How to beat procrastination: a scientific approach to the problem

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

Procrastination is putting off important, obligatory, unpleasant and difficult tasks indefinitely. This is a universal phenomenon, sooner or later, one way or another, everyone is faced with the problem of how to beat procrastination. Awareness of the likelihood of inconvenience and even catastrophes in the professional and personal aspects of life does not save: procrastinators cannot stop being distracted by all sorts of alternatives to the actual business: entertainment, household chores, and so on. The difference between procrastination and laziness is that the former is inherent in activity, but unproductive, because it does not provide finances and has nothing to do with self-development.

About procrastination

Procrastination is, in simple terms, putting things off. J. R. Ferrari, a professor of psychology and a well-known specialist in this phenomenon, is convinced that absolutely all people procrastinate, but only a fifth of the world's population are, so to speak, professionalprocrastinators. He also considers it a stereotype to think that temptations like smartphones and social media are to blame for such delays. networks.

Procrastination is almost always the cause of life's problems and rather painful psychological effects. Rational people try to fight the urge to procrastinate until deadlines, as the habit is considered negative. But there is another point of view: some researchers believe that it is pointless to know how to beat procrastination. This position is argued by the fact that postponing and replacing significant tasks is the key to fulfilling more of what is planned. For some people, productivity and performance actually increase as the deadline approaches.

Supporters of the opinion about the usefulness of procrastination say that postponing a task allows you to understand whether it is really important, whether the result will correspond to the efforts made. Postponing saves you from disappointment and failure. If the task is new for a person, one can agree with the statement. And if we are talking about the obvious benefits of doing it, then you need to challenge procrastination. The most effective tactic is a combination of daily practice with a scientific approach.

Easier than ever

Procrastination is, in simple terms, a story about an Ordinary Man. Once upon a time there was an ordinary man. In it, everyone can recognize himself. Ordinary was a very busy man. Recall an example of one of his October days. In the list of tasks with caps, underscores and even exclamation marks reminds of itselfdissertation (because Man is a teacher). Or Ordinary has a birthday and you need to prepare for the evening celebration: do the cleaning, go to the store, choose an outfit and entertainment, cook dinner. “Have I called all my friends?” The Man tries to remember in a panic. The Person may need to study for an exam or talk to a partner about a breakup.

Time passes, runs, rushes, and the Man does not start his own, That-Same-Task. But this does not mean that he is lazy or resting, he is busy. Common sorts mail, reads a book, eats (for the third time, although he was not hungry the first time), juggles oranges (nervously), chats with a friend on the phone (anxious), decides to finally devote time to calligraphy or chemistry, but quickly switches for a film about Leps or coffee. And so on until the infinity of the deadline. If you're lucky - only until his approach, which will work like magic. And if you're not lucky… This is a story that should not be repeated at home.

By the way, Ferrari compared "just do it" to a procrastinator to "don't be sad" to a severely depressed person. The emotional need for delay is common between chronic procrastinators who need the help of professional psychologists/psychotherapists and everyone else.

Causes of the phenomenon

Neil Fiore, psychologist, coach and writer, believes that procrastination is not about laziness or lack of willpower. He offers an interesting take on task procrastination as the other side of the perfectionist coin.

Everyone hasgoals and tasks that people try to put off (or better avoid altogether). Procrastination is, in simple words, obstacles in realizing potential, achieving results in training and work, as well as in personal life. In addition, the problem can affect he alth.

The main thing to do to defeat procrastination is to deal with the individual causes of the phenomenon. This makes it possible to understand the motives of actions and correct behavior. Causes of procrastination (according to the works of the founder of system-vector psychology Yuri Burlan):

• strive for perfect results (perfectionism);
• subconscious fear of success;
• lack of planning and prioritization skills;
• lack of the habit of doing purposeful work and craving for "freebies";
• low self-esteem, lack of confidence in the outcome of the work and its worthy assessment;
• fear of failure;
• internal protest against "must" (necessity and importance) to spite opponents in the form of superiors or spouse;
• low motivation, lack of not only interest, but also a true desire to do a certain thing;
• and so on.

Procrastination Test

Before you fight procrastination, you need to determine whether the practical knowledge of how to overcome procrastination is relevant for a particular person. To do this, you need to pass a small test. Agreeing with the statement is equal to one point, disagreeing is equal to zero:

1. Impossibilitystart work if various household issues are not resolved.
2. Often things get done late.
3. Confidence that bad luck can prevent success.
4. Thinking through all the details when planning a meeting.
5. Inability to work without a variety of invigorating drinks: coffee, tea, etc.
6. The habit of replying to any incoming email, no matter how important.
7. Slight distractibility.
8. Procrastination and other decision-making difficulties.
9. Tasks are often postponed until tomorrow (or similar words are used).
10. Dealing with complex issues requires a lot of time and pre-thinking about future steps.
11. Deadlines are out of the question.
12. Rushing to meet deadlines is a constant companion.

5+ points indicate problems with procrastination. If less than five statements are selected, procrastination is weak in life.

Methods of struggle

Spoiler: a miracle won't help. Pills too. But scientists, psychologists and doctors offer many ways to overcome the problem. It is necessary to choose the optimal ones and move towards victory. Methods for dealing with procrastination:

• Planning and goals.
• The art of small steps.
• Support.
• Achievements and awards.
• Working mood.
• The most significant tasks.
• Visualization.
• Removing obstacles.
• Internal dialogue.
• Guilt-free rest.
• "No".
• Gingerbread method.
• Unscheduling Methodology.
• Stamina.
• Sharpen up the work.

