Jun
15
Killing the Procrastination Syndrome
Filed Under Motivation & Purpose, Improve Efficiency | 4 Comments
“I’ll do it later” - it’s one of the most common phrases that is uttered, and we’ve all been guilty of that at some point or another. Other variants include “I’ll do it when…” or “I can’t do it because…”. That’s all fine and good, except when the reason is really weak, like “I don’t feel like it”, or “I don’t have enough money”. Then it becomes a recursive loop - later, the reasons that you stated for doing it later will mostly likely remain, and you won’t do it. “I’ll do it later” sounds good, but it’s virtually equivalent to saying “I don’t want to ever do it”.
As efficient people, we want to get tasks done. The solution is to always do things NOW (or never)! When it comes down to it, what do you really need to get done? If it doesn’t kill you if you don’t do it, then it really doesn’t need to be done right now. You can eat later, drink later, pee later (or even on the floor - sure it would be a mess, but you don’t have to go to the bathroom). You don’t have to do your work or study either. Yes, you will get fired and expelled, but you can get another job or go start your own company. Just realize that there’s nothing you must absolutely do right this second.
Now, back to the task at hand that you said you’ll do later. Do you really want to do it? If not, then don’t! It’s okay. Just remember that all your problems go away when you die. Wait long enough, and you won’t ever have to do anything. The task you mentioned is something you are conciously choosing to do. If you really want to do it, then DO it! Otherwise, never do it.
In general, people put off doing things because they think they have to do them, but don’t really want to. When you apply the above advice, you’ll find that all the things you don’t want to do will go away, and that the tasks on your list will only be the things you want to do. Knowing it’s something you want to do, you’d just do it.
The main point here is that people procrastinate because either they don’t want to do the task at hand and think they have to, or they’re not sure whether they want to do the task. It’s a form of indecision. Simply decide whether you really want to do it, and then do it or drop it off the list!
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[…] but I’d say if you do that, you’ll probably never do it. It’s a type of procrastination syndrome. The best time to do anything, is […]
[…] but I’d say if you do that, you’ll probably never do it. It’s a type of procrastination syndrome. The best time to do anything, is […]
People procrastinate because they associate what they “have to do” with a negative feeling…Why don’t we change the neuro-association to a positive one..
Changing that neuro-association is a life time process I think (and I’m not completely sure that’s possible for all cases).
Instead of spending 20 years to make yourself like cleaning your room, why not just not clean it? Pay someone else to do it or something, and focus on the things you want to do right now.