5. How to actually get things done? Battle procrastination not with self-control
Description
Do you keep putting things off although you have to do it some time anyway?
Do you keep avoiding work with a ton of fancy reasons (excuses)?
Do you behave like a normal human being and procrastinate?
I know I do, and that’s why I did all these research to try to understand how to cope with procrastination, both the short-term ones and long-term ones.
Drawing on the TED Talk "Inside the mind of a master procrastinator" by Tim Urban, we discuss two main types of procrastination:
Timestamps
[05:13 ] Short-term procrastination
Willpower doesn’t work, but the following techniques do. Keep experimenting until you find the ones that suit you the best
- [07:43 ] Brain dump
- [08:58 ] 2-min rule
- [11:47 ] Set the bar low
- [13:28 ] Break it down into small chunks
- [13:54 ] Optimise your environment
- [14:42 ] Self-imposed deadline
- [15:41 ] Timeblocking /pomodoro
- [17:06 ] Take after your well-being
- [17:44 ] Stop working
[18:50 ] Long-term procrastination
We never take actions because of one thing. And that thing, is just, so, boring.
References
- Tim Urban: Inside the mind of a master procrastinator | TED
- Mel Robbins: How to stop screwing yourself over | TED
- Keep Going - Book by Austin Kleon
- Getting Things Done - Book by David Allen
- Atomic Habits - Book by James Clear
- Willpower Doesn't Work - Book by Benjamin Hardy
- Big Magic - Book by Elizabeth Gilbert
- Procrastination – 7 Steps to Cure (Youtube)
- Why you procrastinate even when it feels bad (Youtube)
- Avoiding procrastination in 3, 2, 1: Learn about the 2-minute rule
- Using Brain Dumping to Manage Your Mental Health
- Big Magic
- Getting things done
- Pomodoro Technique
Contact me
Email: sijiashen1998@gmail.com



