This is an article meant for some of my students, you know who you are. But as the article implies, I’m doubtful they will take the time to do so. In Norway, our senior students are looking forward to the time of their life when they celebrate 13 years of compulsory schooling. And they do this a month before they are finished, right before they do their exams. That way they might celebrate something they are not able to finish in time. My advice to them is this; you have 3 weeks before Easter holiday. Spend the time well, roll up those sleeves and get to work. Procrastination only leads to stress, and stress is dangerous. This article is written by Darius Foroux and you can find the whole article here. Below I share some extracts, enjoy!
Procrastination is the destroyer of our dreams. Every time we don’t do the things we should or want, we’re putting off our lives. It’s not innocent behavior. In this article, I’ll show you how to beat procrastination so you can live the life you desire.
There comes a moment between the start and end of a task—I call it the slope of procrastination—when you give into one distraction. And that’s exactly the moment you give up being productive.
You start working on a task, you’re excited, you’re focused, but then, after some time, you think: Let’s read the news for a second.
It always starts with just one thing.
Then, you think: I might as well watch one episode of Game Of Thrones. Then, a video on YouTube—and then another one. Then, a little bit of Instagram browsing. And so forth.
It always ends with a bang: “This is the last time I‘m wasting my time!”
Yeah, right.
Willpower Doesn’t Work. Systems Do.
What you really need is a system for doing work. A lot of people shy away from routines, systems and frameworks because they want to have “freedom.”
I’m sorry to disappoint you: Freedom is your enemy.
The fact is that, if you want to get things done, you need rules.
What are some things that research proved to be 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.
If you combine the right productivity tactics, you have a productivity system.
The deadlines create urgency, accountability will create responsibility, working in intervals improves your focus, exercising will give you more energy, so does a healthy diet, and eliminating distractions will take away the temptations.
But there’s no system that can help you if you don’t have an inner drive. People overcomplicate that concept, but it’s simple: Why do you do what you do?
If you don’t know. Make something up.
If you know why you’re doing something, even the most annoying tasks become bearable. It will become a part of the bigger picture.
So, instead of diving into work, take a step back, think about why you do what you do, and then rely on a system supports that. Not rocket science. Just science.
Source: How To Beat Procrastination (backed by science) – Darius Foroux