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7 ways to use emotional intelligence to beat procrastination
Overcome perfectionism
Winston Churchill summed it up well, “Perfection(ism) is the enemy of progress.”
The fear of making mistakes keeps many of us paralyzed and unable to begin. We learn by doing and making mistakes.
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Key Ideas
Tie the task to a larger goal
... you are passionate about.
Thinking about how wonderful it will feel to get that promotion we crave will help motivate us if we can see doing a great job on the report as a stepping-stone to advancement.
Start with the easiest part
The most difficult step in completing a task is getting started.
Starting at the easiest part takes less emotional resistance, and once we get started, we tend to get on a roll, which gives us the momentum to keep going.
Break it down
The task will seem less daunting if we tell ourselves that we are going to only spend five minutes working on it.
We’ll find ourselves continuing to work past the committed time that we told ourselves.
Manage your distractions
Think about what may throw you off track from your work before you start.
This allows you to unplug, disconnect, and put a hold on everything and everyone that could potentially disrupt your focus and throw you off.
Self-awareness
One size does not fit all when it comes to the best environment for you.
If you don’t know what your best environment is, practice in different ones until you find the one that stimulates you the most.
Set up rewards
Before you start on your to-do list, set yourself up with a system of rewards along the way.
Make the reward something you wouldn’t normally give yourself or do something for yourself to feel special.
Overcome perfectionism
Winston Churchill summed it up well, “Perfection(ism) is the enemy of progress.”
The fear of making mistakes keeps many of us paralyzed and unable to begin. We learn by doing and making mistakes.
SIMILAR ARTICLES & IDEAS:
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Key Ideas
Self-Efficacy
A person’s belief and expectation that they are capable of completing a task.
When we don't trust the fact that we'll be able to complete a task (with good results), we're mor...
Value
The more enjoyable a task, the less we procrastinate on it.
Boring tasks are more likely to lead to procrastination than difficult ones, that's why we keep postponing all the busywork (work that keeps us busy but has little value in itself.)
Impulsiveness
Difficulty maintaining focus in the face of immediate and more appealing distractions.
If we work in an environment where we're bombarded with distractions and we are not capable of resisting them, we're more likely to procrastinate.
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Procrastination is an emotion management problem
The #1 skill to overcome procrastination
Facing a task, experiencing the uncomfortable emotions associated with it and doing the task despite those emotions.
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.
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Procrastination has a price. It's related to:
- Depression
- Irrational beliefs
- Low self-esteem
- Anxiety
- Stress
Willpower Doesn’t Work. Systems Do.
People shy away from routines, systems and frameworks because they want to have “freedom.” But in order to get things done, you need rules.
To get things done, research found effective:
- Self-imposed deadlines.
- Accountability systems (commitment with friends, or a coach).
- Working/studying in intervals.
- Exercising 30 minutes a day.
- A healthy diet.
- Eliminating distractions.
- And most importantly: Internal motivation.