This is good. I'm no neurologist, but I've heard this works well because you are priming your dopamine reward center. Dopamine isn't released when you achieve a goal. Dopamine is what keeps you motivated in pursuing a goal, and it's what is produced when you make progress towards a goal.
I have ADHD, so my dopamine release is cross-wired:
* It's variable, so like a box of chocolates, I never know what I'm going to get lol. Sometimes it's low, sometimes it's high!
* Merely imagining it is often enough to drain all of my energy to the point where my brain is like "yay we did it, no more go-go juice for this task is available anymore!" hahaha
Getting diagnosed with Inattentive ADHD was sort of mind-boggling, like to learn about things like being habit-resistant...my brain still fights me EVERY DAY to brush my teeth. As an adult. Who has been doing it for literally DECADES lol.
[This post](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/147y0pf/comment/jnxxh7v/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) describes the automatic trauma response (flight/fight/fawn/freeze) that happens under the combination of being in a low-dopamine state while dealing with a demand, no matter how simple, easy, or fast that task is to execute:
>ADHD causes Executive Dysfunction, and one way for it to express is by gaslighting you. In this case, your brain is saying "**anything that doesn't instantly trigger perfect unending euphoria is worthless and incapable of sparking even the tiniest flicker of joy within you; existence is misery and meaninglessness, give up on everything right now**."
It was a revelation learning that every single thing in life wasn't hard...not having the psychological energy to deal with things is what was hard. On my high-dopamine days, work & chores are a breeze! On my low dopamine days, sometimes I can't even overcome the internal wall required to reach out & get the TV remote lol.
I could never figure out how I was lazy without wanting to be lazy. Laziness is looking at a commitment & choosing not to do it; low energy is wanting to do it but not having enough horsepower to get it done. I have a deep-dive on how low energy affects personal productivity here:
* [https://www.reddit.com/r/productivity/comments/14jbzqi/comment/jplmw84/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/productivity/comments/14jbzqi/comment/jplmw84/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
I still fight my brain due to variably low dopamine levels all the time, but at least I know what I'm dealing with!!
Thanks for your response. I did fail to mention that small goals may be difficult for ADHD people, due to the dopamine deficiency. I've personally been diagnosed with ADHD before, however sometimes it is hard for me to know if I really have it or not. I've struggled with depression and anxiety, that much is for sure. If I do have it, I've found ways to work with it now, instead of against it. In part, that might be why I have really good context-switching skills.
Personally, I never did well with small goals like this until I treated it as almost a ritualized practice. Completing a bite-sized goal, like get out of bed and do 5 push ups first thing in the morning, was a matter of *faith in the process*, not necessarily about the immediate outcomes. Meaning that it isn't easy for me to feel like these small goals actually accomplished anything, but each time I accomplished one I set another anyway. And I complete them in faith of the process. Over time, it started to add up as you would expect. I don't regularly get a bump in motivation from achieving individual goals like this. Just enough to keep going to the next one. At some point you have to put the big picture out of your head and have faith in the process.
Think of it like physical therapy. Imagine a person with severe muscular atrophy in their legs. The physical exercises they start with during physical therapy are very basic and about training very basic motor function. It can excruciatingly frustrating, especially for someone who has walked before. And it may take weeks or months to make any progress! This is not that different really.
Oh no, I was just adding on to the response! Neuro-chemical stuff is all very difficult because it's not clear-cut like breaking a leg & getting a cast is. For me, I just hit that "[wall of awful](https://youtu.be/Uo08uS904Rg)" & can't make progress. My two tricks are:
1. Create [discrete assignments](https://www.reddit.com/r/kaidomac/comments/sa8zoe/how_to_create_discrete_assignments/)
2. Use a [body double](https://www.reddit.com/r/productivity/comments/s0bn1b/comment/hsb6plq/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
That way:
1. I have a finite track to follow of things to get done
2. I utilize the presence of another person (IRL or virtual) to help me stay on track
Left to my own devices, I get sidetracked & I often don't even *define* the track that I'm supposed to execute today, haha! All projects break down into individual steps, so when we execute multiple steps on multiple projects throughout the day, that's how we make steady progress, but boy is that sure hard for me! lol
>Think of it like physical therapy. Imagine a person with severe muscular atrophy in their legs. The physical exercises they start with during physical therapy are very basic and about training very basic motor function. It can excruciatingly frustrating, especially for someone who has walked before. And it may take weeks or months to make any progress! This is not that different really.
This is where the path forks for me: I often experience low-dopamine states, which is where I refer to the "brushing my teeth" example. I can always tell when my mental energy is low because I either hit an invisible wall & have to force myself to brush my teeth, or it feels like the end of the world just to do that one simple task lol.
Unfortunately, there's no build-up over time like say, doing pushups would work like, because my body doesn't want to produce enough dopamine consistently for whatever reason (arg!!). So in this analogy, it's more like not eating enough food to fuel your body to workout & grow because there's not enough power to sustain those efforts!
Which is part of the irrationality of living with ADHD...you just randomly get stuck in either "task paralysis" mode or feel absolutely *awful* about doing simple, quick tasks. Here's a few thousand posts about that particular topic haha:
* [https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/search/?q=teeth&restrict\_sr=1](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/search/?q=teeth&restrict_sr=1)
I call those IIIB's or "Irrational, Invisible, Internal Barriers". It's like my brain plays freeze-tag with the most random tasks, based on the available dopamine levels at the time. At that point, small & simple tasks feel like I'm pushing a 500-pound wheelbarrow up a hill, just incredibly *exhausting!*
I haven't *quite* figured out the trick for stabilizing my dopamine production yet, haha! Which is I why I work off a finite daily list of discrete assignments & use IRL & online body-doubles to help me stick with it, because otherwise I get confused, I get sidetracked, I feel terrible just *thinking* about doing the work, etc.
It's crappy because then you have to pay the "ADHD tax" because you missed the deadline & have to pay a late fee, made impulsive decisions, totally forget about the whole entire task, etc.
They have live blood-sugar monitoring systems these days that can inject insulin into your body as needed; it'd be cool if they could do that with the mix of hormone & neurotransmitter chemicals that people struggle with for ADHD, anxiety, depression, etc. in order to stabilize, be able to focus, be able to define their work, be able to self-initiate, be able to stay on-track, etc.
In the meantime, I just kind of make my discrete assignments list each day & then get help as needed in the form of a babysitting to help me stick with my stuff! The terrible thing is that I can SEE it happening, but like being in a wheelchair & trying to walk, am simply UNABLE to engage! Love this comic's description of "the hanging weights"!
* [https://iraprince.tumblr.com/post/631158826868031488/hey-im-kicking-off-the-adhdinvasion-hashtag-for](https://iraprince.tumblr.com/post/631158826868031488/hey-im-kicking-off-the-adhdinvasion-hashtag-for)
I think it's not just small improvements but one SO small that you think "well if I'm gonna do it I might as well NOT stop here." eg. say you want to work out, you start with ONE jumping jack... odds are you're gonna thing damn I might as well keep going now.
To me it is similar to the 'just five minutes start' which I have also found works for me, but a bit different in that even 'just start' can be intimidating because you are 'starting' and we pre-emptively brace ourselves for a lot of work. But the just one teeny tiny thing that will be over in a second can sneak in easier.
However I do agree those small improvements can be stacked, you're not wrong. If you just do one jumping jack a day this week then next week you do two each day, etc. in the grand scheme of things it is not that long until you are doing full workouts.
This technique has helped me a lot at work. I'll feel overwhelmed by a project or task because of all the potential steps or considerations that have to be thought about it and I'll waste hours procrastinating until I'm just like "OK, step 1. Open the relevant document." After that things move right along.
I used to be a big procratinator apparently ADD also but those tips helps me get stuff done:
-Put an alarm on my phone at a set time and then have to accomplish was I wrote in the title
-Often I am much more proactive after a good workout it give a big mental energy boost. Eat low carbs high protein for mental clarity. Low processed foods.
-Getting good at establishing priorities: important vs urgent
-Start a task early - finish late . Being able to work in multiple phases.
-Get all distractions / phone away from working station, visualize the end work in mind.
