Tired of Procrastinating? Try Anticrastinating for a Change!

I'm working from home today and originally planned to write  first thing this morning (on a completely different topic) but when it came time to start, I suddenly noticed innumerable  other things that needed to be done. I told myself it would be better to get them 'out of the way', but who am I kidding. I just didn't feel like writing. So, it's now 11.00am and I'm just starting. My house is clean, the shopping is done, and I've even answered some emails, checked social media and played with the dog. I don't know about you, but I get surprisingly productive and somewhat side-tracked when there's something I don't feel like doing especially if I have to (oh and I accepted an invitation to lunch with a friend I haven't seen for a while). 

It got me thinking, and it makes sense really. Some tasks just make us feel bad. Cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine send us into fight, flight or freeze mode. So what do we do? Well, in fight mode, we get cranky and  stubbornly refuse to do the task, denouncing it as stupid, useless, or a waste of time, etc. Sometimes our instinct is to flee - escape physically or mentally - spend time with friends, eat, check social media, surf the net, play games, or do anything other than the ‘odious’ task - even ones that seem less odious at the time like cleaning or shopping. Other times we freeze - literally do nothing, just stare blankly at the computer screen. Why? They all stop the bad feelings by giving us a sense of control.  Unfortunately, they're only temporary solutions to our pain. The task still needs to be done (and often gets harder) and so begins the vicious cycle.

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More bad feelings, more switching tactics, which is reinforced each time we escape the pain. Ingenious really. Why feel bad when you have a choice? Washing up (bad), or watching tv (good)? Finish that report (bad), or chat with a colleague (good)? Go jogging (bad), or sleep in (good)?  Even though they don’t address the cause of the pain, our strategies work – so, of course, we chose the option that feels better. If you'd like to stop procrastinating and embrace anticrastination mode, here are some tips I find helpful:

1. Recognise what's going on. (Ah ha...lightbulb moment)
2. Re-evaluate the Task - Seriously, how bad is it really? On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being ‘indifferent’ and 10 being ‘the worst thing you have ever experienced’?  Consider what information you used for your rating. Is it reliable? Are you remembering correctly or rewriting history? Are you basing your rating on that one time things went completely awry and ignoring the other times that weren't so bad? Realistically, if you're honest, right now it's probably only a 2 or 3, but it could get to 7 or 8 very quickly - depending on the task.
3. Make it Less Unpleasant - Let's say you have left it too long. What's been stopping you? Is it overwhelming? Do you need to chunk it down into parts? Do you need some advice, clarity or support? Let's say it genuinely is quite an odious task. What could make doing it less unpleasant, or even fun? Take your computer to the park, delegate or work as a team and combine tasks, pick a different topic, etc. If it's a menial task you might be happier with props. For instance, put on your favourite music so you sing or dance about while tidying up, grab a glass of wine while you cook dinner, phone a friend and chat while you do the ironing,  and so on. If there's just no way to make it better or motivate yourself, consider paying someone, or trade tasks with someone else who actually likes doing that sort of thing. It's why I have a bookkeeper for instance (although it's not so bad really with some background music and a glass of wine.)
4. Focus on the Outcome, not the Task - Keep a picture of the outcome in your mind. See yourself smiling as you hit the send button on that report. Feel the relief and satisfaction as the weight lifts. Delay tactics might stop the immediate pain, but the bad feelings continue to simmer away in the background and cause more total pain overall. Each task left on your 'to do' list is dead weight. Be like Nike - just do it! Think total sum gain.
5. Parent Yourself - Parents make their kids do all sorts of things they don’t want to do, simply because those things are important. No matter how politely it's delivered the gist is "I don't care what you want... [brush your teeth/ eat your dinner/ do your homework/ time for bed]” and so on. Perhaps that's why we hate being 'made' to do anything as adults, but unfortunately, it's a fact of life. There are many things we just do have to do. No matter what. So, suck it up, stop throwing a tantrum, and use the same parenting approach on yourself... or there's no [TV/play date/dessert] for you. Tough love baby.
6. Reward/Bribe Yourself - Speaking of dessert, come up with a delicious reason to get the job done. Instead of filling your time with mundane distractions to avoid doing what you need to do, learn to reward yourself for focusing. Plan to leave work early, get an early night/sleep in, go for a walk with your partner, lunch with a friend like I did, or give yourself a gold star. Whatever works for you. Rewards tips the balance - stay off task and work late (bad) vs focus and leave on time (good). Of course, if leaving on time means you'll be stuck in traffic and expected to cook dinner when you get home that's not going to work either. You need a meaningful reward, but that's a subject for another day. Right now I'm rewarding myself with an enjoyable, relaxing lunch overlooking the bay.

Have a fabulously productive day! Share your favourite way to reward yourself in the comments below and inspire others!