Everybody's done it before. Put off unpleasant things. "Oh, I don't feel like it, I'll do it tomorrow". "Oh no, I don't want to deal with the email now... I'll look at it later." "So, now I'm finally writing the report... Oh, just checking back to see what's new on Facebook." "I can still do the tax return next week."
procrastination can become a serious challenge and is a sought-after topic in the time and self management. It even goes so far that those affected can no longer motivate themselves to complete tasks by their own efforts.
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Where do we get off putting things off? There are different approaches to this and I would like to give you three of them:
What are we putting off?
Usually these are unpleasant things that do not appeal to us very much. And therein lies precisely the challenge. Our brain is in search of positive emotions and stimuli.
We are often only with difficulty in the position to bear something unpleasant in the short term in order to achieve something positive in the long term. By postponing we get a quick reward through the new job and thus avoiding the frustration of the actual task.
Evaluation of the task
Another important approach is the own evaluation of the task. Pay attention for once to what Your attitude towards the things you put off.
Are you thinking, like, "this is too hard," "I can't," or "It has to be perfect„? How high is the drive to tackle something when I think in advance that I cannot do it?
under- or overstraining
And it is precisely these trains of thought that lead me to the third approach: Under- or overloading the task. Especially in such cases, it's hard to pull yourself together. With pleasure also paired with unclear tasks.
If the Meaningfulness and the goal not clear are, the motivation is also hidden. You may have heard it from kids who are quick to verbalize it with their "why?"
So what to do?
7 tips against postponementitis
appetizer method
Break large tasks into many small pieces, of maximum 10 minutes. For example, spring cleaning can be divided into washing curtains, cleaning living room windows, dusting the living room...
Hello Biorhythm
Do you belong rather to the morning or evening active people? Then put unpleasant tasks in your high phase. Who motivates himself for unpleasant things when he is tired anyway?
Reward yourself
Think of rewards for unpleasant tasks. For example, a piece of chocolate or a delicious tea.
Oh man - goodbye
If you evaluate tasks negatively in advance, you will find it difficult to get them done. Therefore, be neutral about each task. Here already the change in communication helps. Instead of saying "I have to empty the dishwasher." it's more conducive to "I want to unload the dishwasher." "I want to put the dishwasher away. Can you tell the difference?
72 hours Rule
Take the first step for a task within 72 hours.
Bull Method
Take the bull by the horns and start with an unpleasant task. Then you have it behind you.
3 minute rule
Do all the tasks you can do within 3 minutes, immediately. This is my absolute favorite rule. You will be amazed what can be done within 3 minutes and what free space is created.
Which rule do you particularly like?
This article is a guest contribution from Sandra Huppertz.
Paula Perfekt and Erna ambition have driven me for many years. Good was not good enough. Until I got tired of myself and turned my life around once Today I work as a certified trainer and coach with a focus on stress management.
I know from my own experience what it is like to work under full pressure and how we often stumble over ourselves. Trapped inside ourselves. And I also know how to get out of this supposed hamster wheel. How a muscle can and may be trained and I accompany my clients and corporate clients online and offline.
Do you want to stay up to date? Then take a look at my homepage sandra-huppertz.com or follow me at Facebook and Instagram
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