How to beat procrastination (backed by science)

How to beat procrastination (backed by science)How to beat procrastination (backed by science)Procrastination has been around since the departeure of modern civilization.Historical figures like Herodotus, Leonardo Da Vinci, Pablo Picasso, Benjamin Franklin, Eleanor Roosevelt, and hundreds of others havetalked abouthow procrastination is the enemy of results.One of my favorite quotes about procrastination is from Abraham LincolnYou cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading ittoday.The funny thing about procrastination is that we all know that its harmful. Who actually likes to procrastinate? No one enjoys doing that. Me neither.And yet, procrastination was the story of my life. When I was in college, every semester, this would happenIn the beginning of each semester, I was the coolest mofo on the planet. Relaxing, going out, enjoying myself. Big time.I experienced no stress whatsoever. However, about a week before my exams, I would freak out.Dude, why didnt you begin ear lier?I would tell myself.And what would follow is an ugly sight of me, with a bunch of Red Bull cans, locked up in my room - freaking out while I was studying.And research shows exactly that When you procrastinate, you might feel better in the short-term, but you will suffer in the long-term.It doesnt really matter why you procrastinate. Some love the pressure of deadlines. Some are afraid to fail so they put it off until the very last moment.One thing that all procrastinators have in common is that procrastination has a price.This highly cited study, published in the American Psychological Society journal, by Dianne Tice and Roy Baumeister discusses the cost of procrastination. It is related toDepressionIrrational beliefsLow self-esteemAnxietyStressProcrastination is not innocent behavior. Its a sign of poor self-regulation.Researcherseven compare procrastination to alcohol and drug abuse.Its some serious shit. And Ive experienced that for many years.The years after I got out of c ollege were also a struggle in terms of starting and finishing work. Procrastination is a habit that just sneaks into your system.Its not something you can shake easily. Every time I had a business idea or wanted to start something, it went like thisEvery time I had an idea or a goal, I would start, but along the way, things would go wrong. I went from start to total chaos.Distractions, other ideas, other opportunities, failure, negative self-talk, etc, would get in the way.And the results are always the same You never get anything done.Beating procrastinationTo me, the key finding from the study by Dianne Tice and Roy Baumeister is thisThe present evidence suggests that procrastinators enjoy themselves rather than working at assigned tasks, until the rising pressure of imminent deadlines forces them to get to work. In this view, procrastination may derive from a lack of self-regulation and hence a dependency on externally imposed forces to motivatework.Self-regulation, self-control , willpower, are all things that we overestimate. We thinkYeah sure, I will write a novel in 3 weeks.In our minds, were all geniuses and mentally strong. But when the work comes, we cop out.If youre a procrastinator, you cant help but delay work. And thats true for the small and big tasks.Sure, everybody fears to step outside of their comfort zone - thats why we call themcomfortzones. It takes courage to make a bold move.But it sure doesnt take any courage to complete small tasks like paying bills, printing out something for your boss, doing taxes, etc.The truth is Procrastination has nothing to do with what youre trying to do - small or big, it can wait until later. It can always wait, right?For me, completing tasks, went like thisThere comes a moment between the start and end of a task- I call it the slope of procrastination- when you give intoonedistraction. And thats exactly the moment you give up being productive.You start working on a task, youre excited, youre focused, but then, after some time, you think Lets read the berichterstattung for a second.It always starts withjustone thing.Then, you think I might as well watch one episode of Game Of Thrones. Then, a video on YouTube- and thenanotherone. Then, a little bit of Instagram browsing. And so forth.It always ends with a bangThis is the last time Im wasting my timeYeah, right.Willpower doesnt work SystemsdoWhat you really need is a system for doing work. A lot of people shy away from routines, systems and frameworks because they want to have freedom.Im sorry to disappoint you Freedom is your enemy.The fact is that, if you want to get things done, you need rules.What are some things that research proved to be effective?Self-imposed deadlines.Accountability systems (commitment with friends, or a coach).Working/studying in intervals.Exercising 30 minutes a day.A healthy diet.Eliminating distractions.And most importantly Internal motivation.If you combine the right productivitytactics, you have a produc tivitysystem.The deadlines create urgency, accountability will create responsibility, working in intervals improves your focus, exercising will give you more energy, so does a healthy diet, and eliminating distractions will take away the temptations.But theres no system that can help you if you dont have an inner drive. People overcomplicate that concept, but its simpleWhy do you do what you do?If you dont know. Make something up.If you know why youre doing something, even the most annoying tasks become bearable. It will become a part of the bigger picture.So, instead of diving into work, take a step back, think about why you do what you do, and then rely on a system supports that. Not rocket science. Justscience.Thisarticleoriginally appeared onDariusForoux.com.