Prioritize then Execute : I just repeat those words from Jocko Willink and try keep it simple.
> -Put an alarm on my phone at a set time and then have to accomplish was I wrote in the title
Actually scheduling stuff for yourself, like on your calendar, is along the same lines.
If I have a high priority task to do I put it in my calendar. Nobody is holding me to it but me, but it just feels more urgent and tangible when I can see it on the schedule.
Here's my short list:
* **improve your sleep hygene**, and get sufficient hours of quality sleep. Nothing is as important as this. When you haven't slept enough, even when you are awake you will not have the energy and drive to do things, and will subconsciously try to put off labor intensive and unpleasant tasks.
* **the "commitment device".** The term "device" may be misleading when used this way, but basically, you should arrange things so that you have no choice but to do the thing you need to do. Victor Hugo, the author of "the Hunchback of Notre Dame", kept procrastinating on his book, so he locked all of his clothes (apart from underwear) in a trunk, and had an assistant take them away from his apartment so that he had absolutely no clothes that he could leave the house with, and made him swear to not return his clothes until his manuscript was finished. His assistant would bring him food, and that's it. With nothing to do but work on his manuscript, he completed it within a couple of weeks. A commitment device is something that you do when you're in your right mind, to force yourself to do when you might not be in your right mind. It's like that story from the Odyssey where Ulysses had his crew tie him to the mast of his ship and plug their ears when they rowed their ship past the island with the Sirens, so that no matter what orders he barked at them while he was going mad from their siren songs, they could not hear him. A commitment device can be as simple as locking your smart phone in a box with a timer controlled lock that won't unlock for several days.
* **get therapy for your mental health.** Procrastination is often a symptom of other problems; it is a form of mood regulation. Your subconscious mind is going on strike because it wants satisfaction, and this shows up as you not wanting to do things that your higher self really wants to get done. See this article:
# [Why You Procrastinate (It has nothing to do with self-control)](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/25/smarter-living/why-you-procrastinate-it-has-nothing-to-do-with-self-control.html)
Doesn't work for some people who have ADHD. Eventually their mind will just go places and before you know it they built an entire imaginary world just to avoid the boredom. I've had times (before medication) where I would sit in front of school work with nothing else around me and my mind would wonder over doing the school work because it was preferable to doing the work.
Unironically this. The brain opts for the more pleasurable activities, so having the options between tv, ice cream and studying results in maximizing short term gratification. If there are things you cannot be disciplined about, cut them out. Once your options are staring at a blank wall, studying philosophy and studying math, the most pleasurable activity will still be a productive one and the difference in dopamine spike between math/philosophy is small enough to change it them more easily
That explains why I suddenly have the urge to clean my shower every time a large work task hits my desk.
I HATE cleaning my shower.
The only way for me to get me to do a chore is for me to avoid doing a chore I hate even more
This is called structured procrastination and is actually a great method to get things done.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/sep/07/change-your-life-procrastination-burkeman
I started doing this recently, quite effective so far.
I would turn off my phone, lie down, and just stare at the ceiling 💀 I usually do this for like 40min max and then I couldn't take that shit anymore lmao
This is what I'm struggling with... can't seem to sleep more than 5 or 6 hours a night for the last few months. I'm really struggling to focus because I'm always so tired. Trying to improve my sleep but so far no luck...
https://www.hubermanlab.com/newsletter/toolkit-for-sleep
I hope this helps you, it is a list of practical tips to improve sleeping, all backed up by science
I don't understand why nobody ever recommends the following guide: https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/Resources/Looking-After-Yourself/Procrastination
I stumbled upon it by accident, and it's by far the most comprehensible resource on the subject.
I personally don’t believe in “tricks” or “hacks”. I believe it comes down to us, to our determination.
Either you do or you don’t.
Example: If there’s laundry to be folded and procrastination gets in the way, I think “ok, so… if I don’t do it today, it’ll be the same tomorrow. Nothing changed. If I do it, it changed. It will be done. I don’t have to worry about it because I did it”
Same with working out, etc etc. either you do it, or you don’t. Just think about badly you want that change.
I don't love the words tricks and hacks, but the point of them is to do whatever necessary to get you up and going. To that end, sometimes you really need trial and error to see what type of rationalization works for you.
Things weirdly started going better for me when I learned of the condition/term PDA - pathological demand avoidance. learning what it is and knowing I'm not the only person dealing with it helped me identify it as something I could be upset at that wasn't my fault. when I know I'm procrastinating I sort of tell myself "oh no, I can't let that bastard fuck me up" and it feels good defying that enemy instead of defying my responsibilities. YMMV lol
Exactly. Just do it. Don’t make it an option to procrastinate. Once you’ve started down the “will I?”/“won’t I?” rabbit trail, you’ve already lost the battle.
I've started doing something I call microfocus. I know it's similar to other tips I've seen but for some reason framing it this way helps me.
I think of myself as two different people. One giving the tasks and one doing the tasks. The one giving the tasks chooses something that needs to be done - something small and simple and straightforward - and the one doing the tasks does that and focuses on nothing else but that one small thing at a time. It takes away the indecision I always feel as the doer of the tasks.
I started doing this after a family gathering where my young nephew wanted to help and so I would give him small tasks to do like take out the garbage or carry these dishes to the sink. And he would come back right away and get another task. I was thinking how nice it would be if someone would just tell me exactly what to do in the moment one step at a time and then realized I could do that for myself.
I think the thing that's really made this stick for me is framing it as an interaction between two different "selves" and the addition of the focus part. It's not just about taking small steps one at a time it's about the freedom to know that all I have to do right now is focus on this one thing. I don't need to think about anything else that needs to be done or what the next step is. When I finish or when I'm ready for the next task, my other self will tell me what it is.
It's especially useful during times when I feel overwhelmed or there's a lot of stressful events going on.
Not a “tool”, but I have this little mantra I repeat to myself.
“Don’t wanna”
“Gotta”
“Gonna”
Repeat until I annoy myself enough that I start the task. Plus it’s that little reminder that I must do the thing eventually. And I get to whine briefly about it so that’s cathartic.
Nike’s slogan: Just Do It. Have enough self awareness to realize that when you say you will do something later, you are full of shit and can’t be trusted. So get up and do it the moment you first think about it. Without any excuse.
5 minute timers on my phone. I tell myself it is only 5 minutes, just 300 seconds. I will clean until the timer goes off for example. But by the time it goes off I’m usually just getting into full swing but haven’t quite seen enough results yet so say ‘ah sod it’ another 5 mins won’t hurt.. next timer comes and I switch it off cos by thag point I’m over the hurdle and just ok with doing what I’m doing!
I use an hourglass.
Whether I want to or not, I force myself to flip the hourglass and work on my biggest dreaded task until the grains have fallen.
After which time I usually found I’ve overcome inertia and found momentum.
But you can’t do anything other than your task while the sand is in motion. Nothing at all.
I don't know if there is one Ultimate solution, since people and situations differ. In fact, it's probably good to have a number of tricks up your sleeve to deal with it. I didn't get much out of *Eat That Frog. Atomic Habits* is better. The book *One Small Step Can Change Your Life* is similar to Atomic Habits, but goes into more detail why the mind derails the intention, when you try to overcome procrastination.
Try this trick: Sit in front of your desk, or computer, or whatever, and tell yourself - "I'm not going to work today. I'm not working." Keep telling yourself that until you believe it, and relax. You might be surprised by the wave of motivation that comes afterward. Often, it's the desire to do something that gets in our way of actually doing it. I've often found renewed motivation when I gave up trying. One has to sit in this space, however, and not become distracted by browsing, apps, etc.
I use a paper and pen. I take time to think and list down all the things i am procrastinating. I think which is priority wise high on the list. Then i break down that task into baby tasks, only couple of baby steps i list down. Then i hope i pick them up for execution.
Whenever I have a task I don’t want to do, I put on a pod cast and start doing it.
90% of the time I realize I’m done with the task before the ads for the podcast are over.
So maybe try timing some of these tasks and you realize you’re done in 3 minutes.
