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HowtoBeatProcrastination
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ByTimUrban

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ThisisPart2.YouwontgetPart2ifyouhaventreadPart1yet.HeresPart1.
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pro-cras-ti-na-tion|prkrastnSHn,pr-|
noun
theactionofruiningyourownlifefornoapparentreason

RandomPost

LetmestartbysayingthatIvehadjustaboutenoughoftheironyofbattlingthroughcrippling
procrastinationwhiletryingtowritepostsonprocrastinationandhowtobeatit.Ivespentthelasttwo
weeksbeingthisguy,whoshootshimselfinthefootwhiletalkingaboutgunsafety,andIlookforward
togettingbacktoirony-freeprocrastinationfollowingthispost.
Acouplenotesbeforewebegin:
Imnotaprofessionalatanyofthis,justalifelongprocrastinatorwhothinksaboutthistopicall
thetime.Imstillinatotalbattlewithmyownhabits,butIhavemadesomeprogressinthelast
fewyears,andImdrawingmythoughtsfromwhatsworkedforme.
Thispostwaspostedlate,notonlybecauseittookme2,000yearstodo,butalsobecauseI
decidedthatMondaynightwasanurgenttimetoopenGoogleEarth,hoverafewhundredfeet
abovethesoutherntipofIndia,andscrollallthewayupIndiatothetopofthecountry,togeta
betterfeelforIndia.Ihaveproblems.
Allright,solastweekwedoveintotheeverydayinnerstruggleoftheprocrastinatortoexaminethe
underlyingpsychologygoingon.Butthisweek,whenwereactuallytryingtodosomethingaboutit,we
needtodigevendeeper.Letsbeginbytryingtounwraptheprocrastinatorspsychologyandsee
whatsreallyatthecoreofthings:
WeknowabouttheInstantGratificationMonkey(thepartofyourbrainthatmakesyouprocrastinate)
andhisdominionovertheRationalDecisionMaker,butwhatsreallyhappeningthere?
Theprocrastinatorisinthebadhabit,borderingonaddiction,oflettingthemonkeywin.Hecontinues
tohavetheintentiontocontrolthemonkey,butheputsforthahaplesseffort,usingthesameprovennot-to-workmethodshesusedforyears,anddeepdown,heknowsthemonkeywillwin.Hevowsto
change,butthepatternsjuststaythesame.Sowhywouldanotherwisecapablepersonputforthsuch
alameandfutileeffortagainandagain?
Theansweristhathehasincrediblylowconfidencewhenitcomestothispartofhislife,allowing
himselftobecomeenslavedbyaself-defeating,self-fulfillingprophecy.Letscallthisself-fulfilling
prophecyhisStoryline.TheprocrastinatorsStorylinegoessomethinglikethis:

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FortheHave-To-Dosinmylife,Illendupwaitinguntilthelastminute,panicking,andtheneitherdoing
lessthanmybestworkorshuttingdownandnotdoinganythingatall.FortheWant-To-Dosinmylife,
letsbehonestIlleitherstartoneandquitormorelikely,Ijustwontevergetaroundtoit.
Theprocrastinatorsproblemsrundeep,andittakessomethingmorethanbeingmoreselfdisciplinedorchanginghisbadhabitsforhimtochangehiswaystherootoftheproblemis
embeddedinhisStoryline,andhisStorylineiswhatmustchange.
***
BeforewetalkabouthowStorylineschange,letsexamine,concretely,whattheprocrastinatoreven
wantstochangeinto.Whatdotherighthabitsevenlooklike,andwhereexactlywilltheprocrastinator
runintotrouble?
Therearetwocomponentsofbeingabletoachievethingsinahealthyandeffectivemannerplanning
anddoing.Letsstartwiththeeasyone:

PuttingTimeIn
PerspectiveUPDATED

448

Procrastinatorsloveplanning,quitesimplybecauseplanningdoesnotinvolvedoing,anddoingisthe
procrastinatorsKryptonite.
Butwhenprocrastinatorsplan,theyliketodoitinavaguewaythatdoesntconsiderdetailsorreality
tooclosely,andtheirplanningleavesthemperfectlysetuptonotactuallyaccomplishanything.A
procrastinatorsplanningsessionleaveshimwithadoersnightmare:

