BREAK THE CYCLE OF PROCRASTINATION
Iamgr8 Academy 
We have all been there, standing in front of a sink full of dishes, scrubbing them like it’s the most important task in the world, all while knowing there’s something else we really should be doing. Or maybe it’s folding laundry with such precision it could win an award, when that project with an upcoming deadline is the task we’re avoiding. So, why do we do this? Why do we procrastinate?
Procrastination is not just about being lazy or avoiding difficult tasks out of fear of failure. It’s a bit more complex and has a lot to do with our state of mind. Procrastination is like friction that builds resistance when you want to do something you planned on doing.
Imagine this: you have got a big task ahead, like writing a report or completing an important assignment. Instead of doing that, your brain decides that now is the perfect time to reorganise your entire closet or binge-watch a show you’ve already seen three times. Why? Because our brain is wired to favour immediate rewards over prospects.
Our brains are designed to seek immediate gratification. It’s like our mind is wired to tell you that it needs that hit of dopamine rather than focussing on long-term benefits. For example, for someone in their 20s or 30s, buying a new pair of shoes right now feels way more rewarding than the abstract idea of saving for retirement. The shoes are tangible, they’re immediate, and your brain is happy.
When it comes to tasks that are important but not immediately rewarding, like working on a long-term project, our present self is demotivated to start right away. Our brain can’t see the satisfaction of completing it as clearly as it can see the fun in scrolling through social media. So, we delay the task, hoping that maybe, just maybe, future us will be more motivated. It is rather motivated later, because the consequences become present.
It is by making rewards immediate that we can do that task right away. Want to iron that huge pile of clothes? Just put your favourite TV show on and get right into it. Moreover, visualise the consequences and make them present. If you’re someone who works better under pressure, try setting smaller, self-imposed deadlines. If you know you’ll feel stressed or anxious as the deadline approaches, use that as motivation to get started sooner. Procrastination is a normal part of being human, but it doesn’t have to control you.
Do these things, and your future self will thank you. And who knows? Maybe you’ll even enjoy that sense of accomplishment so much that you will start looking for more tasks, one task at a time!
Categories: : Mindset
