How To Stop Procrastinating

 Irrespective of the number of productivity books we have purchased but never read, or the motivational videos we have watched without taking action, all of us face a common challenge in our lives when it comes to being productive: procrastination.

Interestingly, procrastination is not a new phenomenon. Even ancient Greek philosophers recognized and coined a term for it - akrasia - which refers to the tendency of acting against our better judgment by choosing one task over another, despite knowing what we should be doing. Over time, this inherent inclination to disregard our own better judgment, postpone necessary actions, and procrastinate on personal tasks has become so prevalent that the humor in the opening quote stems from its painfully accurate reflection of reality.

In this article, we will explore two main aspects: 

(1) Why do we procrastinate, and

 (2) Strategies to overcome procrastination.

 😢 Why do we procrastinate

Procrastination exemplifies the concept of present bias.

Present bias refers to the tendency where, despite setting numerous goals for our future selves, it is our present self that must take the necessary action to achieve those goals. Regrettably, our brains are not naturally inclined to value long-term benefits, and our present self tends to prioritize immediate pleasures in the form of instant gratification, often disregarding the potential long-term consequences.

To put it differently, procrastination revolves around prioritizing the immediate need to alleviate negative emotions and avoiding the task at hand, rather than engaging with it in the present moment.

When we postpone tasks to a future time (such as tomorrow, next week, or the vague notion of "at some point"), the tension we experience diminishes. The burden of the task is temporarily lifted from our shoulders. We feel content knowing that we have designated a time to complete the task, even if that time is far off in the future.

The perplexing aspect of procrastination is that, in certain situations, we are well aware that we cannot afford to procrastinate. For instance, in my role as a blogger, I cannot postpone writing and publishing an article simply because the task may be challenging or require extra effort.

However, when we have autonomy over our own time, the abundance of distractions and our ability to rationalize and make excuses to ourselves makes it easier to transfer many tasks to our future self.

Nevertheless, deep down, we recognize that procrastination is not beneficial for us. Postponing tasks that are essential will eventually catch up with us. This is especially true when there are deadlines or potential consequences for not completing them. Ultimately, we will experience the repercussions of our procrastination tactics.

 😊 So what can we do about procrastination and how can we stop procrastinating?

In my case, gaining insight into the underlying principles of motivation and momentum, along with implementing a couple of straightforward guidelines - the two-minute rule and the ten-minute rule - have significantly alleviated the weight of procrastination in my daily existence.

😇 Motivation

Commonly, people express sentiments such as "I struggle to gather motivation," "I wish I had greater motivation," or "I need motivation to initiate."

The reality is, our understanding of motivation is flawed.

Motivation is not the initial spark or cause of action; rather, it is the outcome of taking action.

As stated by Jeff Haden in his book 'The Motivation Myth,' motivation is not something we possess; it is something we attain automatically when we experience a sense of accomplishment from achieving small successes.

If we make our actions contingent on our feelings, waiting for the right mood becomes a deceptive form of procrastination. Whether we acknowledge it or not, motivation is essentially an illusion.

So, if not motivation, then what?

I have begun replacing the concept of motivation with that of discipline. Discipline functions like an engine that, once ignited, provides us with energy. It also establishes habits, relieving us from relying solely on willpower to conjure up short-term bursts of energy.

Essentially, discipline generates action, which in turn leads to a more sustainable form of motivation.

By transcending the idea of seeking motivation and focusing on getting started, we unlock a critical concept: momentum.

🗿Momentum

The strongest resistance we face towards a task is often experienced prior to actually starting it. The mere thought of initiating the task and overcoming that resistance is where procrastination flourishes.

In his book "The War of Art," Steven Pressfield describes this resistance as a pervasive force with a single purpose: to maintain the status quo and impede action, creativity, and progress. In essence, resistance forms the core of procrastination.

However, the moment we take that first step and commence the task, the intensity of the resistance begins to diminish. The challenge lies not in doing the work itself, but in initiating it.

Momentum cannot be built by continuously delaying or putting off a task. It is akin to a ball on a hill that can only start rolling once it is pushed over the edge. However, once it begins rolling, momentum builds up and becomes difficult to halt.

James Clear refers to this concept as the "physics of productivity," drawing parallels to Newton's First Law of Motion, also known as the Law of Inertia, which states:

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 external unbalanced force.

When we find ourselves procrastinating, we are in a state of rest. Motivation alone does not initiate action; it is only through taking action that we become the "external unbalanced force" that propels us into motion. Once we start moving, a feedback loop is established, making it increasingly challenging to stop because the desire to complete tasks provides the impetus to keep progressing.

Realizing this, I became more conscious of cultivating and harnessing this momentum. It reinforces the significance of simply starting, in whatever way possible, because any action sets the wheels in motion, making subsequent actions easier and procrastination more difficult.

😎The Two Rules for Overcoming Procrastination

Procrastination tends to revolve around tasks that fall into two categories: 

a. small and bothersome, or 

b. large and daunting. 

After understanding the significance of motivation and momentum, I have discovered two techniques that prove particularly effective in tackling these types of tasks: the two-minute rule and the ten-minute rule.

👍 The Two-Minute Rule

The concept of the two-minute rule was introduced by productivity expert David Allen in his book "Getting Things Done." The basic idea is that if we have a task that can be completed in less than two minutes, we should do it immediately, without hesitation or delay. If the task requires more than two minutes, we should jot it down on a list to address when we have more time.

It's as simple as that.

This approach to time management eliminates unnecessary procrastination over small chores or tasks and reduces mental clutter that hinders us from focusing on the bigger picture.

👍 The Ten-Minute Rule

Clearly, there are certain tasks that cannot be completed within two minutes. Writing a blog, writing and filming a YouTube video, crafting a thesis, or preparing a work presentation all require significant time and effort. In such cases, if we find ourselves procrastinating on these larger and more daunting tasks, I employ another technique called the ten-minute rule.

The ten-minute rule is straightforward. When I catch myself procrastinating on a task, I tell myself that I will work on it for just ten minutes. No more, no less. Just ten minutes.

However, the power of this technique lies in the concept of momentum.

Once I get started and complete the initial ten minutes, I become reluctant to stop, especially when I'm making progress. Momentum begins to build, one task flows into another, and suddenly I find myself moving forward. While there may be moments of boredom after the initial ten minutes, the aversion to leaving tasks incomplete drives me to continue. Thus, ten minutes quickly turns into twenty, then thirty, and before I know it, I'm making significant headway.

Some refer to this rule as the 30-minute rule, the 20-minute rule, or the 5-minute rule. The specific time frame is not crucial; what matters is the underlying concept: tricking our brains into getting started by convincing ourselves that we won't be engaged in the task for long.

Final words

Ultimately, conquering procrastination entails maintaining discipline, generating momentum, and ensuring that the tasks we face each day are manageable and attainable.

Despite the advice provided in this article, I still encounter moments of procrastination, as we all do. Procrastination is a flaw that affects us all. What truly matters is recognizing it, learning to manage it, developing strategies to overcome it, and establishing systems that minimize its occurrence in the future. These are skills we can all begin cultivating today, or perhaps leave for tomorrow...

Kindly share your thoughts with me in the comments below.