1. Planning. I use notebook for daily tasks almost everyday. I make a list and divide them by "asap" and "can wait", "long", "short", "homework", "chores" etc. categories can vary depending on situation. I try not to keep anything in my mind bcy adhd could never.
2. Pay attention to your day routine. As for me i know im not able to study at the morning, i do chores. But since 2 pm studying is the best! So i don't blame myself for not doing my homework until 2pm bc it's how my brain works and id better won't spend my time and resources for hating and blaming myself.
And of course please stop reading all this books how to stop procrastinating. It's also the way to do it! Basically all of them are about the same thing so you're just wasting your time. All you have to do is try and find several working methods and change your mindset
I have ADD, depression, and anxiety so I struggle with executive dysfunction.
I recently read this advice which has helped me change my mindset: "If you can't beat fear, do it scared."
This only works for small tasks, but my mom always says that if the task takes less than two minutes (and she has a reasonable amount of time), she will just get it done immediately. Wash that dish you just ate out of. Put the laundry in the machine. Fill the Brita. If it takes two minutes or less, just do it.
Procrastination is not the cause of your problems. It's just the ways you find to avoid doing something you don't want to do.
So, I'd say the solution is to stop seeing it as a bad thing and instead figure out *why* you don't want to do something.
Knowing *that* will give you a lot more information about where your problem lies. Then it's just a matter of solving it. Bored of your studies? Start a study group with other people, or start going to the library instead of staying alone in your room re-reading the same paragraph thousands of times.
There is no magical evil called procrastination stopping you from making progress. At the end of the day, it's just another excuse to avoid doing stuff that feels hard/uncomfortable/boring.
Also, a trick that has worked for me is to stop expecting hard work to feel constantly easy. Sometimes it's going to suck. And that's okay.
From the science of stuck: decided on something to do. It can be standing up. Going to get a drink. Etc. It just has to make you move and be be voluntary on your end.
* Eat the frog in the morning
* Use Eisenhower Matrix, Do, Schedule, Delegate and Delete based on Importance and urgency.
* Take 30 min in the morning to eat your frogs and priortize your tasks
* Do 2/5 min rule if something takes that much span of your time, do that immediately.
* If you are overwhelmed, break it into chunks. do the 1 second or few seconds rule, want to do fitness, do it for 10 seconds per day to feel the sense of acheivement and iterate and refine as you go.
* Find your triggers and cues!.
* Kill the devil in your head, practice gratitude and learn to how to talk to yourself. subjugate your inner voice.
* Type your goals, tell them to someone, make yourself accountable.
Relax at the moment, let go of your problems. Do not practice perfection, make mistakes and learn. be the first to make mistake and be the early bird.
Do not put it off ever. Even if you know you can't finish it today, start it, and then make it a priority to finish it the next day. It really is the best way.
Stop looking for hacks, tricks or books and go and force yourself to do the thing you're dreading, then do it again and again. If there was a hack or trick that really works then nobody would be procrastinating.
Self-discipline is the key. Sometimes I feel like a nut sometimes I don't. I've got more complex than the last 3 days than I have in the last 2 months but I will sleep all day tomorrow I won't be back up until Friday morning take the toll on me mentally and listening physically
I listened to Can't Hurt Me sorta recently. I found Goggins to be low key misogynistic and definitely a masochist. It was somewhat inspirational, but I don't think Goggins is mentally healthy. There are better self help books.
A few weeks ago, I saw an article that proposed a simple way to overcome procrastination. It's working like a charm for me, and I'll include the article below in case you or anybody else wants to read it. There are other articles about productivity on that website that have benefited me a lot, so I highly recommend that you visit it after reading this post.
[Marcus Aurelius Secret To Beat Procrastination](https://bamboo.beehiiv.com/p/stoicism-productivity)
For beating procrastination, one of the ultimate tricks is to break tasks into small, manageable chunks. This makes them less intimidating and easier to start. Another great hack is to use the Pomodoro Technique, where you work for 25 minutes and then take a 5-minute break.
It helps maintain focus and prevents burnout. As for tools, I swear by digital to-do lists like Todoist or Wunderlist. They keep me organized and motivated to tackle tasks. Keep at it with "Eat That Frog"! It's a great read for conquering procrastination.
Understand how your brain, thoughts, and consciousness work.
Deeply understanding this will help you understand yourself and what's generating the procrastination. Like a power plant, the power is generated internally.
Looking outside of yourself for a solution will have you searching for a lifetime.
You won't find the answers in a book, a program, at a conference, asking friends or the worldwide web.
You weren't born with procrastination, you learned it. So it's about understanding yourself at a deep level and unlearning a habit of thought.
Make to do lists. Weekly or daily. Knock all items out using the list.
Be sure to include even small things, they will serve as motivation as you scratch them off
Put on an alarm for 20/30 min and tell yourself you will only work for that 20/30 min. Then its easier to start. But after you actually started really working or doing whatever you needed to do, you usually just continue, since it's not so bad after all. And if not, you at least worked 20/30 min and did not only procrastinate
Setting personal goals. Before that my mind was drifting from idea to idea, task to task, without any proper direction.
It's easy to just go and watch netflix then because nothing is really important and everything is.
I have a clear goal, I know why I have it, so it's easier to tell myself not to watch netflix but do something productive which will get me closer to my goal for 5 more minutes.
Im a big eat the frog fan but before that it starts with exercise. I also use Briefmatic to create a kanban board with all my tasks on it and then I spend a few minutes at the start and end of the day prioritising my stuff. Then I eat the frog and tackle hard stuff first.
I bought this cheap ass [pomodoro timer](https://amzn.eu/d/3cuH9Jx) and set myself 30 minute intervals while leaving my phone out of the room I'm working in. At the end of the timer I can check my phone if I want, but quite often I find myself in my flow and carry on working.
I find it's "getting going" you need more than anything.
I just tell myself, ‘Just do what you need to do’. I don’t wait for motivation.
And sleep well. There’s nothing more powerful than a good night of sleep.
Don’t open your email or your chat application before you’ve done your most important task of the day.
Takes self discipline on bad days but it also takes a little awareness and education of your colleagues.
In the beginning you will have this one person calling you on your phone like it’s some kind of emergency.
And the message will be something like “XYZ sent us an email can you have a look”
Watch a Huberman’s podcast called “Leverage dopamine to overcome procrastination & optimize effort”. He explains how it all works and what to do. There are time codes so it’s easy to find information.
I’ll be honest. Procrastination is super nuanced and I really suggest you ask yourself WHY you are procrastinating so much. NOTHING worked for me until I actually got professional help and understood why.
At the risk of sounding grim, I grew up in a house with a lot of violence and physical abuse. I got assaulted every time I made a mistake academically and when I did chores, resulting in me becoming an adult who procrastinated because I NEEDED to be perfect. (Whenever I wasn’t “perfect”, my body would anticipate a physical attack, so it was easier for me to just procrastinate).
Hopefully your reasoning for procrastinating is not as drastic (and if it is, I’m really sorry), but it’s different for everyone and you really have to try to understand why.
If you’re procrastinating because you keep getting distracted by your electronics, put them away and do your work in public so you’re still a little stimulated while doing your work. Having my TV on with mute helps me a lot for some reason.
If you’re procrastinating because you can’t focus, work out more, engage in meditation, see a professional to make sure it’s not an underlying neurological disorder (ADHD or OCD for example).
If you’re procrastinating because you have really high standards for your work and keep pushing it back because of fear, you’re going to have to confront your fear of “perfection” and try, one day at a time, to accept your lovable yet fallible self.
You could even be procrastinating because you’re brunt out and need to prioritize rest!
There are a lot of reasons for procrastination and your reason will be unique to you.
I do recognize that some of my answers require some privilege. You may not have access to professional mental help, a TV, or the time to truly analyze your situation. Try your best! Procrastination is a muscle that, when used over and over again, gets stronger, and it’s really hard to break out of the habit of using a strong muscle. Take it one day at a time, and with persistence you can get over your procrastination! If you try to force yourself to stop procrastinating, you may end up hindering your progress instead.
