The one-sentence solution to almost all procrastination (no, really) (2012)(web.archive.org)
web.archive.org
The one-sentence solution to almost all procrastination (no, really) (2012)
http://web.archive.org/web/20120625070930/https://www.oliverburkeman.com/blog/posts/the-one-sentence-solution-to-almost-all-procrastination-no-really
12 comments
Phew, as someone with ADHD I don’t even know how to start addressing this article. In short, the one sentence advice is all great as long as you get the appropriate dopamine hit from completing a task, and staying on doesn’t require a ton of effort. Personally, for me throughout my time working with an ADHD coach, real progress finally came when I optimized the exact opposite - the moment where I have to fight myself to start a task, or stay on it. At that point, getting motivated is the goal that helps me lower the energy threshold for focus, which is abnormally high for folks with ADHD
I found this YouTube much more actionable: https://youtu.be/i2EEnJedcYU
A better one liner from the video: procrastination isn't a time management problem but an emotion management problem.
A better one liner from the video: procrastination isn't a time management problem but an emotion management problem.
I never watched any Willink stuff before but gave a listen to his interview on Huberman's podcast and he had a great quote that goes something like "discipline beats motivation". Looking it up on youtube here's another clip of him describing it: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/sut_6KGzIlI
Great advice, unless you’re looking exactly for a way to do something without feeling bad.
There are roughly two types of people: those who chase goals and those who seek ways. Both are valuable, but this advice only covers the former. Goal-chasers can run with a pebble in their shoes for a while and enjoy a reward in the end. Way-seekers run forever, there’s no end, their joy is in the run itself. It’s hard to “just do it” when you’re doomed to do it all your life till death and it’s not fun.
There are roughly two types of people: those who chase goals and those who seek ways. Both are valuable, but this advice only covers the former. Goal-chasers can run with a pebble in their shoes for a while and enjoy a reward in the end. Way-seekers run forever, there’s no end, their joy is in the run itself. It’s hard to “just do it” when you’re doomed to do it all your life till death and it’s not fun.
If you don't want to do something, why is it on your to-do list?
It feels like people have multiple competing systems trying to set priorities, and this is arguing that one of those systems is the only one worth listening to.
I procrastinate for the same reason I have a backlog. Because not everything I'd like to do is urgent. But I don't experience it as some inner war with myself and I don't think the key is to totally ignore the signal from my feelings, and buy into the tyranny of the the piece of paper I arbitrarily made up yesterday.
If you feel bad about a goal, maybe it's a bad goal?
Advice is like vitamins, useful for specific deficiencies and mostly harmless for the rest of is. I'm sure there are people who need to hear the advice in this post, but I think the counterpoint that maybe your intuition about a task isn't a thing to be silenced is also worth making.
It feels like people have multiple competing systems trying to set priorities, and this is arguing that one of those systems is the only one worth listening to.
I procrastinate for the same reason I have a backlog. Because not everything I'd like to do is urgent. But I don't experience it as some inner war with myself and I don't think the key is to totally ignore the signal from my feelings, and buy into the tyranny of the the piece of paper I arbitrarily made up yesterday.
If you feel bad about a goal, maybe it's a bad goal?
Advice is like vitamins, useful for specific deficiencies and mostly harmless for the rest of is. I'm sure there are people who need to hear the advice in this post, but I think the counterpoint that maybe your intuition about a task isn't a thing to be silenced is also worth making.
Taxes. I hate them. But they are on my todo list. Life is full of things we have to do but don’t want to.
A similar piece of advice for entrepreneurs is, "don't work your feels, work your list". Don't wait until you feel like doing something, work on things that need to be done in order of impact and priority.
I'm not sure this addresses the nature of internal resistance, a strong anti-motivational force that seems to shut down productivity even after you've started working on something.
Of course, if there were a "one-sentence solution to all procrastination" that was actionable then there wouldn't be thousands of self-help books and web site posts on how to overcome it.
Of course, if there were a "one-sentence solution to all procrastination" that was actionable then there wouldn't be thousands of self-help books and web site posts on how to overcome it.
TLDR:Don’t wait until you feel like doing something
The given quote by the Japanese psychotherapist captures the intent better:
> “Give up on yourself. Begin taking action now, while being neurotic or imperfect, or a procrastinator, or unhealthy, or lazy, or any other label by which you inaccurately describe yourself. Go ahead and be the best imperfect person you can be and get started on those things you want to accomplish before you die.”
> “Give up on yourself. Begin taking action now, while being neurotic or imperfect, or a procrastinator, or unhealthy, or lazy, or any other label by which you inaccurately describe yourself. Go ahead and be the best imperfect person you can be and get started on those things you want to accomplish before you die.”
Japanese psychotherapist Shoma Morita, for anyone wondering:
https://www.theatlantic.com/daily-dish/archive/2011/01/quote...
https://www.theatlantic.com/daily-dish/archive/2011/01/quote...
Trying to strike the fear of death into yourself to beat procrastination is an interesting strategy which seems to have a serious failure mode if your backlog seems overwhelming to the point of being hopeless or impossible.
it doesn't really work either unless you're going to die in a couple months
From 2012
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