One of many greatest classes I realized from spending eight days in complete darkness.
This sounds paradoxical, however…
…I realized one in every of my greatest classes about stopping procrastination by doing nothing for eight days.
Final yr, I spent over per week in a darkness retreat, the place I sat in pitch-black with out something to do. Okay, that’s not 100% appropriate – I really did lots. Numerous feeling.
As a result of there’s nothing to distract your self, you need to sit with no matter emotion comes up. It’s an extremely powerful, but very therapeutic expertise. However what does that must do with procrastination?
Lots.
Procrastination may be tremendous irritating since you:
- Don’t transfer ahead
- Really feel caught and get mad at your self
- Don’t attain your targets, which frustrates you much more and begins the entire cycle anew
“Procrastination is an emotion regulation downside, not a time administration downside.” – Dr. Tim Pychyl, professor of psychology and member of the Procrastination Analysis Group at Carleton College in Ottawa
This implies the explanations behind your procrastination aren’t what you thought they have been.
The True Causes Why You Procrastinate Aren’t What You Assume
Overlook the whole lot you assume about procrastination for a minute.
Let go of all of the beliefs you’ve gotten about it – that you just’re lazy, not disciplined, can’t focus, are dangerous with schedules, or no matter story you’ve been telling your self.
As an alternative, have a look at procrastination from a unique angle. If you wish to know why you aren’t doing one thing, have a look at what doing it brings up in you:
- Discomfort as a result of it’s arduous otherwise you don’t take pleasure in it (e.g. going to the fitness center)
- Worry of failure since you may not be good at it (e.g. studying a brand new talent)
- Worry of success as a result of it will add extra accountability (e.g. having to ship worth to the shoppers of your aspect hustle)
To evade these uncomfortable feelings, your unconscious presents you with a easy answer.
“I’ll simply watch one YouTube video, scroll a bit of bit, do that different factor…”
“Procrastination makes simple issues arduous and arduous issues more durable.” – Mason Cooley
Which means that as a substitute of managing your time higher, you want to regulate your feelings higher.
That you must be taught to take care of the concern, discomfort, stress, and the whole lot that comes with doing what you want to do.
It will let you dive head-first into it reasonably than discovering low cost excuses and straightforward methods out.
Right here’s how.
How To Cease Procrastinating – By Doing Nothing
Once I was within the darkness retreat, I didn’t have a straightforward approach out.
There was no YouTube, no Instagram, and no different issues I might do – all I might do was sit with the sensation.
To beat procrastination, you are able to do the identical.
As an alternative of grabbing no matter distraction is inside attain, take a deep breath and keep the place you’re.
All you want are 5 minutes through which you don’t enable your self to do something however the factor – or really feel what comes up.
It will trigger both of two issues to occur:
- You’re feeling by means of the discomfort, concern, and different feelings till you launch them and get to work
- The discomfort of doing nothing turns into so huge that you just begin engaged on the factor as a substitute
This requires a heightened consciousness so you possibly can cease your self earlier than the distraction.
It’s okay should you don’t make it on the primary strive. Once I began doing this, I typically solely observed after half an hour of scrolling by means of my cellphone what I used to be doing. Then, I pulled myself out of it and sat nonetheless.
Should you battle with this, listed below are a couple of ideas that may assist:
- Work in your consciousness
Just a few instances throughout the day, cease what you’re doing, take a deep breath, and examine in with your self. It will show you how to acknowledge how you’re feeling and while you’re making an attempt to flee. - Really feel into your physique
Feelings are linked to bodily sensations, often within the chest and abdomen. When you’ve got a tough time exploring your emotions, merely observe the bodily sensation till it dissolves. - Study your patterns
Most individuals have a particular sample they interact in when confronted with an amazing job. Mine is resistance, frustration, overwhelm, after which dropping my practice of thought as a result of my mind will get foggy. When you perceive yours, you’ll have a neater time catching your self.
Bear in mind, you don’t must do something – you simply have to take a seat nonetheless till you don’t wish to anymore.
Wrap-Up To Assist You Cease Procrastination As soon as And For All
Should you procrastinate, you don’t have a time administration downside – you simply battle to control your feelings.
Doing nothing to beat it might sound foolish, however it’s precisely what is going to assist.
The concern, discomfort, and overwhelm are a lot harder to take care of than to achieve for a fast distraction. However if you wish to cease procrastinating, there’s no approach round them. You possibly can solely undergo.
Don’t enable your self to do something however the factor – or undergo the feelings it causes.
Paradoxically, doing nothing like that may make you much more productive.