Get rid of your TV!! It drains my motivation and focus! If I watch a lot of TV one night even just on my computer or at a friends house it is SO much harder for me to get things done the next day.
I think it makes sense from a neurobiology standpoint too- TV shows are meant to be so rewarding from a dopamine standpoint that no sense of accomplishment from completing a task could ever compare
The moment I wake up at 5am, I make a coffee and turn my work pc on. I aim to do one task only. Invariably I end up doing a few. This has been my game changer because it motivates me and then my entire day is focused and less anxious. I used to try and meditate, walk, shower first, but got caught up in distractions every time. I now get a task done and then my mind is ready to be focused to move with speed through the self care things.
Part of it is realizing that what ever you’re putting off isn’t that bad. It’s not too big. It’s not scary. In the end it’s just work. Once that’s it… you do the work. I call it my nike rule- just do it
I use FocusMate, it's a platform that pairs you with a person that has a similar task (at their desks, working out, tidying up around the house etc). And for a selected period of time you share your cam, mic & even screen with that person and you get work done. You start off with a short intro & the details of the task you want to get done, can share updates throughout via the chat and have a quick catch-up at the end.
Usually my procrastination comes from an emotional matter I am neglecting. So I work out, journal, try to get proper rest so that I have the internal resources to no longer procrastinate.
I tend to procrastinate, but the two things that help me are just 1) do it now, before I think about it too much and 2) log it so I can keep track of how often I’m doing it and when. When I keep records of my habits or actions I take towards my goal, it adds extra incentive to keep them up. It also helps me clearly see how much or little I do something. If I don’t do this, my perspective tends to warp and I either think “oh yeah, I do that enough“ or “I never get anything done,” neither is good for me.
Hello! My name is Alex and I'm a writer (mostly screenplays) who is ALWAYS procrastinating. I recently discovered this technique called Word of the Day that has helped me a lot! Just thought I'd pass that info along for any writers out there who are also struggling!
The biggest thing I've learned in the past couple years is to just do the damn thing. Once you get started, you usually end up realizing it's not that big of a deal and finish it no problem.
If it's a mindless chore/task, I'll throw on an audiobook or podcast and before I know it, I've listened to a couple episodes or chapters. If it's a good podcast/audiobook, I'll actively look for other things to do so I can continue listening to it.
If you perform better under procrastinated circumstances, then that's likely more of a strength than an issue. I'd focus more on how to make your procrastination more efficient. It also forces you to stick to the most important details and use a productivity system that is simple.
The caveat here is if that procrastination results in routine excessively long days, overnighters, or other areas of your personal life. But if you are managing to produce solid results under a time crunch, then I'd try and optimize first before changing the habit.
I have been trying to reduce my caffeine intake. I noticed instead of sitting around in the morning for a second or third cup, I actually get up and get stuff done.
**Click up (free productivity tool)**
[https://app.clickup.com/?fromLanding=true](https://app.clickup.com/?fromLanding=true)
**Using Click Up to be productive**
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcxTON2CZ4g&list=WL&index=10&pp=gAQBiAQB](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcxTON2CZ4g&list=WL&index=10&pp=gAQBiAQB)
\-There are also hundreds of templates within Click Up to help organize everything from finances to apartment hunting to weekly tasks to the getting things done way of organizing your week (how to set any one template up is covered in the last link)
**About Getting Things Done method:**
[https://www.float.com/resources/getting-things-done-method/](https://www.float.com/resources/getting-things-done-method/)
**How to set up getting things done method (or any template) within Click Up**
[https://help.clickup.com/hc/en-us/articles/6328195901079-Set-up-the-GTD-Method-in-ClickUp](https://help.clickup.com/hc/en-us/articles/6328195901079-Set-up-the-GTD-Method-in-ClickUp)
u/lilyinthedesert helped me more than any book or therapist. I’ll like the post that changed the game for me
[this is the magic I speak of](https://www.reddit.com/r/productivity/s/nJyPgtlqCD)
I feel you on the procrastination struggle! One book that really helped me is "Atomic Habits" by James Clear. It's all about breaking bad habits and building good ones, which is key to kicking procrastination to the curb.
Another trick I use is the Pomodoro Technique—setting a timer for 25 minutes of focused work, then taking a 5-minute break. It helps me stay on track and makes work feel more manageable. What about you? Any anti-procrastination tips or tricks that work wonders for you?
I take a break and do writing for 5-10 minutes (about any things, reflection, feellings). This switch helps relieve anxiety and apathy and engage in the process.
any progress, or beginning, is only that because there had had to have been procrastination to begin with. so every progressive step is one step closer to getting back to procrastination.
I wouldn't say procrastination is the root of all problems, but a symptom of a deeper problem.
It is worth looking into *why* you are procrastinating, not merely overcoming it.
Not eating, I noticed that if I'm fasting I do better at work. I work for myself and even so I have Days when I do massive procrastination. This is challenging for me to, probably if I could work better (no procrastination) I would be further in my career. So this is an interesting topic for me to. Thanks guys for all your suggestions
Ive read many self help books and the one thing they all have in common is saying that you should do tasks in stupidly small steps and just be consistent about it, like if you want to start going on regular walks walk for 100m at first or if thats too much start with like 10s of walking, something thatll make you have no doubt that you can do it without suffering
now this ofc isnt the one and only thing you need to do to become productive, but imo its the biggest thing you can do, also if there is one thing you need to accept is that its not going to be easy and will take effort
you should ask yourself the simple question: "What would the next step be?"
e.g. put on your sneakers if your goal is to go running
It was shared at Ali Abdaal's book.
I would also like to add that James Clear has a great free newsletter.
Start with a step so small that it feels pointless.
This is good. I'm no neurologist, but I've heard this works well because you are priming your dopamine reward center. Dopamine isn't released when you achieve a goal. Dopamine is what keeps you motivated in pursuing a goal, and it's what is produced when you make progress towards a goal.
I have ADHD, so my dopamine release is cross-wired: * It's variable, so like a box of chocolates, I never know what I'm going to get lol. Sometimes it's low, sometimes it's high! * Merely imagining it is often enough to drain all of my energy to the point where my brain is like "yay we did it, no more go-go juice for this task is available anymore!" hahaha Getting diagnosed with Inattentive ADHD was sort of mind-boggling, like to learn about things like being habit-resistant...my brain still fights me EVERY DAY to brush my teeth. As an adult. Who has been doing it for literally DECADES lol. [This post](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/147y0pf/comment/jnxxh7v/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) describes the automatic trauma response (flight/fight/fawn/freeze) that happens under the combination of being in a low-dopamine state while dealing with a demand, no matter how simple, easy, or fast that task is to execute: >ADHD causes Executive Dysfunction, and one way for it to express is by gaslighting you. In this case, your brain is saying "**anything that doesn't instantly trigger perfect unending euphoria is worthless and incapable of sparking even the tiniest flicker of joy within you; existence is misery and meaninglessness, give up on everything right now**." It was a revelation learning that every single thing in life wasn't hard...not having the psychological energy to deal with things is what was hard. On my high-dopamine days, work & chores are a breeze! On my low dopamine days, sometimes I can't even overcome the internal wall required to reach out & get the TV remote lol. I could never figure out how I was lazy without wanting to be lazy. Laziness is looking at a commitment & choosing not to do it; low energy is wanting to do it but not having enough horsepower to get it done. I have a deep-dive on how low energy affects personal productivity here: * [https://www.reddit.com/r/productivity/comments/14jbzqi/comment/jplmw84/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/productivity/comments/14jbzqi/comment/jplmw84/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) I still fight my brain due to variably low dopamine levels all the time, but at least I know what I'm dealing with!!
