{"id":81577,"date":"2022-10-10T06:41:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-10T10:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=81577"},"modified":"2022-10-24T10:45:47","modified_gmt":"2022-10-24T14:45:47","slug":"overcoming-procrastination","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/overcoming-procrastination\/","title":{"rendered":"Overcoming Procrastination: Reclaim Control of Your Time"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Why do we put off things that matter to us the most? More importantly, how can you stop procrastinating<\/a> once and for all?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overcoming procrastination is not an easy feat, especially if you procrastinate for reasons that are beyond your control. However, you can put an end to procrastination if you first accept some realities as being beyond your control and then focus instead on controlling what you can: your behavior. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s also explore how you can work within the constraints of realities beyond your control by practicing healthy behaviors that replace procrastination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Reality 1: You Can\u2019t Choose Your Emotions\u2014But You Can Regulate Them<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First, the authors argue that the first step to overcoming procrastination is to learn how to regulate difficult emotions<\/a> that arise when you’re faced with a task. We\u2019ll begin this section by exploring some of the brain science behind emotional regulation. Then, we\u2019ll share two behaviors that support emotional regulation and reduce your dependence<\/a> on procrastination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Brain Science Behind Emotional Regulation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

According to Burka and Yuen, emotional regulation helps you calm<\/em> your fears rather than exaggerate <\/em>them. <\/strong>Your amygdala\u2014the part of your brain that processes threats\u2014produces fear when you encounter a task that consciously or unconsciously reminds you of negative, past experiences (such as family trauma or cultural marginalization). The amygdala sometimes exaggerates how threatening tasks are, pushing you to procrastinate<\/a>. However, your frontal cortex\u2014the part of your brain that thinks consciously\u2014has the capacity to quiet these fears so they don\u2019t take over and lead to procrastination. In this section, we\u2019ll explore two behaviors you can engage in to consciously calm your fears and seek out positive emotions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Behavior 1: Practicing Mindfulness<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Burka and Yuen argue that mindfulness provides you with time and space to regulate your emotions rather than letting them regulate <\/strong>you<\/em><\/strong>.<\/strong> Mindfulness is a millennia-old technique that emphasizes acceptance and focuses your awareness on the present. When you practice mindfulness, you observe your thoughts<\/a>, emotions, and bodily sensations, accepting them rather than critiquing yourself for feeling the way you do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The authors claim that mindfulness helps reduce the feelings of anxiety, fear, and stress that compel you to seek relief in procrastination.<\/strong> When a procrastinator typically anticipates a daunting task, their mind fills with fear (such as fear that the task will be too hard) followed by judgmental thoughts about those fears (such as \u201cEverything<\/em> is so hard for me\u2026I must be a loser\u201d). To practice mindfulness, instead try to notice your thoughts and emotions without <\/em>judging them. Nonjudgmental noticing is a calmer state of mind than the judgmental spiral of anxiety. You\u2019re more likely to tackle rather than avoid tasks when your mind is calm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many practice mindfulness through meditation<\/a>, but you can also practice it at any point throughout the day when you feel fear, dread, and anxiety<\/strong> in anticipation of a task. When you notice these feelings arising, pause for several seconds. Observe your emotions, thoughts, and sensations. Any time you catch yourself slipping into judgment, bring yourself back to the present moment by paying attention<\/a> to your body (such as your breath or heartbeat). Pausing and reconnecting to the current sensations in your body halts the neural processes that amplify your fears. Lower levels of fear are easier to regulate and less likely to cause procrastination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Behavior 2: Exercise<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Second, the authors argue that exercise gives you the energy to persist through your fear and seek out positive emotions. <\/strong>Let\u2019s examine three benefits of exercise<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, exercise boosts your mood. <\/strong>It releases endorphins, groups of hormones that generate positive feelings and leave you feeling optimistic that you\u2019ll succeed on upcoming tasks. Second, exercise promotes clear thinking<\/a>. <\/strong>Physical activity increases blood flow to your brain, helping you think more quickly and make new connections. This increases your capacity for persisting through challenging tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Third, exercise enables you to beat procrastination<\/a> because it helps you set realistic expectations. <\/strong>Physical activity releases a protein that supports the formation of new neurons in your brain\u2019s memory center (the hippocampus). A well-developed hippocampus helps you compare a present task to similar, past situations, enabling you to set realistic expectations for both your performance and its consequences. For example, imagine your fear of imperfection is causing you to procrastinate on writing a speech. Your hippocampus enables you to remember you\u2019ve given satisfactory speeches before. Remembering this, you reassure yourself that this speech will be fine, too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Burka and Yuen provide a strategy for making exercise part of your routine: Ensure the exercise itself is enjoyable and rewarding.<\/strong> Procrastinators often seek activities that are immediately rewarding. If completing <\/em>exercise is the only aspect of it that\u2019s rewarding, you\u2019re likely to procrastinate on it. To make exercise more rewarding, consider setting up a recurring exercise time with a friend. The reward of connecting with your friend will make exercising more pleasurable as<\/em> you do it, not just after<\/em> it\u2019s done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reality 2: You\u2019re Imperfect\u2014But You\u2019re Capable of Growth<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The second reality to accept is that you\u2019re imperfect. According to Burka and Yuen, you can beat procrastination by shifting your efforts from achieving perfection<\/em> to achieving growth<\/em>. <\/strong>Growth is a more realistic goal than perfection. When you approach tasks with a focus on improvement, they appear less daunting and your need to procrastinate dissipates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To demonstrate that it\u2019s possible to shift to a focus on growth, the authors reference the work of psychologist Carol Dweck. She argues that you can transition from a \u201cfixed mindset\u201d in which you fear imperfection to a \u201cgrowth mindset\u201d in which you embrace failure.<\/a> Let\u2019s compare these two mindsets<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n