Endless scrolling..
We’ve all lost hours looking at Social Media posts when we KNEW we should be doing something else.
We used to think that procrastination was about laziness – but actually it has been proven to be due the stress response.
Professor Timothy Pychyl (I checked – it’s his real name) of Carlton Uni. found that procrastination is a response of our powerful subconscious’ desire for instant gratification.
We are drawn to the procrastination because it gives us a relief from the stress.
If that also involves cute kittens, catching up with friends or watching something hilarious online – then that draw is super strong!
It’s the same with dealing with debt, the difficult call you have to make, or doing the tax return (or GDPR) – putting it all on hold for five minutes to do something far sexier and enticing eases the pressure.
For a while.
The thinking, stress and anxiety starts to tap you on the shoulder when the initial procrastination relief wears off… and it doesn’t really go away – just kind of builds up the longer things go on.
Not fun.
Procrastination is about surrendering control and taking a break from ‘adulting’.
Makes sense, right?
You decide to do something.
Yep – I’m going to do the thing.
Brilliant – here I go.
No wait.
Because I need to just…
I’ll wait until after…
It’s too cold.
I’m too tired.
That is literally your brain trying to keep you comfortable.
It’s what it’s built for.
It’s instinct.
Your doubts are lies.
They are a behviour, a thinking habit.
Your first thought in these situations is what you really need.
Your doubts create mountains – and action moves them.
Also you are not a kid.
No-one’s going to do this stuff for you.
So you might as well get this sorted.
We hack it by using logic, which uses a completely different part of your brain.
It’s almost the opposite of what we do in hypnosis – in hypnosis, we change your instinctive reaction.
We need to literally divert the blood flow from the instinctive part of the brain and puts your logic back in control.
So here’s how we do it.
Could not be simpler.
But you wait and see how it works.
Ta-daaa:
The 5 Second Countdown:
The exact moment you find yourself starting to procrastinate ;
- Stand up immediately (to change your view)
- Don’t ruminate for even a second more (to sharpen your focus)
- Give yourself a countdown (to create a pattern interrupt)
5
4
3
2
1
And JUST DO IT.
At the end of that countdown you have to act.
That’s it.
The final part is to congratulate yourself when you have completed the task and to take time to celebrate – even tell someone.
Like a lot of strategies that somehow sound too simple to be true – its weirdly, madly effective
The countdown is you taking back control, and the beauty is – the more you do it, the more you programme your brain to want to do it.
You create new neural pathways that recognise your countdown as it’s time to get things done, and the one that sets the “I SMASHED IT” celebrations in motion.
Can’t get out of bed in the morning?
5 second countdown.
Can’t get the motivation to exercise?
5 second countdown.
Putting off a piece of work?
5 second countdown.
It works from the first time, but becomes increasingly easy and soon feels like you have discovered some dark witchcraft that you will wish you’d done years ago.
Then you think about all the things you could have done.
Sigh.
Oh well – better get on with it now then, eh?
So 5 years from now you, doesn’t wish she had done more when you were today’s you.
Try it.
How about now?
What are you putting off?