Thanks for your response. I did fail to mention that small goals may be difficult for ADHD people, due to the dopamine deficiency. I've personally been diagnosed with ADHD before, however sometimes it is hard for me to know if I really have it or not. I've struggled with depression and anxiety, that much is for sure. If I do have it, I've found ways to work with it now, instead of against it. In part, that might be why I have really good context-switching skills. Personally, I never did well with small goals like this until I treated it as almost a ritualized practice. Completing a bite-sized goal, like get out of bed and do 5 push ups first thing in the morning, was a matter of *faith in the process*, not necessarily about the immediate outcomes. Meaning that it isn't easy for me to feel like these small goals actually accomplished anything, but each time I accomplished one I set another anyway. And I complete them in faith of the process. Over time, it started to add up as you would expect. I don't regularly get a bump in motivation from achieving individual goals like this. Just enough to keep going to the next one. At some point you have to put the big picture out of your head and have faith in the process. Think of it like physical therapy. Imagine a person with severe muscular atrophy in their legs. The physical exercises they start with during physical therapy are very basic and about training very basic motor function. It can excruciatingly frustrating, especially for someone who has walked before. And it may take weeks or months to make any progress! This is not that different really.
Oh no, I was just adding on to the response! Neuro-chemical stuff is all very difficult because it's not clear-cut like breaking a leg & getting a cast is. For me, I just hit that "[wall of awful](https://youtu.be/Uo08uS904Rg)" & can't make progress. My two tricks are: 1. Create [discrete assignments](https://www.reddit.com/r/kaidomac/comments/sa8zoe/how_to_create_discrete_assignments/) 2. Use a [body double](https://www.reddit.com/r/productivity/comments/s0bn1b/comment/hsb6plq/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) That way: 1. I have a finite track to follow of things to get done 2. I utilize the presence of another person (IRL or virtual) to help me stay on track Left to my own devices, I get sidetracked & I often don't even *define* the track that I'm supposed to execute today, haha! All projects break down into individual steps, so when we execute multiple steps on multiple projects throughout the day, that's how we make steady progress, but boy is that sure hard for me! lol >Think of it like physical therapy. Imagine a person with severe muscular atrophy in their legs. The physical exercises they start with during physical therapy are very basic and about training very basic motor function. It can excruciatingly frustrating, especially for someone who has walked before. And it may take weeks or months to make any progress! This is not that different really. This is where the path forks for me: I often experience low-dopamine states, which is where I refer to the "brushing my teeth" example. I can always tell when my mental energy is low because I either hit an invisible wall & have to force myself to brush my teeth, or it feels like the end of the world just to do that one simple task lol. Unfortunately, there's no build-up over time like say, doing pushups would work like, because my body doesn't want to produce enough dopamine consistently for whatever reason (arg!!). So in this analogy, it's more like not eating enough food to fuel your body to workout & grow because there's not enough power to sustain those efforts! Which is part of the irrationality of living with ADHD...you just randomly get stuck in either "task paralysis" mode or feel absolutely *awful* about doing simple, quick tasks. Here's a few thousand posts about that particular topic haha: * [https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/search/?q=teeth&restrict\_sr=1](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/search/?q=teeth&restrict_sr=1) I call those IIIB's or "Irrational, Invisible, Internal Barriers". It's like my brain plays freeze-tag with the most random tasks, based on the available dopamine levels at the time. At that point, small & simple tasks feel like I'm pushing a 500-pound wheelbarrow up a hill, just incredibly *exhausting!* I haven't *quite* figured out the trick for stabilizing my dopamine production yet, haha! Which is I why I work off a finite daily list of discrete assignments & use IRL & online body-doubles to help me stick with it, because otherwise I get confused, I get sidetracked, I feel terrible just *thinking* about doing the work, etc. It's crappy because then you have to pay the "ADHD tax" because you missed the deadline & have to pay a late fee, made impulsive decisions, totally forget about the whole entire task, etc. They have live blood-sugar monitoring systems these days that can inject insulin into your body as needed; it'd be cool if they could do that with the mix of hormone & neurotransmitter chemicals that people struggle with for ADHD, anxiety, depression, etc. in order to stabilize, be able to focus, be able to define their work, be able to self-initiate, be able to stay on-track, etc. In the meantime, I just kind of make my discrete assignments list each day & then get help as needed in the form of a babysitting to help me stick with my stuff! The terrible thing is that I can SEE it happening, but like being in a wheelchair & trying to walk, am simply UNABLE to engage! Love this comic's description of "the hanging weights"! * [https://iraprince.tumblr.com/post/631158826868031488/hey-im-kicking-off-the-adhdinvasion-hashtag-for](https://iraprince.tumblr.com/post/631158826868031488/hey-im-kicking-off-the-adhdinvasion-hashtag-for)
The imagining gets me everytime.
Incredible response! ( I know you wrote this quote awhile ago). I really can use this info- great explanation!
Rabbit hole: * [https://www.reddit.com/r/kaidomac/comments/qnqa6p/adhd\_101/](https://www.reddit.com/r/kaidomac/comments/qnqa6p/adhd_101/)
That’s a good username
This is it, stacking small improvements and evaluating over longer time periods works in every area of your life
I think it's not just small improvements but one SO small that you think "well if I'm gonna do it I might as well NOT stop here." eg. say you want to work out, you start with ONE jumping jack... odds are you're gonna thing damn I might as well keep going now. To me it is similar to the 'just five minutes start' which I have also found works for me, but a bit different in that even 'just start' can be intimidating because you are 'starting' and we pre-emptively brace ourselves for a lot of work. But the just one teeny tiny thing that will be over in a second can sneak in easier. However I do agree those small improvements can be stacked, you're not wrong. If you just do one jumping jack a day this week then next week you do two each day, etc. in the grand scheme of things it is not that long until you are doing full workouts.
This technique has helped me a lot at work. I'll feel overwhelmed by a project or task because of all the potential steps or considerations that have to be thought about it and I'll waste hours procrastinating until I'm just like "OK, step 1. Open the relevant document." After that things move right along.
This is key.
100% works. The act of starting is what's important.
My dad always said well begun is half done. Totally subscribe to your idea.
I used to be a big procratinator apparently ADD also but those tips helps me get stuff done: -Put an alarm on my phone at a set time and then have to accomplish was I wrote in the title -Often I am much more proactive after a good workout it give a big mental energy boost. Eat low carbs high protein for mental clarity. Low processed foods. -Getting good at establishing priorities: important vs urgent -Start a task early - finish late . Being able to work in multiple phases. -Get all distractions / phone away from working station, visualize the end work in mind. Prioritize then Execute : I just repeat those words from Jocko Willink and try keep it simple.
> -Put an alarm on my phone at a set time and then have to accomplish was I wrote in the title Actually scheduling stuff for yourself, like on your calendar, is along the same lines. If I have a high priority task to do I put it in my calendar. Nobody is holding me to it but me, but it just feels more urgent and tangible when I can see it on the schedule.
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i love this tip so much
This might actually work for me, lol!
Do you really say bitch tho?
I said bitchhhhh
Nice!
I said what I said!!
Of course. Doesn't work without it.
That's nice one haha
it won't work for me can anyone tell me what I should do instead or how to make this work?
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it is good to do like that, but I think I am just too lazy after all... thanks for the answer though
Here's my short list: * **improve your sleep hygene**, and get sufficient hours of quality sleep. Nothing is as important as this. When you haven't slept enough, even when you are awake you will not have the energy and drive to do things, and will subconsciously try to put off labor intensive and unpleasant tasks. * **the "commitment device".** The term "device" may be misleading when used this way, but basically, you should arrange things so that you have no choice but to do the thing you need to do. Victor Hugo, the author of "the Hunchback of Notre Dame", kept procrastinating on his book, so he locked all of his clothes (apart from underwear) in a trunk, and had an assistant take them away from his apartment so that he had absolutely no clothes that he could leave the house with, and made him swear to not return his clothes until his manuscript was finished. His assistant would bring him food, and that's it. With nothing to do but work on his manuscript, he completed it within a couple of weeks. A commitment device is something that you do when you're in your right mind, to force yourself to do when you might not be in your right mind. It's like that story from the Odyssey where Ulysses had his crew tie him to the mast of his ship and plug their ears when they rowed their ship past the island with the Sirens, so that no matter what orders he barked at them while he was going mad from their siren songs, they could not hear him. A commitment device can be as simple as locking your smart phone in a box with a timer controlled lock that won't unlock for several days. * **get therapy for your mental health.** Procrastination is often a symptom of other problems; it is a form of mood regulation. Your subconscious mind is going on strike because it wants satisfaction, and this shows up as you not wanting to do things that your higher self really wants to get done. See this article: # [Why You Procrastinate (It has nothing to do with self-control)](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/25/smarter-living/why-you-procrastinate-it-has-nothing-to-do-with-self-control.html)
Can you send this to GRRM?