229

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alistlikethat,themonkeysays,Ohperfect,thisiseasy.Evenifyourgullibleconsciousmindbelieves
itintendstoaccomplishtheitemsonthatlistinanefficientmanner,themonkeyknowsthatinyour
subconscious,youhavenointentionofdoingso.
Effectiveplanning,ontheotherhand,setsyouupforsuccess.Itspurposeistodotheexactoppositeof

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everythinginthatsentence:

Effectiveplanningtakesabiglistandselectsawinner:

Abiglistisperhapsanearlyphaseofplanning,butplanningmustendwithrigorousprioritizingand

oneitemthatemergesasthewinnertheitemyouregoingtomakeyourfirstpriority.Andtheitem
thatwinsshouldbetheonethatmeansthemosttoyoutheitemthatsmostimportantforyour
happiness.Ifurgentitemsareinvolved,thosewillhavetocomefirstandshouldbeknockedoutas
quicklyaspossibleinordertomakewayfortheimportantitems(procrastinatorslovetouse
unimportantbuturgentitemsasanexcusetoforeverputofftheimportantones).

Effectiveplanningmakesanickyitemun-icky:

Weallknowwhatanickyitemis.Anickyitemisvagueandmurky,andyourenotreallysurewhere
youdstart,howyoudgoaboutdoingit,orwhereyoudgetanswerstoyourquestionsaboutit.
Soletssayyourdreamistomakeyourownapp,andyouknowthatifyoubuildasuccessfulappyou
couldquityourjobandbecomeafull-timedeveloper.Youalsothinkthatprogrammingabilityisthe
literacyofthe21stcentury,andyoudonthavemoneytospendoutsourcingdevelopmentanyway,so
youdecidetoanointLearnhowtocodethewinningitemonyourlistthenumberonepriority.
Exciting,right?
Well,no,becauseLearnhowtocodeisanintenselyickyitemandeverytimeyoudecideitstimeto
getstarted,youwillcoincidentallyalsodecideyourinboxneedstobecleanedoutandyourkitchen
floorneedstobemopped,ASAP.Itllneverenduphappening.
Toun-ickytheitem,youneedtoread,research,andaskquestionstofindoutexactlyhowonelearns
howtocode,thespecificmeansnecessaryforeachstepalongtheway,andhowlongeachoneshould
take.Un-ickyingalistitemturnsitfromthis:

Intothis:

Effectiveplanningturnsadauntingitemintoaseriesofsmall,clear,manageabletasks:

IckycombineswithDauntingintoanInstantGratificationMonkeysteroidpotion.Andjustbecauseyou
un-ickyanitem,itdoesntmeanitsstillnothorriblybiganddaunting.Thekeytode-dauntifyingan
itemistoabsorbthisfact:

Aremarkable,gloriousachievementisjustwhatalongseriesofunremarkable,unglorioustaskslooks
likefromfaraway.
Noonebuildsahouse.Theylayonebrickagainand
againandagainandtheendresultisahouse.
Procrastinatorsaregreatvisionariestheyloveto
fantasizeaboutthebeautifulmansiontheywilloneday
havebuiltbutwhattheyneedtobearegritty
constructionworkers,whomethodicallylayonebrickafter
theother,dayafterday,withoutgivingup,untilahouseis
built.
Nearlyeverybigundertakingcanbeboileddowntoacore
unitofprogressitsbrick.A45-minutegymvisitisthe
brickofgettingingreatshape.A30-minutepractice
sessionisthebrickofbecomingagreatguitarist.
Theaveragedayinawannabeauthorsweekandarealauthorsweeklooksalmostthesame.Thereal
authorwritesacouplepages,layingabrick,andthewannabeauthorwritesnothing.98%oftheirdayis
otherwiseidentical.Butayearlater,therealauthorhasacompletedfirstdraftofabookandthe
wannabeauthorhasnothing.
Itsallaboutthebricks.
Andthegoodnewsis,layingonebrickisntdaunting.Butbricksdorequirescheduling.Sothefinalstep
inplanningistomakeaBrickTimeline,whichslotsbricksintothecalendar.Theslotsarenonnegotiableandnon-cancellableafterall,itsyourfirstpriorityandthethingthatmattersmosttoyou,
isntit?Themostimportantdateisthefirstone.YoucantstartlearningtocodeinNovember.But
youcanstartlearningtocodeonNovember21stfrom6:007:00pm.
Nowyoureeffectivelyplannedjustfollowthescheduleandyoullbeaprogrammer.Onlythingleftis
todo

