Part IV of a 4-part series on: Procrastination
If you want to make an easy job seem mighty hard, just keep putting off doing it. ~Olin Miller
Previously in this series we looked at how our choice of words, strategic timing and a small daily habit can help battle the universal challenge of procrastination.
Today we turn to some good ol’ mental trickery to get us in the flow to get things done.
Have you ever looked at a sink full of dishes and wanted to run in the opposite direction? How about a heap of expense receipts waiting to be logged?
Sure, these may come across as small-scale examples, but anything we dread doing – regardless of size – can look and feel insurmountable.
When we slam on the breaks instead of diving in and getting started, it’s often due to a battle of the brains.
Mark Forster explains in his book, “Do It Tomorrow”, that we have two minds at play.
First, there’s the ‘rational mind’ – the part of the brain that knows doing dishes or logging expense receipts is a reasonable, responsible and perhaps necessary thing to do.
Second, there’s the ‘reactive mind’ – the part of the brain that sees any of these loathsome, tedious, treacherous activities as a threat.
Rational mind says, “There are dishes to be washed and expenses to be logged.”
Reactive mind says, “Danger Will Robinson, Danger!!”
What to do?
Since our reactive mind doesn’t want to play ball because of the perceived threat, and its instinct to protect us, the rational mind must be clever.
It does so …by pretending to remove the threat.
For instance, in the case of our dishes, how would it sound if our rational mind was to say, “I’m not really going to do all those dishes, I’m merely going to fill the sink with soapy water.”
It’s less painful with the threat removed, isn’t it?
Turning on the tap and dousing the dishes is pretty innocuous. It’s not as foreboding as the rigamarole of washing, scrubbing and drying.
It’s doable and we can live with that.
Same with the expenses. It’s the tedious process of recording each and every receipt that may feel agonising.
But if the rational mind lets us off the hook with a gentle, “Don’t worry, we’re not really going to log the receipts. All we’re going to do is gather the receipts together and stack them neatly on our desk.”
We begin to breathe easier.
Because the threat has been taken away, the guard comes down and we feel OK to proceed with that small, painless step.
That’s when the magic happens.
The reactive mind can’t discern when the rational mind is lying, so it believes that the intention to perform the menacing task really has been lifted.
The beauty of it is that once we’ve begun the non-threatening activity, our unconscious takes over and we’re in full swing before we know it.
As we start filling the sink with suds and water, the next natural thing to do is grab a brush and carry on washing the dishes. Next thing we know, the dishes are done and put away. We’re relaxing, feet up.
As we collate our business receipts into a few neat stacks on our desk, without realising it we’ve launched into our accounting system and logged them all away until the stacks of receipts have disappeared.
It’s all about getting a task in motion.
We all know that once we’re in action, a task isn’t half as bad as we perceived it to be and often doesn’t take nearly as long.
The challenge is in getting the ball rolling.
And if I can get the ball rolling by outwitting myself, stacking some receipts or running some water, then I’ll gladly do it. Because deep down I know that getting something started usually means getting something done.
Perhaps not every time, but the chances are far greater.
Challenge every task you resist by saying you’re not really going to do it. See if it doesn’t generate desired results.
Your turn.
Your assignment is to use your rational mind to trick your reactive mind into action.
- If you’re feeling particularly overwhelmed, start small. Choose one task you keep postponing.
- Next, identify a tiny, non-threatening step you could take towards that action.
- Tell yourself, “I’m not really going to [insert dreaded task here], I’m only going to [insert tiny, non-threatening step here].”
Examples for inspiration:
- I’m not really going to clean the house, I’m only going to set out the supplies.
- I’m not really going for a run, I’m only going to put my socks and trainers on.
- I’m not really going to make that awkward phone call, I’m only going to locate the phone number.
- I’m not really going to do the course assignment, I’m only going to open to chapter 7 of the workbook.
- I’m not really going to sort my paperwork, I’m only going to take one piece of post out of the envelope.
Then ‘only do’ that non-threatening task and see what happens.
What are you not going to do today? My money says you’ll surprise yourself.
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