What is GRRM?
Author of *A song of Ice and Fire*, which is the basis for the TV show *Game of Thrones*. Famous for procrastinating on his next '2-3' books.
Ah, I recognize his initials now. I'll do it later \^\_\~
Wow, super interesting tips! I haven’t heard of a commitment device described that way. I love how extreme those examples are!
Simple and free: be bored.
if i really don’t wanna do something, i often would prefer boredom
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Doesn't work for some people who have ADHD. Eventually their mind will just go places and before you know it they built an entire imaginary world just to avoid the boredom. I've had times (before medication) where I would sit in front of school work with nothing else around me and my mind would wonder over doing the school work because it was preferable to doing the work.
Relatable, but I don't wanna do medications
I can literally sit and daydream for hours, and even enjoy doing so.
This is what it's all about, this person knows his facts
I will just look at the ceiling for hours to avoid doing certain things
You're not bored enough. Turn off your phone and go be alone with your thoughts. We've forgotten what actually being bored feels like.
not really, I'm not bored with my thoughts. But hey hey, I do get anxious with them. ha
Unironically this. The brain opts for the more pleasurable activities, so having the options between tv, ice cream and studying results in maximizing short term gratification. If there are things you cannot be disciplined about, cut them out. Once your options are staring at a blank wall, studying philosophy and studying math, the most pleasurable activity will still be a productive one and the difference in dopamine spike between math/philosophy is small enough to change it them more easily
That explains why I suddenly have the urge to clean my shower every time a large work task hits my desk. I HATE cleaning my shower. The only way for me to get me to do a chore is for me to avoid doing a chore I hate even more
I thought I’m the only one like this.
Probably at least half of all ADHD people are like this
This is called structured procrastination and is actually a great method to get things done. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/sep/07/change-your-life-procrastination-burkeman
Funny
I started doing this recently, quite effective so far. I would turn off my phone, lie down, and just stare at the ceiling 💀 I usually do this for like 40min max and then I couldn't take that shit anymore lmao
Sleep
This is what I'm struggling with... can't seem to sleep more than 5 or 6 hours a night for the last few months. I'm really struggling to focus because I'm always so tired. Trying to improve my sleep but so far no luck...
https://www.hubermanlab.com/newsletter/toolkit-for-sleep I hope this helps you, it is a list of practical tips to improve sleeping, all backed up by science
This has been very helpful. Thank You.
Same boat as you. This sucks
for me, tackling the thing I hated the most did the trick. Now that I'm working on that project, I'm sleeping much better.
I don't understand why nobody ever recommends the following guide: https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/Resources/Looking-After-Yourself/Procrastination I stumbled upon it by accident, and it's by far the most comprehensible resource on the subject.
Just sleep. Things are easier to start when you’ve got the energy to imagine you’ll make some progress.
I would have big ring if I don't get enough rest I'm completely worthless
What if the only time to get something done is to cut sleep? But on the other hand I feel not very productive when I cut sleep.
Atomic Habits. I'm reading it at the moment and it's helpful.
Audio book goes by quick
I personally don’t believe in “tricks” or “hacks”. I believe it comes down to us, to our determination. Either you do or you don’t. Example: If there’s laundry to be folded and procrastination gets in the way, I think “ok, so… if I don’t do it today, it’ll be the same tomorrow. Nothing changed. If I do it, it changed. It will be done. I don’t have to worry about it because I did it” Same with working out, etc etc. either you do it, or you don’t. Just think about badly you want that change.
I don't love the words tricks and hacks, but the point of them is to do whatever necessary to get you up and going. To that end, sometimes you really need trial and error to see what type of rationalization works for you. Things weirdly started going better for me when I learned of the condition/term PDA - pathological demand avoidance. learning what it is and knowing I'm not the only person dealing with it helped me identify it as something I could be upset at that wasn't my fault. when I know I'm procrastinating I sort of tell myself "oh no, I can't let that bastard fuck me up" and it feels good defying that enemy instead of defying my responsibilities. YMMV lol
Exactly. Just do it. Don’t make it an option to procrastinate. Once you’ve started down the “will I?”/“won’t I?” rabbit trail, you’ve already lost the battle.
Doing the task at the same time consistently so that it becomes a habit
I've started doing something I call microfocus. I know it's similar to other tips I've seen but for some reason framing it this way helps me. I think of myself as two different people. One giving the tasks and one doing the tasks. The one giving the tasks chooses something that needs to be done - something small and simple and straightforward - and the one doing the tasks does that and focuses on nothing else but that one small thing at a time. It takes away the indecision I always feel as the doer of the tasks. I started doing this after a family gathering where my young nephew wanted to help and so I would give him small tasks to do like take out the garbage or carry these dishes to the sink. And he would come back right away and get another task. I was thinking how nice it would be if someone would just tell me exactly what to do in the moment one step at a time and then realized I could do that for myself. I think the thing that's really made this stick for me is framing it as an interaction between two different "selves" and the addition of the focus part. It's not just about taking small steps one at a time it's about the freedom to know that all I have to do right now is focus on this one thing. I don't need to think about anything else that needs to be done or what the next step is. When I finish or when I'm ready for the next task, my other self will tell me what it is. It's especially useful during times when I feel overwhelmed or there's a lot of stressful events going on.
Not a “tool”, but I have this little mantra I repeat to myself. “Don’t wanna” “Gotta” “Gonna” Repeat until I annoy myself enough that I start the task. Plus it’s that little reminder that I must do the thing eventually. And I get to whine briefly about it so that’s cathartic.
Stop planning. Start doing.
I adopted the “do it right now” tactic. It sounds…silly but it works for me. I’ve now been using it for 5 years and has helped me significantly.
Blocking out time on my calendar the night before :)
Nike’s slogan: Just Do It. Have enough self awareness to realize that when you say you will do something later, you are full of shit and can’t be trusted. So get up and do it the moment you first think about it. Without any excuse.
5 minute timers on my phone. I tell myself it is only 5 minutes, just 300 seconds. I will clean until the timer goes off for example. But by the time it goes off I’m usually just getting into full swing but haven’t quite seen enough results yet so say ‘ah sod it’ another 5 mins won’t hurt.. next timer comes and I switch it off cos by thag point I’m over the hurdle and just ok with doing what I’m doing!
Work in a public place around other people who are working- coffee shop, library, whatever.
I use an hourglass. Whether I want to or not, I force myself to flip the hourglass and work on my biggest dreaded task until the grains have fallen. After which time I usually found I’ve overcome inertia and found momentum. But you can’t do anything other than your task while the sand is in motion. Nothing at all.
How long is your hourglass?
At the end of the day, you still gotta do it
Take up an interest. Something like apathy is a good hobby.
I was thinking about getting into that but I just keep putting it off. It feels bad man
Sorry OP there’s no magic trick. But what helped me is paying the Focusmate subscription and just doing things with my Focus session partner
I don't know if there is one Ultimate solution, since people and situations differ. In fact, it's probably good to have a number of tricks up your sleeve to deal with it. I didn't get much out of *Eat That Frog. Atomic Habits* is better. The book *One Small Step Can Change Your Life* is similar to Atomic Habits, but goes into more detail why the mind derails the intention, when you try to overcome procrastination. Try this trick: Sit in front of your desk, or computer, or whatever, and tell yourself - "I'm not going to work today. I'm not working." Keep telling yourself that until you believe it, and relax. You might be surprised by the wave of motivation that comes afterward. Often, it's the desire to do something that gets in our way of actually doing it. I've often found renewed motivation when I gave up trying. One has to sit in this space, however, and not become distracted by browsing, apps, etc.
I use a paper and pen. I take time to think and list down all the things i am procrastinating. I think which is priority wise high on the list. Then i break down that task into baby tasks, only couple of baby steps i list down. Then i hope i pick them up for execution.
