By admin Do you ever find yourself thinking:
- “The laundry can wait. I’ll just gather it over a few days and do it all at once.”
- “The report isn’t due for another month. I can handle it in a couple of weeks.”
- “I haven’t finished the task yet, but I need a break. Let me check my phone for a bit.”
- “I’m too tired to run today. I’ll do it tomorrow.”
We all know the saying “Do today what you can do today,” yet Mark Twain’s humorous advice also rings true: “Never put off till tomorrow what you can put off till the day after.” Procrastination seems to sneak into every corner of our lives, no matter how hard we try to avoid it. With less than 50 days left until 2024, it’s the perfect time to break free from this frustrating habit.
Why Do We Procrastinate?
Procrastination is the act of delaying tasks even when we know it will make things worse. It’s the temporary comfort of avoidance versus the long-term satisfaction of getting things done. And despite knowing the consequences, it’s often hard to resist.
Interestingly, those who set big goals and make elaborate plans often struggle the most with procrastination. They’re great at setting deadlines but often fail to follow through. Don’t be too hard on yourself—this isn’t just your problem. It’s a deeply ingrained human tendency.
Studies in brain science show that procrastination is rooted in the battle between the prefrontal cortex, which handles long-term goals and impulse control, and the limbic system, which seeks immediate rewards. When our prefrontal cortex isn’t strong enough or we’re not fully committed to long-term goals, it’s easy to give in to the limbic system’s urge for short-term pleasures.
This explains why children, whose prefrontal cortex is still developing, often struggle more with procrastination. But even adults are affected by modern-day distractions. Whether it’s social media, gaming, or online shopping, these instant rewards frequently win out over the rational, long-term goals we set for ourselves.
The Power of Deadlines
Psychologist Piers Steel, from the University of Calgary, found that procrastination is often fueled by a few factors: lack of confidence in success, dislike of being assigned tasks, distractions, and the time gap between the task and its reward.
Interestingly, deadlines (DDL) are one of the most powerful tools to beat procrastination. As the deadline looms, our sense of urgency increases, and suddenly the task feels more important. Research has shown that when we’re up against a deadline, motivation skyrockets, and tasks that seemed overwhelming earlier suddenly become doable.
The “2+3+5” Method to Overcome Procrastination
One simple yet effective approach to defeating procrastination is breaking tasks into smaller, manageable chunks. Alan Lakein, known as the “father of time management,” recommended the “Swiss cheese method”—breaking big tasks into smaller parts, like holes in Swiss cheese. This allows us to use small windows of time to gradually chip away at tasks instead of waiting for a large, uninterrupted block of time.
The “2+3+5″ strategy is a practical way to put this into action:
- 2 minutes – Break the task into small steps
Start by breaking the task down into manageable pieces. Even if a task seems huge, it’s easy to find a 5-10 minute task to begin with. For example, spend 10 minutes today making a to-do list, another 10 minutes organizing notes tomorrow, and so on. By splitting the task into smaller parts, you make it easier to start and experience a sense of accomplishment along the way.
- 3 seconds – Break the inertia
Starting is often the hardest part. A powerful way to overcome this is to set a small, clear starting point. Try a 3-second countdown before you begin—”3, 2, 1, go!”—to mentally prepare and reduce resistance. This tiny ritual helps you focus and take that crucial first step.
3. 5 minutes – Extend the action
Once you’ve started, don’t stop right away. Extend your work by an extra 5 minutes. This strategy is key: when you push past the initial discomfort, you often find that you can keep going. It’s much easier to continue once you’ve broken the seal. For example, if you’re writing, you might start with 5 minutes of outlining but find yourself writing for another 10 minutes once you’re in the zone.
Why “5 Minutes”?
You might wonder why 5 minutes is the magic number. It’s simple: 5 minutes isn’t overwhelming, but it’s long enough to make meaningful progress. This short time frame makes it easier to start and helps maintain momentum. Once you see that you can do more than you expected, it’s easier to continue.
Overcoming Procrastination: A New Way of Thinking
Procrastination isn’t just about poor time management—it’s about learning to take control of your time and making progress in small steps. To overcome it, we need to learn to use the “wasted” moments in our day—those small pockets of time we usually ignore—and turn them into productive bursts.
Whether it’s responding to an email, organizing your desk, or working on a personal project during a TV commercial break, small actions add up. By applying the “2+3+5” method consistently, we can reduce procrastination, boost our productivity, and achieve our goals more effectively.
The key is not waiting for motivation to strike but building a system that makes it easier to take action—one small step at a time. When we learn to break tasks down and take advantage of short time intervals, we can regain control over our time and break free from procrastination.