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STOP Your Mind From PROCRASTINATING!

Anything related to matters of the mind

LionMarketing

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I've done a lot of procrastinating. I have to get shit done. I have to be as productive as I can be. I have deadlines to meet for my goals. I hate to neglect the deep work that I have to engage in. Can you relate?

I realize that it varies from person to person as far as how much work you need to get done. I know that it's possible to work way more than necessary. I get that. I'm talking about unnecessary procrastination though. I used to procrastinate way too much. I neglected important work, and I missed out on valuable opportunities. Now that I procrastinate much less, I actually get shit done and achieve my goals. As an 18 year old looking to establish myself in entrepreneurship, I find it incredibly important to have tunnel vision.

This Valuetainment (Pat Bet David) video is great at explaining how to stop procrastinating ASAP. I find this YouTube channel to be a great resource for entrepreneurial topics.

My notes on the video:

Some of the notes are just from first hand experience as it relates to the video.

Causes of Procrastination

1. A Bad Estimation on Time
- You don't hit the deadline
- You think you have way more time than you actually do
- Can't getaway with neglecting time in entrepreneurship

2. Overwhelmed With Projects
- What's the most important tasks to execute?
- I use the Trello system posted in this thread by @LightHouse
- 3 TASKS ONLY to primarily think about at a time!!
- 1 task to execute at a time
- If you focus on more than 3 tasks at a time, it becomes ridiculously hard to focus...

3. Distractions and Notifications
- This is just obvious. Don't have stupid notifications for social media on.
- Notifications on all day = no deep work = unnecessary procrastination
- Don't drain time on non-urgent issues

4. You're a Perfectionist
- Give yourself permission to do imperfect work
- "Every first draft is shit."
- You can always edit your work and improve. Do the work and improve as you go.
- You can't be afraid of failure. Meet your damn deadlines.

5. You Don't Know Where to Start
- Know what the EXACT steps are to complete your top tasks
- Ask the right questions

6. You Have Low Energy
- Sleep well, eat well, hydrate well, exercise often, and drink black coffee lol. Everyone varies a bit, but you get the point.
- Figure out how to consistently get the job done with high energy

7. Boredom
- Boring work is a inevitable for an entrepreneurial lifestyle
- It's important to be comfortable with being bored
- Don't get stuck on getting dopamine hits from plain stupid distractions like watching movies or playing video games everyday unless that somehow has something to do with whatever your process is for your entrepreneurial goals. (eg. Movie Director, Twitch Streamer)
- For sake of example, scrolling through Tik Tok all day is idiotic and there are so many people that do just that. Stop killing time because eventually that turns around and time kills you!

8. Your Leader Procrastinates
- A leader should lead by example and demonstrate a focus on excellence

9. You Do Not Have the Right Team to Delegate To
- You need competent people to delegate to. Choose wisely.

10. You Don't See Value in the Project
- Meaningful and significant projects give you a sense of purpose
- Having purpose enables you to take deliberate action even when there are difficulties

For Projects That You Accept

1. Make Lists
2. Create Rewards
3. Accomplish Small Wins
4. Develop Clarity on the Vision

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InkfhHaXxa0


What do you think about stopping procrastination? @MJ DeMarco I'd especially like to hear your take on this.
 
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WabiSabi

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I think procrastination is 100% a psychological problem. I never liked being "forced" to do things, what is that gonna accomplish in the long run? You'll just end up quitting because you never wanted to do it to being with.

It comes down to "choosing" to do the work for yourself, not anyone else. You need to be honest with yourself and have your own reasons for doing things.
 

TheGreek

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I guess all the above are true. However, I have observed three reasons for procrastination to myself and others:

1. Stress because of unrealistic goals that create negative expectations. They can be difficult activities and tasks that discourage someone who is not ready for that as well.
2. Too low goals do not motivate the person to do an activity.
3. Different priorities. For example, you prefer to hang out with your friends from doing the work.
 
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LiveEntrepreneur

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Procrastination happends for multiple reasons in my experience. I think it's important to attend to each one of those reasons. Boredom is probabky the buggest killer. I mean if it was fun we would naturally look forward to doing the work but we don't.

I noticed every time i came back home from work slowly after id feel exhausted not because of work but because i was doing activities that killed my energy levels right after work. Dopamine is the biggest problem, i kept looking for dopamine hitting activities like going on Youtube and by the time i was done watching the videos i couldnt get myself to do the work.

Its easier said than done and even though i have all the information i need i can find it very difficult to the easiest of tasks. I fail more than i succeed.
 

Martin.G

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Nice resume about this important topic. I fight against procrastination every day, and I think this is something I am going to do all my life. Every day we have to remind us that we have important things to do and not waste our time in meaningless things.

But I guess important people have the same problem. At the end of the day this is something you have to practice and get better like playing a sport game or learn how to play an instrument.
 
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fenophter

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Realize that no one can help you but YOURSELF to progress towards your goals, then you'll notice the importance of time.

Another thing is you should keep in mind to work yourself in the RIGHT targets. Any direction is wrong if you do NOT have any direction. Hustle with purpose.

Relate as much EMOTIONS as possible when you set your goals. It will flow in more motivation for you.

After you set the right goals for yourself, you can then make goal-based decision when you do anything. The Urgent tasks might not necessarily be Priority tasks. The latter one are those which contributes to your goals.

When I'm facing procrastination, my solution:
  1. Think of your Target Hourly Income (Calculate one if you haven't), remind myself how much my time is worth.

  2. Success is my duty, obligation, and responsibility.
    I am the one who will provide to my family.
    I am obligated to provide to my family NO MATTER WHAT happens.
    I am the one I am the one who DECIDES to be success or not.
    Who doesn't desire a better version of yourself?

  3. Would I want my children / grandchildren be seeing myself procrastinate while working towards my end goals?
    Would I want to spend more time creating excuses to explain my failure to my closest ones?
 

Ing

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A good topic. Good answers!

A thought of me :
When on a day you really don t want to work on your business and your recogniced, that everything would run into procrastination, THEN do something you really like!
 

LionMarketing

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What it comes down to is this:

What's most important in your life will occupy your time.

When real success is more important to you than fantasy success, that's when you will quit. Until then, you're susceptible to action fakes.

source thread:
 
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Kevin88660

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Learn from the military to kill procrastination.

Goal today finish task A, B and C.

It is 9am now. Finish task A by 11am. If not 20 push up.

That works for me.
 

AnMSo

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I do agree that it's fear: Fear of what others will say, fear that you will fail, fear of feeling inadequate and not knowing what you're doing, etc.. and all the productivity hacks and apps won't work if you just don't take action.

I would also like to add that Procrastination is an emotion. If you figure out what is fueling it in various circumstances, it stops happening - period. If not...you use methods like Pomodoro, "Digital Fasting" and who knows whats else for the rest of your life, to continue to push yourself over emotional hurdles rather than tear down the walls.
 
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Bekit

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I would also like to add that Procrastination is an emotion. If you figure out what is fueling it in various circumstances, it stops happening - period.
This is a fascinating point. Do you have a story of how you discovered this, or have you actually experienced procrastination being obliterated by identifying and handling your emotions? How do you do this?
 

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