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What I learned about procrastination while scaling my startup to 4.2 million users
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"Just do it” - not a solution for procrastination
If we repeatedly find ourselves avoiding certain tasks, an underlying problem needs to be addressed.
Once we identify the real cause, we can search for the appropriate plan of action to reclaim our productivity.
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Most common reasons that lead us to procrastinate:
1. We feel like we’re not making progress.
2. We’re not sure where to start.
3. We’re afraid of failing.
4. We dislike the task itself
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SIMILAR ARTICLES & IDEAS:
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Neuroplasticity
... is how the brain changes (for better or worse) in response to repeated experience: the things we do often we become stronger at, and what we don't use fades away.
Addiction to information
Emotions and procrastination
If you noticed fear or anxiety around starting (or not finishing) a particular task, pay attention. These emotions are a great indicator of why you’re procrastinating.
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Procrastinating and emotions
According to traditional thinking, procrastinators have a time-management problem. They are unable to understand how long a task will take and need to learn how to schedule their time better.
Short-term mood lifters
Studies show low mood only increases procrastination if enjoyable activities are available as a distraction. In other words, we're drawn to other activities to avoid the discomfort of applying ourselves.
Adverse consequences
Procrastination leads to two primary consequences.
- It's stressful to keep putting off important tasks and failing to meet your goals.
- Procrastination often involves delaying important health behaviors, such as taking up exercise or visiting a doctor.
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The #1 skill to overcome procrastination
Facing a task, experiencing the uncomfortable emotions associated with it and doing the task despite those emotions.
Procrastination is an emotion management problem
Our mind is a reason-giving machine
It rationalizes the shit out of anything that’s just a little bit uncomfortable and create excuses as to why we shouldn’t do something now. Those excuses are irrational, but sound superficially reasonable.