Beat Procrastination

Lets talk about procrastination, and dive into what I learned about it that will debunk a few misconceptions we have about it. In doing so, I hope you will be able to get back to the things you want to do more quickly and more consistently.

Procrastination does serve a creative purpose in certain settings, but the from of procrastination more pertinent to personal development is called destructive procrastination. This is when you put off things you know you need to do fully aware that there will be consequences. 

Something we need to understand about procrastination is that it is actually a defense mechanism to stress that provides with mini hits of dopamine that help us cope.  The problem is that procrastinating exacerbates the problem over time.

Mel Robbins proposed an easy 3 step solution to overcoming procrastination that I want to share. The first step is to forgive yourself. By removing guilt from your experience, you’ll be more objective about the task at hand. The second step is to picture your future self, meaning you look at your present self from a critical and more experienced lens. This disassociation can be very motivating. The final step is to engage in a starting ritual that initiates action.  Mel Robbins’ famous starting ritual is her 5 second rule, but starting rituals can be physical as well as psychological, like a clap, stretch, or breathing pattern. 

Overcome your procrastination once and for all and never look back. The hardest part is starting, and it gets easier every day moving forward.