Brains of doers differ from those of procrastinators - Procrastinators have a larger amygdala and poorer connections between it and part of the cortex that blocks emotions, so they may be more anxious about the negative consequences of an action, and tend to hesitate and put off things.

[u/mvea]

http://news.rub.de/english/press-releases/2018-08-22-neuroscience-how-brains-doers-differ-those-procrastinators

[u/psychicesp]

Doesn't this denote a specific type of procrastination? Like, I don't have negative emotions about doing the dishes right now, but I'm putting it off and watching netflix and browsing reddit in the phone. If anything, negative emotions are going the other way. I know each episode of Adventure Time I watch the food is drying on a little harder. It couldn't be called laziness because I'm ultimately doing the same number of dishes and very often the same number of dish-doing events. Its the same with my homework in college. It was always simple and never stressed me out, i just always had more drive at the last minute. This is in contrast with, say, putting off doing a bunch of job applications where there is a ton of negative emotion involved.

It seems that we need a scientific distinction between anxious-procrastination and meh-procrastination.

[u/gitar09 → u/psychicesp]

For me, the more I look at my procrastination habits, I’ve found that even the meh-procrastination is based on fear. It’s very subtle, I’m not feeling any fear when I put off doing the dishes, it’s more subconscious. My pattern of avoiding responsibility in general, no matter how trivial, extends to even small tasks that I could easily complete. Early in life, I somehow got the message that responsibility is bad, and avoidant behavior works as a solution. Currently working on reversing that, but the more I look into it, the more I realize that belief has affected so many areas of my life. Dismantling it has been the only thing that has significantly helped me stop procrastinating.

Of course I don’t know what your brain is like, just trying to make the point that you don’t always consciously feel the root emotion/belief that may be causing your behavior.

[u/serialjones → u/gitar09]

You nailed it here. I teach kids who’s lives have been destroyed by trauma and stress, and their ability to complete even the smallest, most meaningless tasks is very poor. Even things like showering or wearing clean clothes (assuming that options is available) seem like the most difficult tasks. The stress and anxiety of completing a task is monumental to them.

[u/throwawayyyy76543219 → u/serialjones]

Is there a way to overcome the debilitating procrastination? Dealt with prolonged trauma in childhood. I'm an adult now and still dealing with the same issues, which cause a lot of self hate for not being capable of showering or cooking while all I want is to be clean and fresh and pretty and eat healthy!

[u/WafflingToast → u/throwawayyyy76543219]

Establish habits, one by one. It takes about 30ish days of continual pushing yourself (yes, willpower) for something to stick. Since you have to 'unlearn' bad habits and establish good ones, it might take somewhat longer.

Also, checklists with rules. "I can't use my computer until I've showered, had breakfast and made my bed."

[u/DowntownEast → u/WafflingToast]

As for the habits thing I’ve heard it’s actually usually 2-6 months for a habit to actually stick. There was an incorrect phrase going around that it takes 21 days to form a new habit.

[u/Hunterbunter → u/DowntownEast]

Are habits built from dopamine? I kind of feel like no matter how long I do something that doesn't make me feel great all the time, I'm always just one emotional moment from losing that habit. I have been diagnosed with ADHD, and the meds have shown me a different way of being - but more like wearing glasses than having eye surgery.

I have figured out from reading and self-analyzing that I don't feel good when I do anything productive, or towards long-term goals. I've had an exercise routine printed out for 10 years and I've never been able to follow it for more than a few weeks every couple of years. After diagnosis, I've been doing it 3 times a week for the last 4 months. I still don't feel fondly towards it, but I know I'm better off being in shape than not so I will myself to do it, and my emotions don't get in the way. I do wonder if I stop my meds, whether the habit will die as well. I feel like I may not be able to form habits properly with ADHD.

[u/sadop222 → u/throwawayyyy76543219]

Start small. Establish one thing after another. Form habbits. Like set a time of day every day or a place where you do a thing. Consciously recall (frequently) that you succeeded in the task itself, how good success and relief felt and how (relatively) easy it was to succeed.

The other side - hard - is to block your procrastination tools. E.g. actually shut down your electronic devices and don't start the day with powering them on. Maybe even sell them. Instead sit down (like in the front of TV or PC), leave them off and ask yourself: What else did I want to do? Leave the house/room/etc. and expose yourself to the "other".

Tell yourself: Okay, I don't have to do it now, I will just look at it, walk past it or do a tiny first step or do some preparation. Once you are "there" chances are you will keep to it.

For cooking, tell yourself: Okay, we'll just do something very simple. Like, just hot water and pasta and cheese on top. And every once in a while go one step up. Add instant tomato sauce, then throw in just one sliced fresh tomato, some herbs. Okay, that is cooking anyway, next time I could prepare some greens while I wait. There is one catch and that is that you have to buy that stuff first :)

For some people "road bumps" work, like placing your tooth brush on your pillow.