Note: This article is based on the work of Leo Babauta, who tells us how to learn to avoid procrastination when doing tasks.
But some people rarely stall. When I met someone, I interviewed them, and I found that they had two distinct habits.
Non-procrastinators' Simple Habits
1. Empathy for their future selves
This is the main thing I've found to be true in non-procrastinators, and most of them do it spontaneously; they think about what will make their future happy or less painful, and then they do it easily and without procrastinating.
2. Take small, actionable steps
This is a reasonably standard tip; it is an essential step in addition to the previous habit. Take any challenging task and make it smaller, easier, and more doable. Here is another practice that I found helpful: Be comfortable with the task that you must do. Although not every non-procrastinator does this step, its impact is significant. Instead of feeling nervous about the task and wanting to finish it quickly, we can feel comfortable and fully accept it.
Now let's look at this in more detail
1. Empathy for the Future Self
I've heard this before, but it's worth thinking about again. Non-procrastinate people form this habit in elementary school and, most of the time, don't even realize they do it. Maybe something happened when they were kids; they delivered something late because they procrastinated or had to do something at the last minute and hated that feeling.
In any case, they have learned that postponing things leads to future inconvenience. So, they have a habit of thinking they should do this task now because if they postpone it, this will cause them problems later on, or if they complete the task now, they will be happier.
It is a straightforward step, however, and it must be ingrained as a habit in the person. On the other hand, most people think that they can do the task later, it won't be a problem for them, or they prefer to do something else or relieve stress by eating, distracting, or any other distraction from the task. It's an ingrained habit that they don't even think about it.
To change this habit, you must think more and act more carefully. Think about yourself in the future, tomorrow, or a year from now. What actions are taken today and repeatedly that will make you happier in the future? How can you be kind to yourself in the future so you don't have to suffer?
2. Take small, actionable steps
These habits may seem obvious, but most people do not realize how powerful it is to combine them in one way. Most people who do not procrastinate combine these two habits without realizing they are doing so. Their habits are as follows: Making the task seem doable. Starting and doing it through conviction is easy, and the key is to start. Once you start, you will finish your task. It is instant self-deception to start working now so you will be happier in the future.
We often think about a task in our minds until we are convinced it is so difficult and painful that we postpone it. But if we start with it, we will see it is not bad. