It’s set up to perform your basic survival instincts.
It turns out, one of the best solutions for procrastination is outsmarting it.
you’re free to retrain your brain to react differently to an unpleasant assignment or task.
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“The standard habit loop is: trigger, behavior, reward.
But that same thing drives anxiety and worryand also procrastination.
It’s set up as a habit loop.”
It just works the other way around.
For example, the project or task you’re gonna wanna do is the trigger.
The behavior is to avoid it, because it feels better.
The reward is the relief you feel from not doing itwhich obviously doesn’t last.
“There’s a lot of science showing that mindfulness specifically targets these habit loops,” he adds.
In other words, simply start to recognize how terrible, anxious, and overwhelmed procrastination makes you feel.
Don’t judge or chide yourself, simply start becoming aware of it and acknowledge it.
You’ll begin to recognize how unhealthy and unpleasant it is to make yourself feel that way.
The second thing it does is offer up a better alternative to the previously subpar reward.
Tap into the attitudinal quality of mindfulness, which is curiosity.
Being curious and engaged with your reactions, emotions, and physical sensations is more rewarding than being disengaged.
“We can actually train ourselves to substitute curiosity for procrastination,” Dr. “Mindfulness lets us see the [positive] results actually getting our work done.”
Brewer’s actionable advice?
“Then just notice what it feels like when you get it doneit feels great.
And it probably won’t be long before you get accustomed to this new, positive habit loop.
Jaffe E. Association for Psychological Science.Why wait?
The science behind procrastination.Accessed May 25, 2022.
