From Stalling to Starting: My Procrastination Cure

Let’s face it, Wednesday mornings are tough. But this particular Wednesday took the cake. A calendar notification flashed “Article Readiness” at 10:00 AM, sending a wave of panic through me. Two days left to publish my first ever article, and I hadn’t made a final decision. While brainstorming topics, I realized I wasn’t alone in this struggle. After all, every successful productivity guide author has experienced procrastination, right? How else would they have material for their books?

But why do we procrastinate? What mysterious force keeps us from diving into our tasks? Despite the fast-approaching deadline, I found myself falling into the procrastination trap. Thankfully, my current read was about productivity, with a whole section dedicated to procrastination in Ali Abdaal’s “Feel-good Productivity.”

The procrastination cycle sourced from Google Images

Why We Procrastinate:

The fear of crafting flawless content and inadequacy paralyzed me. As I delved deeper, I saw myself reflected in the book’s scenarios. Two key reasons for procrastination emerged:

1. Fear: The Amygdala’s Role

Our brains harbor the threat detector — the amygdala. When confronted with challenges, it perceives them as threats. Even if we logically understand that delaying a task will lead to stress down the line, our amygdala prioritizes immediate threat removal, translating into fear — fear of perfection, failure, judgment, choosing the wrong topic, or simply not being good enough.

2. Inertia: Newton’s Law in Action

Remember Newton’s first law of motion? “An object at rest stays at rest, while an object in motion stays in motion.” Getting started requires more energy than continuing. Just like an object at rest, it’s easy to remain inactive, while maintaining momentum once working. Initiating a challenging task requires that initial burst of energy, and overcoming inertia can be difficult.

Overcoming procrastination:

While numerous reasons and methods exist to tackle procrastination, two practical experiments proved most effective for me:

1. The Confidence Equation:

Sometimes, self-doubt and the fear of inadequacy hold us back. We convince ourselves we’re not good enough, not ready enough, not confident enough.

Self-confidence = Perception of ability — Perception of standards.

So, to overcome self-doubt, question these:

• How confident do I need to feel to just start?
• Can I begin even if I’m not feeling confident?

In most cases, the answer is yes. Just start, even if it feels shaky. Perfection can wait.

Self-doubt versus Self-confidence image sourced from Google Images

2. The 5-minute Rule:

Feeling overwhelmed can also hinder your ability to start a task. Our mood and energy levels can play a big role in procrastination too. Here’s an ancient hack called the 5-Minute Rule:

• Commit to just 5 minutes of working on the task.
• Focus on the part you’re most avoiding in those 5 minutes.
• Then, decide to keep going or take a break.

You’ll be surprised how often 5 minutes turns into productive progress!

The Win:

These techniques worked wonders for me. I committed to just five minutes of work, even with low confidence. Surprisingly, my complete first draft emerged in just 45 minutes, followed by revisions. As the saying goes, once you start, it’s easier to keep going. Remember, progress, not perfection, is the goal!

Reflection and Invitation:

Reflecting on my experience, I identified my reasons for procrastination. I’m curious to hear about your challenges and how you overcame them. Share your experiences in the comments.