11 reasons we procrastinate

A thread...
1. We think we still have time

One of the biggest reasons to postpone what we have to do, is this sense that there is still time left for us to get it done.

This isn't entirely bad, as long as "last minute work" doesn't affect us emotionally.
However, it can play havoc if our estimate is wrong, or it causes anxiety last minute.

Break down the task into smaller measurable tasks.
Add up the times it will take.
Add some buffer.
The sum is the estimated time you will need.

Now compare it with the time you actually have.
2. We have a LOT of options

We just don't know which one to pick.

FOMO takes over.
What if we pick the wrong one?

Creativity takes over.
The ideas just keep coming.

Sit with each option and imagine the future consequences. Eliminate them, basis what you don't like.
3. "I don't have time"

You have a lot to do.
So it becomes easy to procrastinate what, in your head, isn't urgent.

But it could be important.
Classify your tasks into urgent and important.

The most important things in life, will rarely be urgent.
4. We fear failure

We are paralyzed, because we are scared we might fail.
What if this doesn't work?
So, we don't even start!

I take the smallest first step that I can, which has zero chance of failure.
And that sense of progress, tricks my mind.
It stops feeling scared.
5. We overthink about all the bad things that can happen

Our mind is trained to warn us of danger.
And hence, it focuses on the bad more than the good.

The trick is to focus on probabilities. And not possibilities.
Just because something is possible, doesn't make it probable.
6. We want things to be perfect

We are worried our work will be sub-optimal, setting us up for judgement.
Plus, the visualization of what is needed for perfection, overwhelms us.

Accuracy >> Perfection.
Nothing is ever perfect.
But if it accurate, it is well on its way.
7. We are easily distracted

A ping.
And we drop our work.

An email.
And we drop our work.

A thought.
We drop our work.

Stop all notifications.
Write down all thoughts that distract you.
Close all other windows.
And follow the Pomodoro technique
8. We are low on energy

We do not feel like doing it.
We get to it and feel drained.
"I will pick it up tomorrow, when I am fresh."

How we manage our time, is an outcome of how we manage our energy.
Pick up the hardest things to do, when high on energy.

9. We don't know what we are chasing

We want to get fit, but what does that even mean?
We want to feel fulfilled, but what does that even mean?

The more vague a goal we set, the likelier it is that we will procrastinate.

Set small, quantifiable, achievable goals.
10. The result is far, far away!

Goes back to pt 1 above.
When the result is far away, it becomes hard to understand how our work today will get us there.
We think we still have time!

Break down the journey into smaller milestones.
Pause at each milestone, celebrate, reflect.
11. It is not authentically us

We procrastinate that thing the most which does not come naturally to us. That forces us to become someone else to complete it.

Here is the harsh truth
You will never be motivated to do anything that is not naturally you!
Procrastination isn't always a bad word.
I know enough folks who deliver well under pressure.
Their choice to procrastinate stems from their self-awareness.

But not everyone is self-aware.
It baffles me how many of us do not understand the reasons behind their procrastination.
My approach towards solving a problem is to fall in love with the problem as against the solution.
"What is it that I am trying to solve here?"

The deeper I understand the problem, the clearer the solution becomes.

This list is such an attempt.
Incase you haven't already, do consider watching this masterful talk by Tim Urban @waitbutwhy

You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.

- Martin Luther King Jr.
Every Friday, I write a thread on failure, personal productivity, entrepreneurship and life lessons.

Do follow me @warikoo to catch these threads on your timeline.
Here is the start of the thread, for you to like and retweet, if you liked it :)

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More from @warikoo

26 Nov
17 ways to maximize your productivity.

A thread...
1. Record your thoughts through an audio recorder

Audio captures not just the thoughts but also our emotions at that moment.
Which is super helpful, when we hear it again in the future.

Bonus: Start the voice note with "I am recording this while I was doing..."
Context helps.
2. Pomodoro Technique

A time management technique that's proven to maximize productivity and attention.

Break your day into 25min chunks followed by a 5min break (this 30min unit is called Pomodoro).
After about 4 pomodoros, take a longer break of 15-20mins.

@sketchplanator Pomodoro Technique
Read 27 tweets
19 Nov
10 Ways to create endless opportunities.

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1. Spend time with people different from you

People who look at the same thing but from a different perspective, widen your own horizon and understanding of the world.

Resist the echo chambers you are in.
Do not spend time only with those who are like you.
How?
a) Pick up something that hasn't been working for you - could be anything - interviews, exams, dating etc.
b) Identify someone whose advice you would NEVER consider, because you think they do not understand you or your world.
c) Ask them how would they approach it?
Read 28 tweets
12 Nov
You can do it, only if you know how to.

A thread...
You can delegate, only if you know how to trust.
You can love, only if you know how to love yourself.
Read 22 tweets
12 Nov
Here is what I wasn't doing
1. Wasn't watching cricket (rarely do)
2. Wasn't reading/shooting/writing/thinking
3. Wasn't looking to create engagement on twitter :)
4. Wasn't working on Excel sheets or breaking FDs
5. Wasn't "doing epic shit!" (joke puraana ho chuka hai")

But...
This was a really really hard one...and no one got it right. It was something I haven't ever done before.

You will find out soon.

To be fair though, I will give away, not 1 but 3 Kindles. To 3 responses that caught my attention.
Read 5 tweets
5 Nov
Ten 90-day challenges for your mind, body and soul.

A thread...
1: Structured thinking

Our mind is buzzing with thoughts.
But when we start speaking, we fail to structure them.

What is needed, is a way to pace our thoughts.

That is where writing helps.
Writing is the slowest form of expression.
When we write, we are not just thinking about what we wish to communicate, we are also selecting the most important thought from all other thoughts.

Write everyday for 90-days.
And always conclude with a "This tells me that ________"
Read 30 tweets
29 Oct
11 truths about "How to find your passion"

A thread...
Truth 1:
You don't find your passion. You grow your passion.

Most of us feel dumb, because we can't seem to "find" our passion.

The key is to pursue multiple interests, the journey of which will help us discover the one thing that completes us.
Truth 2:
Very few find their passion early in life. Most find it much later, if at all.

The world convinces us that we should "pick" a passion as early as possible and then settle.

I think all of 20s should go towards discovering your passion.
Don't settle. Explore.
Read 19 tweets

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