One of many largest classes I realized from spending eight days in whole darkness.
This sounds paradoxical, however…
…I realized one among my largest 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% appropriate – I truly did rather a lot. Lots of feeling.
As a result of there’s nothing to distract your self, it’s a must 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?
Rather a lot.
Procrastination could 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
Neglect every little thing you suppose you already know about procrastination for a minute.
Let go of all of the beliefs you’ve got about it – that you simply’re lazy, not disciplined, can’t focus, are unhealthy with schedules, or no matter story you’ve been telling your self.
As an alternative, take a look at procrastination from a distinct 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 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 ability)
- Worry of success as a result of it could add extra accountability (e.g. having to ship worth to the purchasers of your facet hustle)
To evade these uncomfortable feelings, your unconscious presents you with a easy resolution.
“I’ll simply watch one YouTube video, scroll a bit bit, do that different factor…”
“Procrastination makes straightforward issues arduous and arduous issues more durable.” – Mason Cooley
Which means that as a substitute of managing your time higher, it’s essential to regulate your feelings higher.
You’ll want to study to take care of the concern, discomfort, stress, and every little thing that comes with doing what it’s essential to do.
It will can help you 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 straightforward method 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 might be.
All you want are 5 minutes during 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 via the discomfort, concern, and different feelings till you launch them and get to work
- The discomfort of doing nothing turns into so massive that you simply begin engaged on the factor as a substitute
This requires a heightened consciousness so you may cease your self earlier than the distraction.
It’s okay in case you don’t make it on the primary strive. Once I began doing this, I typically solely seen after half an hour of scrolling via my telephone what I used to be doing. Then, I pulled myself out of it and sat nonetheless.
In case you battle with this, listed below are a couple of suggestions that may assist:
- Work in your consciousness
A couple of occasions in the course of the day, cease what you’re doing, take a deep breath, and test in with your self. It will assist you to acknowledge how you’re feeling and whenever you’re attempting to flee. - Really feel into your physique
Feelings are linked to bodily sensations, normally within the chest and abdomen. When 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 interact in when confronted with an awesome activity. Mine is resistance, frustration, overwhelm, after which shedding my practice of thought as a result of my mind will get foggy. When you perceive yours, you’ll have a better time catching your self.
Bear 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 battle to control your feelings.
Doing nothing to beat it may appear foolish, but it surely’s precisely what’s going to assist.
The concern, discomfort, and overwhelm are a lot harder to take care of than to succeed in for a fast distraction. However if you wish to cease procrastinating, there’s no method 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.
