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Two Harvard Professors Reveal Why We Procrastinate
Changing your environment=the most powerful way to change your behavior
In a normal situation, you might choose to eat a cookie rather than eat vegetables. What if the cookie wasn’t there to begin with? It is much easier to make the right choice if you’re surrounded by better choices. Remove the distractions from your environment and create a space with better choice architecture. - James Clear
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The answer to inconsistency
To beat procrastination and make better long-term choices, find a way to make your present self act in the best interest of your future self. You have 3 primary options:
- Make the rewards of long-term behavior more immediate.
- Make the costs of procrastination more immediate.
- Remove procrastination triggers from your environment.
Changing your environment=the most powerful way to change your behavior
In a normal situation, you might choose to eat a cookie rather than eat vegetables. What if the cookie wasn’t there to begin with? It is much easier to make the right choice if you’re surrounded by better choices. Remove the distractions from your environment and create a space with better choice architecture. - James Clear
“We'll increasingly be defined by what we say no to.”
-Paul Graham
-Paul Graham
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Procrastination is a lifestyle
20% of people identify themselves as chronic procrastinators. For them, procrastination is a lifestyle, albeit a maladaptive one.
It cuts across all domains of their lives...
Not taking procrastination seriously
There may be more of it in the U.S. than in other countries because we are so nice; we don't call people on their excuses ("my grandmother died last week") even when we don't believe them.
Not a planning problem
Procrastinators are not different in their ability to estimate time, although they are more optimistic than others.
Telling someone who procrastinates to buy a weekly planner is like telling someone with chronic depression to just cheer up.
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Our brains are programmed to procrastinate
To make the benefits of action feel bigger and more real:
- Visualize how great it will be to get it done.
- Pre-commit, publicly.
- Confront the downside of inaction.
Considering the downside of putting a task off will help move forward with it
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The Akrasia Effect
Akrasia happens when you do one thing even though you know you should do something else.
It's what prevents you from following through on what you set out to do. It could be trans...
Time Inconsistency
It refers to our tendency to choose immediate rewards over future rewards. It's why we make plans, but don't take action.
When we make plans, we are actually making plans for our future selves. But when the time comes to make a decision, we are in the moment and our brain is thinking about the present self.
Delayed Gratification and Success
The ability to delay gratification is a great predictor of success in life.
If you really understand how to resist the attraction of instant gratification, you'll be able to bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be.
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