It's Time to Say Good Bye to Procrastination
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| Don't get distracted Start conquering Procrastination |
We All Procrastinate.
Whether you admit it or not procrastination is the mind’s favorite activity. Now, you will feel curious about the 15 characters long-term “Procrastination” by asking questions like:
What Procrastination really is?
Is it true that our brain loves procrastination?
Why we all procrastinate?
How can I overcome procrastination?
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Hold on! Hold on!
I will answer all these questions one by one.
It’s time to conquer Procrastination. Let’s get started with the article.
What Procrastination Really Is?
Procrastination is putting important things off intentionally or habitually. It allows you to do things that are neither important to you nor you like doing them. But you will do these things.
Weird, Is not it?
The exact meaning of word procrastination is postponing things to the next day. Let me explain with an example.
Your teacher assigns you to submit the presentation on “Success, Failure, and Motivation” till 24th of December. Your reaction will be like 8 days, enough time. I will start work from tomorrow. Next day you will be empowered with the same thoughts.
And there will reach a point when you have only 24 hours or fewer hours left to complete your task. You can never create a fine piece of presentation in less than 24 hours.
Results will be miserable.
That’s what Procrastination is.
Is It True That Our Brain Loves Procrastination?
Our mind is programmed for an immediate return environment.
Immediate return environment is that you want instant results for your efforts. You want instant gratifications, praise etc.
But in today’s world, our goals are oriented towards delayed return environment. For example, if you are exercising daily the results will not be immediate.
This is the reason our brain loves Procrastination.
Why we All Procrastinate?
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| A procrastinator during important discussion |
Let’s break yourself in two pieces.
Present Self
Future Self
Present self is more about our present behaviors while future self is about long-term goals.
These two selves find it difficult to adjust with each other.
When we set goals we are focused on our future self but when we take actions our present self is responsible for that.
In behavioral psychology, this phenomenon refers to Time Inconsistency.
This is the main reason why we procrastinate.
Ways of Overcoming Procrastination
Committed Devices
A commitment device is, according to Journalist Stephen J. Dubner and economist Steven Levitt, a way to lock yourself into following a plan of action that you might not want to do but you know is good for you. (Source: Wikipedia)
These devices are useful for Sophisticated decision makers.
There are two types of time-inconsistent decision makers.
Sophisticated Decision Makers (‘soph’)
Naïve Decision Makers (‘naif’)
Soph decision makers are mostly present-biased and A Naif follows through on commitments and doesn’t show any interest in present-biased decisions.
If you are a Soph decision maker committed devices are for you.
If you are a smoker than a committed device for you is to throw away all your cigarettes.
If you love to use Social Media during work than a committed device for you is to lock your phone during working hours.
Temptation Bundling
It’s the strategy to make the benefits of long-term choices more immediate.
Temptation bundling is combining the want and needs resulting in less procrastination.
For example, you play video games very often and waste 8-10 hours a day playing video games. Start playing video games while standing the result will be in your favor.
You know exercise is necessary but you want to watch television. Want will take over need and you will end up watching TV. By temptation bundling, bundle up Exercise and Television.
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| Applying temptation bundling technique means only watch TV during exercising |
Ivy Lee Method
Ivy Lee is a very productive method for the procrastinators.
During the night before going to sleep jot down six tasks that you want to accomplish the next day.
The list should be in order. Your most important task should be at top and least important at the bottom.
It will help you to become more productive by decreasing the decision fatigue.
If anyone of your tasks remains incomplete shift it to the next day.
Share your story of overcoming procrastination with us.
If you like it, do share it!
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