Doing

Itsnotthatprocrastinatorsdontliketheconceptofdoing.Theylookatthebricksontheircalendar
andtheythink,Great,thiswillbefun.Andthatsbecausewhentheypicturethemomentinthefuture
whentheysitdownandknockoutaworksession,theypicturethingswithoutthepresenceofthe
InstantGratificationMonkey.Procrastinatorsvisionsoffuturescenariosneverseemtoincludethe
monkey.
Butwhentheactualmomentarrivestobeginthatscheduledbrick-laying,theprocrastinatordoeswhat
theprocrastinatordoesbestheletsthemonkeytakeoverandruineverything.
Andsincewejuststressedabovethatallachievementboilsdowntotheabilitytolaythatonebrick
duringthatslotwhenitsonyourschedule,weseemtohaveisolatedthecorestrugglehere.Lets
examinethisspecificchallengeoflayingasinglebrick:

Sothisdiagramrepresentsthechallengeathandanytimeyoutakeonatask,whetheritsmakinga
PowerPointforwork,goingonajog,workingonascript,oranythingelseyoudoinyourlife.The
CriticalEntranceiswhereyougotoofficiallystartworkonthetask,theDarkWoodsaretheprocessof
actuallydoingthework,andonceyoufinish,yourerewardedbyendingupinTheHappyPlayground
aplacewhereyoufeelsatisfactionandwhereleisuretimeispleasantandrewardingbecauseyougot
somethingharddone.Youoccasionallyevenendupsuper-engagedwithwhatyoureworkingonand
enterastateofFlow,whereyouresoblissfullyimmersedinthetaskthatyoulosetrackoftime.
Thosepathslooksomethinglikethis:

Soundsprettysimple,right?
Wellunfortunatelyforprocrastinators,theytendtomissoutonbothTheHappyPlaygroundandFlow.
Forexample,heresaprocrastinatorthatneverevengetsstartedonthetaskhessupposedtodo,
becausehenevermakesitthroughtheCriticalEntrance.Instead,hespendshourswallowinginThe
DarkPlayground,hatinghimself:

Heresaprocrastinatorwhogetsstartedonthetask,butshecantstayfocused,andshekeepstaking
longbreakstoplayontheinternetandmakefood.Shedoesntendupfinishingthetask:

Heresaprocrastinatorwhocouldntbringhimselftogetstarted,eventhoughaworkdeadlinewas
approaching,andhespenthoursinTheDarkPlayground,knowingtheloomingdeadlinewasdrawing
nearandhewasonlymakinghislifeharderbynotstarting.Eventually,thedeadlinegotsoclose,the
PanicMonstersuddenlycameroaringintotheroom,freakinghimoutandcausinghimtoflythrough
thetasktohitthedeadline.

Afterhefinishes,hefeelsdecentbecauseheaccomplishedsomething,buthesalsonotthatpleased
becauseheknowshedidanunderwhelmingjobontheprojectbecausehehadtorushsomuch,and
hefeelslikehewastedmostofhisdayprocrastinatingfornoreason.ThislandshiminMixedFeelings
Park.
Soifyoureaprocrastinator,letslookatwhatyouneedtodotogetontherightpath,onethatwill
leaveyoumuchhappier.
ThefirstthingyoumustdoismakeitthroughtheCriticalEntrance.Thismeansstoppingwhatever
youredoingwhenitstimetobeginthetask,puttingawayalldistractions,andgettingstarted.It

soundssimple,butthisisthehardestpart.ThisiswheretheInstantGratificationMonkeyputsuphis
fiercestresistance:

Themonkeyabsolutelyhatesstoppingsomethingfuntostartsomethinghard,andthisiswhereyou
needtobethestrongest.IfyoucangetstartedandforcethemonkeyintotheDarkWoods,youve
brokenabitofhiswill.
Ofcourse,hesnotgoingtogiveupanytimesoon.
TheDarkWoodsiswhereyouarewhenyoureworking.Itsnotafunplacetobe,andtheInstant
GratificationMonkeywantsnothingtodowithit.Tomakethingsharder,theDarkWoodsissurrounded
bytheDarkPlayground,oneofthemonkeysfavoriteplaces,andsincehecanseehowcloseitis,hell
tryashardashecantoleavetheDarkWoods.
Therewillalsobetimeswhenyoubumpintoatreemaybethejogistakingyouonanuphillstreet,
maybeyouneedtouseanExcelformulayoudontknow,maybethatsongyourewritingjustisnt
comingtogetherthewayyouthoughtitwouldandthisiswhenthemonkeywillmakehisboldest
attemptatanescape.