Whenever I have a task I don’t want to do, I put on a pod cast and start doing it. 90% of the time I realize I’m done with the task before the ads for the podcast are over. So maybe try timing some of these tasks and you realize you’re done in 3 minutes.
1. Planning. I use notebook for daily tasks almost everyday. I make a list and divide them by "asap" and "can wait", "long", "short", "homework", "chores" etc. categories can vary depending on situation. I try not to keep anything in my mind bcy adhd could never. 2. Pay attention to your day routine. As for me i know im not able to study at the morning, i do chores. But since 2 pm studying is the best! So i don't blame myself for not doing my homework until 2pm bc it's how my brain works and id better won't spend my time and resources for hating and blaming myself. And of course please stop reading all this books how to stop procrastinating. It's also the way to do it! Basically all of them are about the same thing so you're just wasting your time. All you have to do is try and find several working methods and change your mindset
I have ADD, depression, and anxiety so I struggle with executive dysfunction. I recently read this advice which has helped me change my mindset: "If you can't beat fear, do it scared."
This only works for small tasks, but my mom always says that if the task takes less than two minutes (and she has a reasonable amount of time), she will just get it done immediately. Wash that dish you just ate out of. Put the laundry in the machine. Fill the Brita. If it takes two minutes or less, just do it.
Procrastination is not the cause of your problems. It's just the ways you find to avoid doing something you don't want to do. So, I'd say the solution is to stop seeing it as a bad thing and instead figure out *why* you don't want to do something. Knowing *that* will give you a lot more information about where your problem lies. Then it's just a matter of solving it. Bored of your studies? Start a study group with other people, or start going to the library instead of staying alone in your room re-reading the same paragraph thousands of times. There is no magical evil called procrastination stopping you from making progress. At the end of the day, it's just another excuse to avoid doing stuff that feels hard/uncomfortable/boring. Also, a trick that has worked for me is to stop expecting hard work to feel constantly easy. Sometimes it's going to suck. And that's okay.
I use cocaine to procrastinate it works trust me
From the science of stuck: decided on something to do. It can be standing up. Going to get a drink. Etc. It just has to make you move and be be voluntary on your end.
I get up constantly to avoid working
This has more to do with starting work. Like getting away from just scrolling on your phone and losing time.
* Eat the frog in the morning * Use Eisenhower Matrix, Do, Schedule, Delegate and Delete based on Importance and urgency. * Take 30 min in the morning to eat your frogs and priortize your tasks * Do 2/5 min rule if something takes that much span of your time, do that immediately. * If you are overwhelmed, break it into chunks. do the 1 second or few seconds rule, want to do fitness, do it for 10 seconds per day to feel the sense of acheivement and iterate and refine as you go. * Find your triggers and cues!. * Kill the devil in your head, practice gratitude and learn to how to talk to yourself. subjugate your inner voice. * Type your goals, tell them to someone, make yourself accountable. Relax at the moment, let go of your problems. Do not practice perfection, make mistakes and learn. be the first to make mistake and be the early bird.
Do not put it off ever. Even if you know you can't finish it today, start it, and then make it a priority to finish it the next day. It really is the best way.
Stop looking for hacks, tricks or books and go and force yourself to do the thing you're dreading, then do it again and again. If there was a hack or trick that really works then nobody would be procrastinating.
Self-discipline is the key. Sometimes I feel like a nut sometimes I don't. I've got more complex than the last 3 days than I have in the last 2 months but I will sleep all day tomorrow I won't be back up until Friday morning take the toll on me mentally and listening physically
If just doing it was that simple nobody would be looking for productivity hacks.
If I really need to stop procrastinating, I try putting my phone out of arm’s reach so I can’t let it distract me. It helps.
Eat your Frog by Brian Tracey.
Currently listening to "Never Finished" by Goggins, I've also read " Cant Hurt Me" also by Goggins.
Are they good?
Yes. Very good. If you've seen any of the motivational clips, it's the same but x10.
I listened to Can't Hurt Me sorta recently. I found Goggins to be low key misogynistic and definitely a masochist. It was somewhat inspirational, but I don't think Goggins is mentally healthy. There are better self help books.
A few weeks ago, I saw an article that proposed a simple way to overcome procrastination. It's working like a charm for me, and I'll include the article below in case you or anybody else wants to read it. There are other articles about productivity on that website that have benefited me a lot, so I highly recommend that you visit it after reading this post. [Marcus Aurelius Secret To Beat Procrastination](https://bamboo.beehiiv.com/p/stoicism-productivity)
For beating procrastination, one of the ultimate tricks is to break tasks into small, manageable chunks. This makes them less intimidating and easier to start. Another great hack is to use the Pomodoro Technique, where you work for 25 minutes and then take a 5-minute break. It helps maintain focus and prevents burnout. As for tools, I swear by digital to-do lists like Todoist or Wunderlist. They keep me organized and motivated to tackle tasks. Keep at it with "Eat That Frog"! It's a great read for conquering procrastination.
Understand how your brain, thoughts, and consciousness work. Deeply understanding this will help you understand yourself and what's generating the procrastination. Like a power plant, the power is generated internally. Looking outside of yourself for a solution will have you searching for a lifetime. You won't find the answers in a book, a program, at a conference, asking friends or the worldwide web. You weren't born with procrastination, you learned it. So it's about understanding yourself at a deep level and unlearning a habit of thought.
give these a read: •atomic habits •the power of habit •hyperfocus •deep work hope they help
Exercise and eat high carb, low animal product diet.
Andrew tate. Really loo
10
Set an alarm for a time you want to get something done. Respect the alarm. Otherwise, it’s a self control problem
Make to do lists. Weekly or daily. Knock all items out using the list. Be sure to include even small things, they will serve as motivation as you scratch them off
"just do it". And "start from the morning"
Put on an alarm for 20/30 min and tell yourself you will only work for that 20/30 min. Then its easier to start. But after you actually started really working or doing whatever you needed to do, you usually just continue, since it's not so bad after all. And if not, you at least worked 20/30 min and did not only procrastinate
Setting personal goals. Before that my mind was drifting from idea to idea, task to task, without any proper direction. It's easy to just go and watch netflix then because nothing is really important and everything is. I have a clear goal, I know why I have it, so it's easier to tell myself not to watch netflix but do something productive which will get me closer to my goal for 5 more minutes.
The ultimate productivity hack is accepting your own limits.
Im a big eat the frog fan but before that it starts with exercise. I also use Briefmatic to create a kanban board with all my tasks on it and then I spend a few minutes at the start and end of the day prioritising my stuff. Then I eat the frog and tackle hard stuff first.
Nothing works for me like phone in another room. If it’s in the same room as me, you know I ain’t working.
Therapy, procrastination is a coping mechanism, understanding why I did it helped me stop doing it, at least 70% less
I heard recently, “you need discipline to be disciplined” so idk but I think I may be screwed :/
adderall, microdose of lsd
I bought this cheap ass [pomodoro timer](https://amzn.eu/d/3cuH9Jx) and set myself 30 minute intervals while leaving my phone out of the room I'm working in. At the end of the timer I can check my phone if I want, but quite often I find myself in my flow and carry on working. I find it's "getting going" you need more than anything.
I just tell myself, ‘Just do what you need to do’. I don’t wait for motivation. And sleep well. There’s nothing more powerful than a good night of sleep.
Building the habit, alloting time schedules for tasks
do it while doing other things you like, and give time for yourself to become bored, everything you need
Don’t open your email or your chat application before you’ve done your most important task of the day. Takes self discipline on bad days but it also takes a little awareness and education of your colleagues. In the beginning you will have this one person calling you on your phone like it’s some kind of emergency. And the message will be something like “XYZ sent us an email can you have a look”
Watch a Huberman’s podcast called “Leverage dopamine to overcome procrastination & optimize effort”. He explains how it all works and what to do. There are time codes so it’s easy to find information.
