option will be more attractive.
Short-term choices often contain our strong feelings and emotions, while long-term choices are not in front of us, but are only related to our wisdom.
In the battle between emotion and wisdom, who do you think has more chances of winning? Looking at the world around us, looking at wars, environmental destruction, and the average level of ordinary people’s debt, the answer speaks for itself.
02
Overcome procrastination
Visualize success
As mentioned above, sometimes we procrastinate because the wrong choice is often more attractive. Here is a way to make you better choices every time:
The secret of choosing the “right” option is to make the right option as vivid, emotional and attractive as the “wrong” option.
How can this be done? Use your imagination to observe, listen, taste, smell and feel the “right” option with a stronger attitude than the perception of the “wrong” option.
Close your eyes and start to imagine the results of the “right” option. Note: Don’t imagine the process of doing this, imagine the final result or a phased result.
What will you see when this is done? For example, you just started to write a business plan for your business. When the business is successful, what will you see? If your business is a shop, you can imagine the enthusiastic customers in the shop.
What will you hear? You might imagine customers complimenting the goods you sell, or calling your business to tell their friends.
What will you feel? This may be the most important part, you may feel proud, happy, excited and joyful.
Sometimes you can imagine some taste. You might imagine yourself smelling some flowers on the counter. Even taste can be a factor. You might imagine hosting a dinner party to celebrate the opening, someone toasting you, and you drinking a glass of champagne.
The more vivid and exciting you imagine, the more power you can release for starting this work.
If you can’t visualize the results you are expecting, then begin to recall the successful experiences that have brought you great satisfaction before. Remember all your senses, and then transfer these characteristics to your current goals.
When you have imagined the things that motivate you the most, keep staying in this state after opening your eyes, take advantage of this freshness has not disappeared, immediately start to perform your task.
03
Deeper reasons for resistance
And how to overcome
There may be deeper reasons why you don’t want to do something. If this is the case, here are the most common types of resistance and how to respond.
1. Conditions are not met
List all the conditions you think you need. Break down your project into several small tasks, and then ask yourself whether these conditions are enough to complete the first small task yourself.
The answer is probably yes, then just do this small task, and then continue to do another small task.
If you still have questions, then break down these small tasks in more detail.
2. I am in the best shape in a crisis
If you are a crisis lover, then consider other ways to increase the excitement of this adrenaline shock: bungee jumping, possible?
Really, you can try to arrange some difficult online games or high-intensity training for yourself between work.
3. I don’t want to do it, and you can’t force me!
If there is any way to make things you don’t want to do disappear, do it as soon as possible, for example, by assigning it to others to do it.
If that is not possible, you may wish to evaluate the benefits of doing this for you, and then remember these benefits.
4. Because I insist on perfection
Allow yourself to be imperfect. Practice doing small things imperfectly, and then observe what will happen (or what will not happen).
Let your strict and critical heart calm down.
5. I want to make others crazy!
If your procrastination is a confrontation with those who ask you to do things, then think about any other more direct ways to express anger, resentment, or build a sense of control.
Usually the best way is not to accept the job in the first place, if possible.
6. This feels bad
This doesn’t feel good, it just needs to be done.
But if you can associate it with something that feels good, such as listening to music while sorting tax bills and invoices, or rewarding yourself after the task is completed, it will be much easier.
04
Help you execute smoothly
Some small details
Professor Timothy Pyle, director of the Procrastination Research Group at Carleton University in Ottawa, has revealed why this method works.
His series of studies show that according to different behavior patterns, people can be divided into two categories:
Action-oriented people, this group of people can freely change between different tasks;
State-oriented people are more prone to procrastination, and more likely to encounter uncertainty, frustration, emptiness, and guilt.
If you are a state-oriented person, Professor Pichler suggests that you first agree that you are unwilling to do this, and then promise you to do it for only 10 minutes.
When you are about to reach the time set by yourself, it is likely that your status will change and you can continue to do this work.
You can also expand the extension of the small task strategy, such as setting up some memorable milestone nodes in the process of leading to the goal.
Research shows that this approach is very powerful.
The Sloan School of Management of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the French European School of Business Administration conducted a study on procrastination in 2001. Two groups of people of the same level completed the same task. Only the final deadline was given to the experimental group, while the control group The deadline for tasks to be completed each week is given.
The results of the study showed that the experimental group with only one deadline completed the task on average 12 days later than scheduled. Set expiration date of the week in the control group on average only half a day later than the scheduled time.
For large projects, you can draw a schedule similar to a thermometer , mark the tasks that need to be completed in the form of intervals, and mark the target date. After completing each task, paint the completed part with a colored pen.
Put this “thermometer” where you (and preferably other people) can see it every day.