Planning and goals

In order to get rid of indecision and fear, it is enough to draw up a step-by-step plan of specific actions to achieve some goal. If you have to write an article, you should start with the easiest parts, the completion of which will add confidence. It is recommended to combine this with incentives.

The art of small steps

The enemy is not so scary if you divide it into parts. If you need to write an album, it is recommended to start writing one line of each song a day. And things will go.

Cheerleader

The support of a like-minded person - a friend, colleague or partner - is very important in the struggle of a procrastinator. It will serve as an additional incentive to mobilize all resources, will allow you to discover untapped potential and emerge victorious.

Achievements and awards

Daily record of progress in the diary. People who practice this method already in the first week understand that it works. Recordings are evidence of the intention to overcome procrastination and concrete actions. It is recommended to focus on subjective perception: the real scale of achievements is not important, there is no need to compare yourself with others. A person may consider an objectively modest result to be a success, but he is aware of the specific circumstances.

It is equally important to celebrate any achievement. It is necessary to value yourself and reward yourself with a well-deserved rest, as well as pleasant little things: an interesting book, a bar of chocolate, or your loved ones.tracks.

Working mood

Professor Ferrari advises making it a habit to make to-do lists. To do this, you can use Word, stickers, or special browser extensions. Goals should be realistic and clear. It is useful to share plans with comrades and colleagues, so there will be less temptation to postpone them.

Most significant tasks

Tim Ferriss, best-selling author of The 4-Hour Week, recommends writing down your most difficult goals, asking if that was the only thing a person would accomplish in a day, would that day be satisfying. This is a good helper in prioritization. Many experts advise choosing the three most important tasks and focusing on them.

Other ways

There are many other ways to beat procrastination. For example:

1. Visualization is the future. You need to try to look at yourself in a year / five / ten years and think about what you can do now to get closer to the desired image and how you need to plan for the next months / years. For example, with the help of the psychologist Ev-Marie Blouin-Hadon's exercise.
2. Removing obstacles in the form of the Internet and social networks. Tim Ferris starts every morning by blocking all kinds of social networks. networks using special programs for one and a half to two hours. Mail should be checked once a day (exception - a great need). Professor Ferrari advises doing this at least once an hour.
3. Internal dialogue. Negative wording should be replaced with “I want …”, “II decide…” and “I choose…”. Thus, internal tension is reduced and positive energy is increased. At the same time, it is not necessary to want to do the task and love it, it is enough to decide on the readiness to devote your time and energy to it.
4. Guilt-free rest. Procrastinators and workaholics are very similar: they either work or feel guilty about not doing their job. Research has proven that the ability to work productively is synonymous with enjoying leisure without remorse. Part of the fight against procrastination in psychology is taking enough time to rest.
5. Say no. A mature and firm "no" is especially effective for procrastinators.
6. The gingerbread method. The point is to shorten the work periods and to get frequent and pleasant rewards.
7. Anti-schedule method. It's the opposite of traditional to-do lists: a calendar of activities related to socializing and relaxation, as well as fixing effective continuous work. To begin with, it is recommended to limit the time of activity to half an hour, and then reward yourself with your favorite activities. The methodology not only provides a well-deserved rest (without guilt), but also offers a realistic view of the present amount of time for work tasks.
8. Development of endurance. Another way to forget about the word "procrastination". It is worth taking an example from marathon runners. Many admit that they are often visited by the desire to give up everything during the race. In order to overcome it, they focus on what they can do here and now. It's about changing the negative"I can't take it anymore" to "I can take another step."
9. Brighten up the work. A monotonous activity consisting of mechanical actions can be relieved with the help of a movie or favorite music. The main thing is that a cheerful and interesting background does not interfere. Another popular way is to take breaks after a certain time (for example, 25 minutes). You need to set yourself up to follow the schedule: 25 minutes exclusively for work, and then you can safely devote time to interesting things.

And some life hacks

The following useful tips are also effective:

• Order. From desktop to all aspects of life. Chaos exhausts the brain, does not allow it to function normally.
• Water. Need to drink more.
• Favorite music. She's uplifting.
• Restricting the consumption of flour products.
• Showering, washing with cold water, exercising or jogging - all this should be done when you feel tired.
• Drugs (should be prescribed by a specialist).
• Short intense workout every week.

Books on the topic

How to beat procrastination, books:

1. "Think like a mathematician" (B. Oakley).
2. "An easy way to stop procrastinating" (Neil Fiore).
3. "No procrastination!" (L. Babauta).
4. "Procrastination and self-sabotage" (E. Levy).
5. "Eat the frog! 21 ways to learn to be on time” (Brian Tracy).
6. "Don't put off until tomorrow. A short guide to fighting procrastination” (T. Pitchel).
7. "Procrastinator's New Year"(E. D. Scott).

Special mention should be made of P. Ludwig's popular book “Defeat Procrastination! How to stop putting things off until tomorrow.”

Delaying household, personal or work tasks is familiar to everyone. Sometimes things are so unpleasant that people are ready to do a lot, if only not to take them at all. The consequences of such behavior are not the most rosy, so it is important for many to know how to beat procrastination. You need to start by finding out the reasons for the habit of postponing something and thinking through an individual strategy. There are plenty to choose from - many researchers, writers, psychologists and psychiatrists have developed methods to overcome procrastination: from goal planning, the art of small steps and the importance of a support group, to the carrot method and the anti-schedule technique. Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do now!