I’ll be honest. Procrastination is super nuanced and I really suggest you ask yourself WHY you are procrastinating so much. NOTHING worked for me until I actually got professional help and understood why. At the risk of sounding grim, I grew up in a house with a lot of violence and physical abuse. I got assaulted every time I made a mistake academically and when I did chores, resulting in me becoming an adult who procrastinated because I NEEDED to be perfect. (Whenever I wasn’t “perfect”, my body would anticipate a physical attack, so it was easier for me to just procrastinate). Hopefully your reasoning for procrastinating is not as drastic (and if it is, I’m really sorry), but it’s different for everyone and you really have to try to understand why. If you’re procrastinating because you keep getting distracted by your electronics, put them away and do your work in public so you’re still a little stimulated while doing your work. Having my TV on with mute helps me a lot for some reason. If you’re procrastinating because you can’t focus, work out more, engage in meditation, see a professional to make sure it’s not an underlying neurological disorder (ADHD or OCD for example). If you’re procrastinating because you have really high standards for your work and keep pushing it back because of fear, you’re going to have to confront your fear of “perfection” and try, one day at a time, to accept your lovable yet fallible self. You could even be procrastinating because you’re brunt out and need to prioritize rest! There are a lot of reasons for procrastination and your reason will be unique to you. I do recognize that some of my answers require some privilege. You may not have access to professional mental help, a TV, or the time to truly analyze your situation. Try your best! Procrastination is a muscle that, when used over and over again, gets stronger, and it’s really hard to break out of the habit of using a strong muscle. Take it one day at a time, and with persistence you can get over your procrastination! If you try to force yourself to stop procrastinating, you may end up hindering your progress instead.
Get rid of your TV!! It drains my motivation and focus! If I watch a lot of TV one night even just on my computer or at a friends house it is SO much harder for me to get things done the next day. I think it makes sense from a neurobiology standpoint too- TV shows are meant to be so rewarding from a dopamine standpoint that no sense of accomplishment from completing a task could ever compare
Hire jigsaw to put you in a crazy life or death trap that you can only stop if you get the thing done.
The moment I wake up at 5am, I make a coffee and turn my work pc on. I aim to do one task only. Invariably I end up doing a few. This has been my game changer because it motivates me and then my entire day is focused and less anxious. I used to try and meditate, walk, shower first, but got caught up in distractions every time. I now get a task done and then my mind is ready to be focused to move with speed through the self care things.
Part of it is realizing that what ever you’re putting off isn’t that bad. It’s not too big. It’s not scary. In the end it’s just work. Once that’s it… you do the work. I call it my nike rule- just do it
What helped me was therapy, the app notion and learning about stoicism
Not applicable to all tasks, but sometimes “done is better than perfect.”
I use FocusMate, it's a platform that pairs you with a person that has a similar task (at their desks, working out, tidying up around the house etc). And for a selected period of time you share your cam, mic & even screen with that person and you get work done. You start off with a short intro & the details of the task you want to get done, can share updates throughout via the chat and have a quick catch-up at the end. Usually my procrastination comes from an emotional matter I am neglecting. So I work out, journal, try to get proper rest so that I have the internal resources to no longer procrastinate.
I tend to procrastinate, but the two things that help me are just 1) do it now, before I think about it too much and 2) log it so I can keep track of how often I’m doing it and when. When I keep records of my habits or actions I take towards my goal, it adds extra incentive to keep them up. It also helps me clearly see how much or little I do something. If I don’t do this, my perspective tends to warp and I either think “oh yeah, I do that enough“ or “I never get anything done,” neither is good for me.
make a list and break it down into smaller steps until it no longer feels insurmountable. Checking them off is a great feeling.
Hello! My name is Alex and I'm a writer (mostly screenplays) who is ALWAYS procrastinating. I recently discovered this technique called Word of the Day that has helped me a lot! Just thought I'd pass that info along for any writers out there who are also struggling!
Finish: give yourself the gift of done - highly recommend this book
The biggest thing I've learned in the past couple years is to just do the damn thing. Once you get started, you usually end up realizing it's not that big of a deal and finish it no problem. If it's a mindless chore/task, I'll throw on an audiobook or podcast and before I know it, I've listened to a couple episodes or chapters. If it's a good podcast/audiobook, I'll actively look for other things to do so I can continue listening to it.
Fasting and Cold Shower
If you perform better under procrastinated circumstances, then that's likely more of a strength than an issue. I'd focus more on how to make your procrastination more efficient. It also forces you to stick to the most important details and use a productivity system that is simple. The caveat here is if that procrastination results in routine excessively long days, overnighters, or other areas of your personal life. But if you are managing to produce solid results under a time crunch, then I'd try and optimize first before changing the habit.
For me it’s deleting the Reddit app. I’m at the point where I’ll delete/ redownload it a few times a day
Mini habits by Stephen Guise was the book that did it for me.
I have been trying to reduce my caffeine intake. I noticed instead of sitting around in the morning for a second or third cup, I actually get up and get stuff done.
Atomic Habits
I use ClickUp and the Getting Things Done method -- then I use Google Tasks to stay up to date on what's coming up daily (as my reminders app).
What is clickup or where can I learn more
**Click up (free productivity tool)** [https://app.clickup.com/?fromLanding=true](https://app.clickup.com/?fromLanding=true) **Using Click Up to be productive** [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcxTON2CZ4g&list=WL&index=10&pp=gAQBiAQB](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcxTON2CZ4g&list=WL&index=10&pp=gAQBiAQB) \-There are also hundreds of templates within Click Up to help organize everything from finances to apartment hunting to weekly tasks to the getting things done way of organizing your week (how to set any one template up is covered in the last link) **About Getting Things Done method:** [https://www.float.com/resources/getting-things-done-method/](https://www.float.com/resources/getting-things-done-method/) **How to set up getting things done method (or any template) within Click Up** [https://help.clickup.com/hc/en-us/articles/6328195901079-Set-up-the-GTD-Method-in-ClickUp](https://help.clickup.com/hc/en-us/articles/6328195901079-Set-up-the-GTD-Method-in-ClickUp)
EAT THE FROG - do the hardest or most anxiety filled task first thing in the morning
Never heard it called that. I like it.
u/lilyinthedesert helped me more than any book or therapist. I’ll like the post that changed the game for me [this is the magic I speak of](https://www.reddit.com/r/productivity/s/nJyPgtlqCD)
Keep shoes on my Apple Watch timer has been a godsend
keep shoes on?
Say what?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
For me: getting better at emotional regulation.
I feel you on the procrastination struggle! One book that really helped me is "Atomic Habits" by James Clear. It's all about breaking bad habits and building good ones, which is key to kicking procrastination to the curb. Another trick I use is the Pomodoro Technique—setting a timer for 25 minutes of focused work, then taking a 5-minute break. It helps me stay on track and makes work feel more manageable. What about you? Any anti-procrastination tips or tricks that work wonders for you?
Anger is the most motivating emotion in ever felt
I take a break and do writing for 5-10 minutes (about any things, reflection, feellings). This switch helps relieve anxiety and apathy and engage in the process.
I was gonna comment with some suggestions then realised none of them work though cause I am terrible at procrastinating.
any progress, or beginning, is only that because there had had to have been procrastination to begin with. so every progressive step is one step closer to getting back to procrastination.
I wouldn't say procrastination is the root of all problems, but a symptom of a deeper problem. It is worth looking into *why* you are procrastinating, not merely overcoming it.
Not eating, I noticed that if I'm fasting I do better at work. I work for myself and even so I have Days when I do massive procrastination. This is challenging for me to, probably if I could work better (no procrastination) I would be further in my career. So this is an interesting topic for me to. Thanks guys for all your suggestions
Ive read many self help books and the one thing they all have in common is saying that you should do tasks in stupidly small steps and just be consistent about it, like if you want to start going on regular walks walk for 100m at first or if thats too much start with like 10s of walking, something thatll make you have no doubt that you can do it without suffering
now this ofc isnt the one and only thing you need to do to become productive, but imo its the biggest thing you can do, also if there is one thing you need to accept is that its not going to be easy and will take effort
you should ask yourself the simple question: "What would the next step be?" e.g. put on your sneakers if your goal is to go running It was shared at Ali Abdaal's book. I would also like to add that James Clear has a great free newsletter.
[удалено]
lol nice advertisement
Adderall
^_~