Do you have tons of great dreams and goals, but somehow always find yourself procrastinating?
I sure do (well, I used to, anyway). Procrastination sucks!
It sucks to be browsing the web aimlessly, checking twitter, Facebook, Reddit, and a dozen other websites, just to avoid doing work.
So let's put a stop to it! Below, I explain one of the most common causes of procrastination, and how to end it.
What causes procrastination
One day, I had to sweep the living room floor. Except I obviously didn't feel like it. So I was like "I'll just read a book for a bit, and then get to it." After reading I thought "I'm feeling hungry. I'll go buy some bread and eat. Then I'll immediately get started on sweeping." ... "Ah, I'm feeling full right now. I'll just pop online and play some bridge, then I'll get to it." and so on, and so on...
I stopped myself! I realized I was procrastinating because sweeping the floor was bloody boring! So I thought about how to make it fun for myself. And I came up with a solution - make it more challenging!
So I stood on one leg, lifted the other one up while bending my body forward (forming a T-shape) and swept the floor like that, hopping around on one leg! (I also started talking in weird voices and eventually fell over from laughing at myself.)
The point is, we procrastinate about work, like writing a report or oiling the bathroom door's hinges (note to self: aaargh.)
But we never procrastinate about fun! How often do you say "Ah, I have to watch TV, but I don't feel like it right now. I'll go do some accounting first."?
Wait, don't tell me! I'll practice my psychic powers. Ugghhnnghhnngh... got it! The answer you're thinking is... "never"!
(spooky, eh?)
By the way, when I say "work" in this article, I don't mean what you do for a living. I use a broader definition. Fun is something you enjoy doing. Work is something you have to do. (feel free to quote me :))
Let me say that again. Fun is something you want to do. Work is something you have to do.
Now would be a good time to pause and think about it for a moment.
How to end procrastination
Alright! Now let's tackle some little known ways to end procrastination!
1. Be spontaneous and make it fun
Sure, work is something you have to get done. Sounds like you can't be spontaneous about that.
But you can! Instead of being spontaneous about the whole thing, just pick one aspect, make it fun, and go for it!
Like in the example with me swiping the living room floor while hopping around on one foot and talking in weird voices. That's not something I planned three days in advance. I did it on the spur of the moment.
Or, another time, I was really procrastinating about writing a blog post. I sat around for hours struggling with writer's block. Then I was like "Ah, whatever, I'll write the post in iambic pentameter." (the kind of stuff Shakespeare wrote).
I didn't even write the whole post that way, but hey, it got me started!
That's the great thing about spontaneously starting a task in a random way. You probably won't finish the whole task like that. But it gets you started, and then you just keep going.
You've already bypassed the resistance.
2. Set yourself a different task
This is a fantastic little known way to end procrastination!
You can USE procrastination to get something done!
Just set yourself a different task from what you want to get done, for example oiling the squeaky bathroom door (note to self: aaargh!). Write it down. Repeat it to yourself. Tell others you need to get it done. Tell a friend or relative to keep reminding you of it.
Soon oiling the door will become the dominant task you're procrastinating against. It will probably go something like this. "I need to get the door oiled. Wait, there's a show on TV I really need to watch. I'll do it after. (...) The show's ended. I should get the door oiled. But wait, I'm feeling hungry, let me just get something to eat first. (...) I should get the door done now. But I don't feel like it. Let me just write up this 1000-word report, and then I'll do it."
Bam! Problem solved!
You'll procrastinate against this new task you set... by doing the task you wanted to get done in the first place. You basically replaced the procrastination around your 1000-word report with a stronger procrastination around oiling the bathroom door.
3. Get immersed in the moment
This one doesn't work every time (the previous two do!). But if it works, it's really great in the long run. Try finding a way that you can enjoy the process in itself, not just the end result.
Maybe pay attention to the smallest details. Get absorbed in the process. Do it slowly and deliberately, while breathing deeply.
The trouble with work is that you're usually focused on the end result. This prevents you from enjoying the process. But if you find a way to enjoy the process, you're going to kill the
procrastination right there. You'll turn the task into fun - something you do for its own sake!
So there you go. Next time you're procrastinating about boring tasks, just start jumping around on one foot, start singing, and remember how badly your bathroom door needs oiling (note to self: aaargh!).
Vlad Dolezal is a psychology and personal development author. Check out his blog for a lot more of great information.
You might also be interested in his FREE course on How to Stop Procrastinating
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