ABCs of getting things done
E: Thoughts that prevent getting things done
Often, when people procrastinate, they have many thoughts in their mind, but these thoughts do not always help with getting the things done, and rather the thoughts can prevent people from getting started. This could be because the thoughts can be related to something completely different than the task in question. For instance, when one is supposed to study, many thoughts related to the past or upcoming events, as well as the joys, worries and sorrows related to these events can enter the mind. Or it could be that the thoughts in the mind are related to the task in question but they somehow hinder getting things done. For example, when starting to study, the thoughts can wonder to doubting if one can get through the task or if one should get started now or later since the deadline is later.
Submit your exercises to the folder below if you want feedback.
1) Five-minute exercise
a. Start working on a task with which you procrastinate for 5 minutes.
b. Give yourself 3 minutes to think about all kinds of other thoughts (past, future, task-related, or unrelated) and write these things down for yourself.
c. After this, use 2 minutes for planning what you should do next. Return to a. The purpose of this exercise is to give some time for those thoughts that could prevent getting your things done and make them visible, as well as to concentrate on getting the task done in small doses.
2) The bus metaphor
Imagine that you are a bus driver who is driving a bus full of thoughts. These thoughts can be loud and can yell various instructions at the driver. Draw the bus and the passengers. Draw thought bubbles for the passengers and write down the thoughts that are yelled at the driver. This might help you make it visible what kinds thoughts bother you. Watch the following video about this.
3) Directing your attention, exercises
Practice concentrating and focusing your attention, for instance, through the practice of mindfulness
4) Learning to get by with self-criticism
If you notice that the thoughts bothering you and preventing you from getting things done are related to self-criticism, self-blame, or perfectionism, check out this Aalto course Power of Imperfection