ItmakesnosensetoleavetheDarkWoodsinfavoroftheDarkPlaygroundtheyrebothdark.They
bothsucktobein,butthebigdifferenceistheDarkWoodsleadstohappinessandtheDark
Playgroundleadsonlytomoremisery.ButtheInstantGratificationMonkeyisntlogicalandtohim,the
DarkPlaygroundseemslikemuchmorefun.
Thegoodnewsis,ifyoucanpowerthroughabitoftheDarkWoods,somethingfunnyhappens.Making
progressonataskproducespositivefeelingsofaccomplishmentandraisesyourself-esteem.The
monkeygainshisstrengthoffoflowself-esteem,andwhenyoufeelajoltofself-satisfaction,the
monkeyfindsaHighSelf-EsteemBananainhispath.Itdoesntquellhisresistanceentirely,butitgoes
alongwaytodistractinghimforawhile,andyoullfindthattheurgetoprocrastinatehasdiminished.

Then,ifyoucontinuealong,somethingmagicalhappens.Onceyouget2/3or3/4ofthewaythrougha
task,especiallyifitsgoingwell,youstarttofeelgreataboutthingsandsuddenly,theendisinsight.
Thisisakeytippingpoint

TheTippingPointisimportantbecauseitsnotjustyouwhocansmelltheHappyPlaygroundupahead
themonkeycansmellittoo.Themonkeydoesntcareifhisinstantgratificationcomesalongsideyou
oratyourexpense,hejustlovesthingsthatareeasyandfun.OnceyouhittheTippingPoint,the
monkeybecomesmoreinterestedingettingtotheHappyPlaygroundthantheDarkPlayground.When
thishappens,youloseallimpulsetoprocrastinateandnowbothyouandthemonkeyarespeeding
towardthefinish.

Beforeyouknowit,youredone,andyoureintheHappyPlayground.Now,forthefirsttimeinawhile,
youandthemonkeyareateam.Youbothwanttohavefun,anditfeelsgreatbecauseitsearned.
Whenyouandthemonkeyareonateam,yourealmostalwayshappy.

TheotherthingthatmighthappenwhenyoupasstheTippingPoint,dependingonthetypeoftaskand
howwellitsgoing,isthatyoumightstartfeelingfantasticaboutwhatyoureworkingon,sofantastic
thatcontinuingtoworksoundslikemuchmorefunthanstoppingtodoleisureactivities.Youve
becomeobsessedwiththetaskandyouloseinterestinbasicallyeverythingelse,includingfoodand
timethisiscalledFlow.Flowisnotonlyablissfulfeeling,itsusuallywhenyoudogreatthings.
Themonkeyisjustasaddictedtotheblissasyouare,andyoutwoareagainateam.

FightingthroughtotheTippingPointishard,butwhatmakesprocrastinationsohardtobeatisthat
theInstantGratificationMonkeyhasaterriblyshort-termmemoryevenifyouwildlysucceedon
Monday,whenyoubeginataskonTuesday,themonkeyhasforgotteneverythingandwillagainresist
enteringtheDarkWoodsorworkingthroughthem.
Andthatswhypersistenceissuchacriticalcomponentofsuccess.Layingeachbrickyieldsaninner
struggleandintheend,yourabilitytowinthisveryspecificstruggleandlaybrickafterbrick,dayafter
day,iswhatliesatthecoreofaprocrastinatorsstruggletogaincontroloverhisworld.
Sothatswhatneedstohappenbutifprocrastinationcouldbesolvedbyreadingablogentry,it
wouldntbesuchalargeprobleminsomanypeopleslives.Theresonlyonewaytotrulybeat
procrastination:

Youneedtoprovetoyourselfthatyoucandoit.

Youneedtoshowyourselfyoucandoit,nottellyourself.Thingswillchangewhenyoushowyourself
thattheycan.Untilthen,youwontbelieveit,andnothingwillchange.Thinkofyourselflikea
basketballplayeronacoldstreak.Forbasketballplayers,itsallaboutconfidence,andanicecold
shootercantellhimself1000times,Imagreatshooter,Imgoingtohitthisnextone,butitsnot
untilhephysicallyhitsashotthathisconfidencegoesupandhistouchcomesback.
Sohowdoyoustarthittingshots?
1)Trytointernalizethefactthateverythingyoudoisachoice.
Startbythinkingaboutthetermsweveusedintheseposts,andiftheyresonatedwithyou,writethem
down.PartofthereasonIassignedtermstosomanyofthesefeelingsorphenomenatheInstant
GratificationMonkey,theRationalDecision-Maker,thePanicMonster,theDarkPlayground,Ickiness,
Bricks,theCriticalEntrance,theDarkWoods,theTippingPoint,theHappyPlayground,Flow,your
Storylineisthattermshelpyouclarifytherealityofthechoicesyouremaking.Ithelpsexposebad
choicesandhighlightswhenitsmostcriticaltomakegoodones.
2)Createmethodstohelpyoudefeatthemonkey.
Somepossiblemethods:

Solicitexternalsupportbytellingoneormorefriendsorfamilymembersaboutagoalyoure
tryingtoaccomplishandaskingthemtoholdyoutoit.Ifthatshardforwhateverreason,emailit
tomeImastranger(contact@waitbutwhy.com)andjusttypingoutagoalandsendingittoa
realpersoncanhelpmakeitmorereal.(Someexpertsarguethattellingpeopleinyourlifeabout
agoalcanbecounterproductive,sothisdependsonyourparticularsituation.)
CreateaPanicMonsteriftheresnotalreadyoneinplaceifyouretryingtofinishanalbum,
scheduleaperformanceforafewmonthsfromnow,bookaspace,andsendoutaninvitationtoa
groupofpeople.
Ifyoureallywanttostartabusiness,quittingyourjobmakesthePanicMonsteryournew
roommate.
Ifyouretryingtowriteaconsistentblog,putnewposteveryTuesdayatthetopofthepage
Leavepost-itnotesforyourself,remindingyoutomakegoodchoices.
Setanalarmtoremindyourselftostartatask,ortoremindyouofthestakes.
Minimizedistractionsbyallmeansnecessary.IfTVsahugeproblem,sellyourTV.Iftheinternets
ahugeproblem,getasecondcomputerforworkthathasWifidisabled,andturnyourphoneon
AirplaneModeduringworksessions.
Lockyourselfintosomethingputdownanon-refundabledepositforlessonsoramembership.
Andifthemethodsyousetuparentworking,changethem.Setareminderforamonthfromnowthat
says,Havethingsimproved?Ifnot,changemymethods.
3)Aimforslow,steadyprogressStorylinesarerewrittenonepageatatime.
Inthesamewayagreatachievementhappensungloriousbrickbyungloriousbrick,adeeply-engrained
habitlikeprocrastinationdoesntchangeallatonce,itchangesonemodestimprovementatatime.
Remember,thisisallaboutshowingyourselfyoucandoit,sothekeyisnttobeperfect,buttosimply

improve.Theauthorwhowritesonepageadayhaswrittenabookafterayear.Theprocrastinatorwho
getsslightlybettereveryweekisatotallychangedpersonayearlater.
SodontthinkaboutgoingfromAtoZjuststartwithAtoB.ChangetheStorylinefromI
procrastinateoneveryhardtaskIdotoOnceaweek,Idoahardtaskwithoutprocrastinating.Ifyou
candothat,youvestartedatrend.Imstillawretchedprocrastinator,butImdefinitelybetterthanI
waslastyear,soIfeelhopefulaboutthefuture.
WhydoIthinkaboutthistopicsomuch,andwhydidIjustwritea19,000pageblogpostonit?
Becausedefeatingprocrastinationisthesamethingasgainingcontroloveryourownlife.Somuchof
whatmakespeoplehappyorunhappytheirleveloffulfillmentandsatisfaction,theirself-esteem,the
regretstheycarrywiththem,theamountoffreetimetheyhavetodedicatetotheirrelationshipsis
severelyaffectedbyprocrastination.Soitsworthyofbeingtakendeadseriously,andthetimetostart
improvingisnow.
____________

Thefollow-uptothesetwoposts:TheProcrastinationMatrix
Andtwomorerelatedposts:
Whyyoushouldntcarewhatotherpeoplethink.Adifferentstrugglegoingoninanotherpartof
yourbrain.Meetthemammoth.