This link has been bookmarked by 159 people . It was first bookmarked on 25 Mar 2019, by Francois Guite.
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01 Feb 24
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But the momentary relief we feel when procrastinating is actually what makes the cycle especially vicious. In the immediate present, putting off a task provides relief — “you’ve been rewarded for procrastinating,” Dr. Sirois said. And we know from basic behaviorism that when we’re rewarded for something, we tend to do it again. This is precisely why procrastination tends not to be a one-off behavior, but a cycle, one that easily becomes a chronic habit.
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Dr. Hershfield’s research has shown that, on a neural level, we perceive our “future selves” more like strangers than as parts of ourselves. When we procrastinate, parts of our brains actually think that the tasks we’re putting off — and the accompanying negative feelings that await us on the other side — are somebody else’s problem.
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07 Apr 21
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Procrastination isn’t a unique character flaw or a mysterious curse on your ability to manage time, but a way of coping with challenging emotions and negative moods induced by certain tasks — boredom, anxiety, insecurity, frustration, resentment, self-doubt and beyond
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“Procrastination is an emotion regulation problem, not a time management problem,”
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procrastination is about being more focused on “the immediate urgency of managing negative moods” than getting on with the task, Dr. Sirois said.
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might also result from deeper feelings related to the task, such as self-doubt, low self-esteem, anxiety or insecurity
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ruminative, self-blaming thoughts many of us tend to have in the wake of procrastination, which are known as “procrastinatory cognitions.” The thoughts we have about procrastination typically exacerbate our distress and stress, which contribute to further procrastination
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Procrastination is a perfect example of present bias, our hard-wired tendency to prioritize short-term needs ahead of long-term ones.
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we perceive our “future selves” more like strangers than as parts of ourselves.
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we’re even less able to make thoughtful, future-oriented decisions in the midst of stress. When faced with a task that makes us feel anxious or insecure, the amygdala — the “threat detector” part of the brain — perceives that task as a genuine threat, in this case to our self-esteem or well-being
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at its core, procrastination is about emotions, not productivity. The solution doesn’t involve downloading a time management app or learning new strategies for self-control. It has to do with managing our emotions in a new way
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we have to find a better reward than avoidance — one that can relieve our challenging feelings in the present moment without causing harm to our future selves
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One option is to forgive yourself in the moments you procrastinate
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Another tactic is the related practice of self-compassion, which is treating ourselves with kindness and understanding in the face of our mistakes and failures
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self-compassion supports motivation and personal growth
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a commitment to meeting your challenges with greater acceptance and kindness rather than rumination and regret.
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Cultivate curiosity: If you’re feeling tempted to procrastinate, bring your attention to the sensations arising in your mind and body.
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Motivation follows action. Get started, and you’ll find your motivation follows,
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Consider the next action: This is different than the age-old advice to break up a task you’re tempted to avoid into bite-sized chunks. According to Dr. Pychyl, focusing only on the “next action” helps calm our nerves, and it allows for what Dr. Pychyl called “a layer of self-deception.”
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It’s still easier to change our circumstances than ourselves
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placing obstacles between ourselves and our temptations to induce a certain degree of frustration or anxiety.
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suggested that we make the things we want to do as easy as possible for ourselves.
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procrastination is deeply existential, as it raises questions about individual agency and how we want to spend our time as opposed to how we actually do. But it’s also a reminder of our commonality — we’re all vulnerable to painful feelings, and most of us just want to be happy with the choices we make.
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23 Feb 21
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08 Oct 19
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07 Jul 19Charles Gambrell
If you’ve ever put off an important task by, say, alphabetizing your spice drawer, you know it wouldn’t be fair to describe yourself as lazy. After all, alphabetizing requires focus and effort — and hey, maybe you even went the extra mile to wipe do…
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29 Jun 19Brendan M
If you’ve ever put off an important task by, say, alphabetizing your spice drawer, you know it wouldn’t be fair to describe yourself as lazy. After all, alphabetizing requires focus and effort — and hey, maybe you even went the extra mile to wipe do…
Why You Procrastinate (It Has Nothing to Do With Self-Control) Pocket ifttt diigo procrastination
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21 Jun 19
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24 May 19Sheri Edwards
procrastination by students is a signal to work on course design; are students bored? frustrated? find out!
quote "a way of coping with challenging emotions and negative moods induced by certain tasks — boredom, anxiety, insecurity, frustration, resentmen -
21 May 19Frederico Maranhão
If you’ve ever put off an important task by, say, alphabetizing your spice drawer, you know it wouldn’t be fair to describe yourself as lazy. After all, alphabetizing requires focus and effort — and hey, maybe you even went the extra mile to wipe do…
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09 Apr 19
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08 Apr 19
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07 Apr 19Edison Morais
If procrastination isn’t about laziness, then what is it about? If you’ve ever put off an important task by, say, alphabetizing your spice drawer, you know it wouldn’t be fair to describe yourself as lazy. via Pocket
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30 Mar 19
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Kimberly LaPrairie
Procrastination isn’t laziness. It’s avoiding a task that seemes unpleasant.
To interrupt that pattern, focus less on the dread of starting the task today—and more on the joy of finishing it tomorrow.
#MondayMotivaton https://t.co/FcYoyuax6j -
28 Mar 19
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27 Mar 19
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Mary Schwander
Fascinating article! @aliec1 there’s great psych info in this! https://t.co/tynHtOWKnf
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26 Mar 19
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Kenneth Kinyanjui
Procrastination isn’t laziness. It’s avoiding a task that seemes unpleasant.
To interrupt that pattern, focus less on the dread of starting the task today—and more on the joy of finishing it tomorrow.
#MondayMotivaton https://t.co/FcYoyuax6j -
dean groom
@ericaeducator: “Our brains are always looking for relative rewards. If we have a habit loop [around procrastination] but we haven’t found a better reward..." So, "Why #gbl? Why #gamification?" #nowyouknow | Why You Procrastinate (It Has Nothing to …
@seriousgames123: RT @ericaeducator: “Our brains are always looking for relative rewards. If we have a habit loop [around procrastination] but we haven’t found a better reward..." So, "Why #gbl? Why #gamification?" #nowyouknow | Why You Procrastinat…
@SardImperium: RT @ericaeducator: “Our brains are always looking for relative rewards. If we have a habit loop [around procrastination] but we haven’t found a better reward..." So, "Why #gbl? Why #gamification?" #nowyouknow | Why You Procrastinate (…
@larillala: RT @SardImperium: RT @ericaeducator: “Our brains are always looking for relative rewards. If we have a habit loop [around procrastination] but we haven’t found a better reward..." So, "Why #gbl? Why #gamification?" #nowyouknow | Why You … -
Andrew Lihonosov
If procrastination isn’t about laziness, then what is it about? If you’ve ever put off an important task by, say, alphabetizing your spice drawer, you know it wouldn’t be fair to describe yourself as lazy. via Pocket
IFTTT Pocket brain hn inoreader interesting procrastination psychology
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Matt Binder
Better read this whole thing before I start my story due today https://t.co/LgyFyyFco4
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Jorge Barba
Procrastination isn’t laziness. It’s avoiding a task that seemes unpleasant.
To interrupt that pattern, focus less on the dread of starting the task today—and more on the joy of finishing it tomorrow.
#MondayMotivaton https://t.co/FcYoyuax6j -
25 Mar 19
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nikerym
Procrastination isn’t laziness. It’s avoiding a task that seemes unpleasant.
To interrupt that pattern, focus less on the dread of starting the task today—and more on the joy of finishing it tomorrow.#MondayMotivaton https://t.co/FcYoyuax6j
— Adam…
You Procrastinate (It Has Nothing to Do with Self-Control) https://t.co/6V9HRri5iP
— Hacker News (@newsycombinator) March 25, 2019 -
Francois Guite
If procrastination isn’t about laziness, then what is it about?
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