A Guide To Stop Procrastination
Overcoming procrastination can be difficult. However, with some tips and tricks, it is possible to stop procrastinating. Read on to know more
You have a deadline approaching. However, instead of completing your task, you are distracted by various activities such as watching movies, checking email, social media, browsing youtube etc. In fact, you know you should be working, but you don’t want to do anything. This is known as procrastinating. Everyone has heard about and indulged in procrastination at some point in their life. When people procrastinate, they waste their free time and put off crucial activities that should be completed. Then, when it is too late, they panic and wish they had started sooner. If this is the course of action you take when you have to meet a deadline, then this article will help you stop procrastination once and for all.
You have a deadline approaching. However, instead of completing your task, you are distracted by various activities such as watching movies, checking email, social media, browsing youtube etc. In fact, you know you should be working, but you don’t want to do anything. This is known as procrastinating. Everyone has heard about and indulged in procrastination at some point in their life. When people procrastinate, they waste their free time and put off crucial activities that should be completed. Then, when it is too late, they panic and wish they had started sooner. If this is the course of action you take when you have to meet a deadline, then this article will help you stop procrastination once and for all.
What is the Science Behind Procrastination?
To do away with procrastination, you must first understand why you procrastinate. Behavioural psychology research has discovered a phenomenon known as “temporal inconsistency”, which refers to the tendency of the human brain to value present benefits more highly than future ones.
The best way to grasp this concept is to imagine yourself as having two selves: your Present, and your Future Self. When you create objectives for yourself, such as reducing weight or learning a language, you are making plans for your Future Self. Researchers discovered that when you think about your Future Self, it is quite easy for your brain to perceive the worth of doing activities that would help you in the long run. In other words, long-term rewards are important to the Future Self.
While the Future Self can make goals, only the Present Self can act on them. Thus, when it comes to making a decision, you are no longer choosing for your Future Self. You are now in the present moment, and your mind is occupied with the Present Self. Scientists have discovered that the Present Self prefers immediate reward over long-term gain.
As a result, the Present Self and the Future Self frequently clash, causing you to procrastinate.
Temporal Inconcestency Explained
The Procrastination-Action Relationship
You can’t motivate the Present Self with long-term repercussions and rewards. Instead, you must figure out how to get a reward or penalize yourself in the present. This is precisely what happens when we eventually move beyond procrastination and take action.
Originally posted on how to stop procastinating!
