How to Stop Procrastinating

Charles Dickens famously said, “Procrastination is the thief of time.” Procrastination is intentionally delaying completing a task despite knowing it will have negative consequences. It’s a form of self-sabotage, which reduces the time available to complete the task, while increasing stress levels. So why do we do it? Amygdala hijack - The amygdala is the part of the brain which moderates our fear response. When we are distressed the rational part of our brain (the pre-frontal cortex) shuts down leaving the amygdala in charge. If we feel negative towards a task and our brain interprets this as distress, the amygdala steps in to persuade us NOT to do it. Instant gratification - Humans tend to repeat tasks when our brain rewards us with a dopamine hit. Procrastinating by watching cat videos on YouTube feels good in the present, like a reward, so we keep delaying tasks until procrastination becomes a chronic habit. Present bias - We are more focused on who we are and how we feel today, than for our future self. We don’t dwell on how our current decisions will impact us in a few weeks or months. We actually process information about our current self and future self in separate parts of the brain. Functional MRI scans reveal that we view our future-self in the same way we view a stranger. So it’s easier for us to defer tasks and decisions that favour our future self, and instead choose instant gratification which provide pleasure right now. Stopping procrastination There is not a one size fits all solution but there are some tools which might help. Choose the ones that resonate with you. Focus on the why - Will the task benefit someone else? Extrinsic motivation can sometimes be a powerful tool. ‘If don’t do this I will be letting them down.’ If it’s you who will benefit try writing down why you’re doing the task. A written reminder will help keep you focussed. Eat the frog - If you knew you had to eat a live frog, you’d want to get the task finished first thing, then get on with your day knowing nothing else was going to be that bad. Eating the frog suggests that if we tackle an unpleasant task early in the day, everything else will seem easier. Eat the Elephant - It’s an old joke: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time? Break a task down for small easy wins. That way you build momentum gradually, and don’t feel overwhelmed. The 3/5/10 Minute Rule - Tell yourself you only have to do the task for three, five or ten minutes. Most likely, when the timer goes off you will have the built enough momentum to want to continue. The pressure cooker method - If you feel like you need a sense of urgency to complete tasks give yourself a certain amount of time to get all or part of the job done. Set a timer, or download a productivity app. Body doubling - Ask someone to sit with you while you complete the task. Studies show that having someone else in the room while you are working (even if they are just doing their own thing), really helps some people focus. Reward - Promise yourself a reward when you complete your task. Be specific: a scented bubble bath; an episode of your favourite sit com; a jam donut...whatever works for you. Procrastination is a human trait. We can’t eradicate it, but we can learn to manage our time better.