One of many greatest classes I realized from spending eight days in whole darkness.
This sounds paradoxical, however…
…I realized certainly one of my greatest classes about stopping procrastination by doing nothing for eight days.
Final 12 months, I spent over every week in a darkness retreat, the place I sat in pitch-black with out something to do. Okay, that’s not 100% right – I truly did rather a lot. Quite a lot of feeling.
As a result of there’s nothing to distract your self, it’s important to sit with no matter emotion comes up. It’s an extremely robust, but very therapeutic expertise. However what does that need to do with procrastination?
Lots.
Procrastination might be tremendous irritating since you:
- Don’t transfer ahead
- Really feel caught and get mad at your self
- Don’t attain your objectives, which frustrates you much more and begins the entire cycle anew
“Procrastination is an emotion regulation drawback, not a time administration drawback.” – 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 every little thing you assume you recognize about procrastination for a minute.
Let go of all of the beliefs you’ve got about it – that you just’re lazy, not disciplined, can’t focus, are unhealthy with schedules, or no matter story you’ve been telling your self.
As a substitute, take a look at procrastination from a special angle. If you wish to know why you aren’t doing one thing, take a look at what doing it brings up in you:
- Discomfort as a result of it’s laborious otherwise you don’t take pleasure in it (e.g. going to the fitness center)
- Concern of failure since you won’t be good at it (e.g. studying a brand new ability)
- Concern of success as a result of it will add extra duty (e.g. having to ship worth to the purchasers of your aspect hustle)
To evade these uncomfortable feelings, your unconscious presents you with a easy resolution.
“I’ll simply watch one YouTube video, scroll slightly bit, do that different factor…”
“Procrastination makes straightforward issues laborious and laborious issues more durable.” – Mason Cooley
Which means as a substitute of managing your time higher, it’s essential to regulate your feelings higher.
You could be taught to cope with the worry, discomfort, stress, and every little thing that comes with doing what it’s essential to do.
This can permit you to dive head-first into it somewhat 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 simple manner 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 a substitute of grabbing no matter distraction is inside attain, take a deep breath and keep the place you might be.
All you want are 5 minutes by which you don’t permit your self to do something however the factor – or really feel what comes up.
This can trigger both of two issues to occur:
- You’re feeling via the discomfort, worry, and different feelings till you launch them and get to work
- The discomfort of doing nothing turns into so large that you just begin engaged on the factor as a substitute
This requires a heightened consciousness so you’ll be able to cease your self earlier than the distraction.
It’s okay in the event you don’t make it on the primary strive. Once I began doing this, I generally solely seen after half an hour of scrolling via my cellphone what I used to be doing. Then, I pulled myself out of it and sat nonetheless.
In case you wrestle with this, listed here are a number of ideas that may assist:
- Work in your consciousness
A couple of instances through the day, cease what you’re doing, take a deep breath, and test in with your self. This can provide help to acknowledge how you’re feeling and while you’re attempting to flee. - Really feel into your physique
Feelings are linked to bodily sensations, normally within the chest and abdomen. If in case you have a tough time exploring your emotions, merely observe the bodily sensation till it dissolves. - Study your patterns
Most individuals have a selected sample they have interaction in when confronted with an amazing activity. Mine is resistance, frustration, overwhelm, after which dropping my prepare of thought as a result of my mind will get foggy. When you perceive yours, you’ll have a neater time catching your self.
Keep in mind, you don’t need to do something – you simply have to sit down nonetheless till you don’t wish to anymore.
Wrap-Up To Assist You Cease Procrastination As soon as And For All
In case you procrastinate, you don’t have a time administration drawback – you simply wrestle to manage your feelings.
Doing nothing to beat it may appear foolish, but it surely’s precisely what is going to assist.
The worry, discomfort, and overwhelm are a lot more durable to cope with than to succeed in for a fast distraction. However if you wish to cease procrastinating, there’s no manner round them. You may solely undergo.
Don’t permit 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.
