I read the article during a break at work the other day. Today I decided to start going through it and writing down notes and thoughts I have on it.
If part of you doesn’t want to do something, then that’s a conflict that should be rationally resolved. Trying to just do it is suppressing part of yourself and is a win/lose attitude not a win/win solution.
- So this is saying that procrastination is a part of you not wanting to do something? That makes sense.
- What is something I’ve procrastinated on as of recent? Hmm. I procrastinate on my chores quite a bit. I know (or at least that’s what I tell myself) that I should be doing them. If I don’t do them my house will be messy, I get stressed out by the mess, and I feel like its a basic life skill I think I should have mastered. Why do I struggle to do it then? I’d say its hard to when I’m tired, but even then I struggle to do chores on days when I’m well rested. Versus if I’m well-rested I don’t have any issues doing philosophy or playing games like Baba is you. I think I build up the chores as a big task. Hmm. I think its that I have a hard time focusing on the simple daily chores that I want to daily. I always get caught up in how much of a mess the house is and want to do more and end up getting lost in time. Though I do enjoy doing the chores when I get started. Its the getting started thats the hard part.
If you find you procrastinate on something, or partly feel like procrastinating on it, then part of you doesn’t want to do it. That is a conflict. If you were unconflicted, you wouldn’t even be tempted to procrastinate.
- That makes sense. What are some things I don’t procrastinate on as of recent? Playing “Baba is you” I guess. Hmm. I don’t think I procrastinate on stuff like my philosophy tutoring but I do fail to do some work at times. While i do think there was some stuff I didn’t like doing at times (I think mainly the word problems relating to math, but I’ve always not liked them, probably should’ve been more vocal) the vast majority of stuff we’ve done so far I’ve never felt conflicted about starting I think, but then I miss days due to working a lot and being tired. Hmm. This is something I’ve struggled with in the past: I feel to tired to do something I want to do, but I know it requires effort for me to do it. That seems like a conflict. “I should keep up my philosophy studies today, but I’m too tired after a busy and stressful day at work.” I guess it would come down to if I’m choosing to avoid philosophy because I know I wouldn’t be effective if I’m tired and that I should get rest so I can better approach it tomorrow. Hmm. That still sounds like procrastination. I think I’m missing something?
If you have trouble with getting started, but you like something once you start, then you have a conflict – part of you dislikes it. There’s a problem to solve there. The problem is not with becoming more motivated or learning “life hacks” to avoid procrastination. The solution shouldn’t be to find more ways to get started (you can do that, or not, but it won’t address the primary issue). The problem is there is an objection – a criticism – inside you which you have not refuted and should not assume is wrong.
- That makes sense. With the example I gave with chores above I think I avoid doing them because I feel like I: 1.) am not doing enough and 2.)am always doing a lot more than intended. Doing the chores themselves necessarily isn’t bad. The act of sweeping my room, or cleaning the litter box isn’t bad. I like how clean it is after and I usually listen to podcasts or something. Plus the movement helps me feel awake and getting stuff done makes me feel good. I think part of hang-up is feeling guilty? about not getting enough done instead of focusing on just doing a consistent set of daily cleaning. So to avoid the guilt of not having it as clean as I’d like I just don’t do it. (I don’t know if guilt is the right emotion here).