How to understand and then defeat procrastination

People have a hard time doing what they need to in modern times. Although this is usually attributed to distraction, I think there is something more existential about procrastination. Because technology has made things relatively easier, people naturally don't have to go through longer processes of doing things. Technology has also made inherently physical activities more mental. For instance, play used to mean going outside, and getting your hands dirty. But many people can play video games indoors, or get entertainment from social media, which requires much less physical strain. Another example is how people can order food to their homes, rather than cooking or having to go to a restaurant.

This lack of physicality is growing at a rapid pace, in an age where everything is being automated. And I think a key missing ingredient in our day to day lives that strips us of natural stimulus and, as a result, of much needed dopamine and escape. The fact that this is only a recent discovery for me is quite fascinating. In my 23 years of life, I was not able to understand that much of the sadness I had experienced earlier in my life was partially due to being sedentary outside of the gym.

Strangely, I had believed that going to the gym was enough, but what I didn't understand was that even in day to day affairs, the physical ritual of doing something puts you more at a greater mental state. Something as basic as cooking a simple breakfast can make you feel like you achieved a goal, and can snap you out of a negative feedback loop. I think this has a lot to do with the problem of being "trapped in your own thoughts", going further down the rabbit hole of the echo chamber of the mind.

I remember watching an Elliot Hulse video about how being charismatic revolved around body language, and that really got me thinking how much we ignore that when we collectively admire someone's intelligence. When we talk of passion, it is not just about how intelligent or good someone is, but how much someone has absorbed their expertise through their body. I find myself attracted to people who speak as if there is no one else in their room besides their idea.

But this level of passion does not come from taking shortcuts. I think we lose something vital in not learning at least some things the hard way. If everything comes easy to us, we value it less, which is why less talented players but hard working players are often the victors in sport.

This is not to say that I completely disagree with being efficient in our lives, quite often it is necessary. All I am saying is that doing things the hard way should not be forgotten, and indeed celebrated, because one day we may need to grind things out, instead of having other processes and such as automation solve our problems for us.

A friend of mine talked about finding the accountability to finish his own projects today, and that was an interesting conversation I thought I might mention. How can we be accountable to ourselves? In a way we have it easy at work, because we have managers, deadlines and the ladder to hold us accountable. Something as serious as our livelihood is on the line, so how can we transfer the same motivation into a passion that doesn’t necessarily have the same consequence?

The hardest thing to do is start. When you see a blank page, so to speak, it limits you. You have your idea and the blank page, but nothing in between until you have the bravery to write the first sentence. The next parts flow a little more easily, but how you start is vital; it brings gravity to the project.

I think people overlook the planning aspect of it, and more importantly, setting incremental deadlines. I had a goal this month to write two steemit articles a week, for instance. So far I’ve been successful, and it feels good to celebrate that. It’s not a monetary goal, or even a matter of how much I’ve been read. It’s a matter of work, getting involved in it, and letting it overcome you.

At a certain point in whatever project you associate yourself with, it does not become about you anymore, it becomes about the quality of the project. So two steps to take with procrastination is a)getting yourself involved in good projects, and b)making sure you finish them incrementally. That way we can solve the existential crisis of making our lives meaningful while also being able to finish what we start.

Clever regimens always boil down to the state of your mind and how you deal with yourself on the difficult days. It’s hard work to carry forward despite not wanting to, but you have to place a certain amount of trust in the process. Which is why planning is so important. If you have a plan you are willing to put faith in, the rest is leg work on your end. The self-doubt is virtually eradicated with that faith.

If you are having minor trouble with procrastinating, the above advice may be useful. But if you are having major trouble with procrastinating, I will share something I’ve found that really helps.

Find a physical routine, and do it every day for 30 days. It can be anything that is challenging. It can be as difficult as taking a freezing cold shower, or as simple as doing 10 push ups at the same time each morning. The important part is, you are able to complete it despite having days you don’t want to do complete it. This simple activity will give you the confidence to go forward and do more challenging things, like long term projects.

Little by little will become enough.