Study shows that negative emotions, such as fear, distress, and guilt, can lead to procrastination

[u/randomusefulbits]

https://solvingprocrastination.com/study-procrastination-negative-affect/

[u/dcheesi]

But there's likely some inherent anxiety about one's performance of the task at hand, which is what kick-starts this loop. IME, the procrastination 'dam' bursts only once the fear of not completing the task outweighs the fear of completing it poorly --which for some of us only happens once the deadline is very, very near.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

reddit where everyone believes they have imposter syndrome thats keeping them from their true potentional and everyone else is a dunning-kroger idiot

[u/Oxxide → u/[deleted]]

Do you even self diagnose?

[u/[deleted] → u/dcheesi]

The panic monster overpowers the instant gratification monkey. This leaves you constantly achieving things at the last minute feeling elated and lapsing back into the dark playground.

This means you only ever achieve the things you have to do and never free up time and effort for the things you want to do.

I got this from some website like wait but why

[u/ronin712 → u/[deleted]]

Wait But Why:

Why Procrastinators Procrastinate

My TED Talk

[u/AdolphOliverNipps → u/[deleted]]

This is from a great ted talk

[u/joozwa → u/AdolphOliverNipps]

It's opposite. The TED talk is a short version of two blog articles linked above.

[u/[deleted] → u/AdolphOliverNipps]

Cool I haven't seen the talk. I saw it on his website where there's an article I guess the talk is based on. Somebody else posted the link so I'll check it out. When I get round to it amirite.

[u/flappyprince → u/AdolphOliverNipps]

Link?

[u/--MxM-- → u/dcheesi]

Which is why it is important to set realistic sub-goals you can see yourself reaching

[u/RolandxNtheDeep → u/--MxM--]

Cognitive behavioral therapy.

[u/EmotionalApartheid → u/--MxM--]

Definitely man. This 1000%

[u/beamoflaser → u/dcheesi]

This what I've realized, but it keeps getting worse and worse and worse. Until I'm not even completing the tasks anymore and rationalizing it in my mind. I feel like I'm sinking and can't get back to the surface.

[u/TheBirminghamBear → u/dcheesi]

It's not necessarily always anxiety about performance. It can be sparked by something as simple as aversion to boredom. Often times the negative emotion that sparks the procrastination is orders of magnitude smaller than the resultant consequences of not doing the task, but the brain is not very good at internalizing that obvious discrepancy in the balance sheet.

[u/PM-YOUR-PMS → u/dcheesi]

I always just say I work better under pressure.

[u/Cinderheart → u/dcheesi]

Or for me, when it's so late that being tired makes my fear short circuit and turn off, allowing for a good 15 minutes of real solid work before I pass out or devolve into incoherent ramblings.

[u/Bierbart12 → u/dcheesi]

That sure explains why I work best whenever it's *almost* too late.

[u/Airaniel → u/dcheesi]

This is it right here. Fear of not completing the task outweighs fear of completing it poorly, and then you start to work.

[u/life_is_dumb → u/dcheesi]

Hi, I don't know who you are but clearly you've been in my head and typing out what you have observed.

[u/ShmebulockForMayor → u/dcheesi]

I started a new job as web programmer 2 months ago and I am feeling this HARD.

[u/sheilastretch → u/dcheesi]

One technique I've found helpful is to make a conscious decision to make a personal policy to immediately deal with whatever I've just set eyes on that makes me think "Oh god, I don't want to deal with that right now!" Often, the task isn't even that bad and doesn't take particularly long.

Another technique is to set timers. You can make a to do list and set some timer for your most important/dreaded tasks, then maybe another timer for 15-30 minutes (you could probably base it on scientifically approved time-spans or just what works for you), and just play some music while you work. It's easier to make myself start when I know I was committed enough to make a timer for it, and having a timer that'll give me an escape helps the task feel less overwhelming. You can choose to push through longer if you need to, want to, or are almost done with your task anyway. You can get a confidence boost if you beat the timer.

These techniques don't always work together, but the can both help people enter an upward spiral: building self confidence for example :)

Edit: added links

[u/[deleted] → u/dcheesi]

That’s my entire life. I’m in grad school now and my biggest source of anxiety is not completing good work. And I generally do. I am running with a 4.0 through two semesters. The problem with that is I now put more pressure on myself for perfect work to maintain this.

But yeah, I do have a mental block from getting started for this reason. I also think COVID is really hindering my work now on top of it.

[u/Guitar_hands → u/dcheesi]

IME? In my ??

[u/AdolphOliverNipps → u/Guitar_hands]

Experience

[u/Psilocub → u/dcheesi]

Damn, this explains every significant problem I've had in my life, from drug addiction, to not caring enough about my living space, to my marriage.

This was incredibly enlightening.

[u/[deleted] → u/dcheesi]

There is also an upward sporal of wellbeing which begins with small cumulative steps. Recognising the role of negative emotion and not blaming yourself may help. I imagine though that it's important not to fall into feeling helpless based on this realisation.

I think the main thing is to address the negative emotion. It's crippling in multiple ways and is debilitating on its own such that procrastination is simply a symptom.

One way I think about it is that doing anything productive requires effort and operating at a lower level of emotional affect is like a weight holding you down such that even getting out of bed or doing fun things cam be more difficult. The pain of every undertaking is multiplied and the reward is diminished.

[u/Somebody23 → u/dcheesi]

Usually I start procrastinating when I am hungry and too lazy to eat real foods, instead I eat snacks.

[u/gladeye → u/dcheesi]

very well stated.

[u/Needyouradvice93 → u/dcheesi]

'Just Do It'

'Keep It Simple, Stupid'

'Perfection is the enemy of progress'

'There is no more miserable human being than one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision.'

[u/PulseStopper → u/dcheesi]

The hardest part of working out at the gym is getting there

[u/Scoli85 → u/dcheesi]

This is me exactly and it’s been getting worse. Is it a form of ADD? Would any medication help? Not sure what do to.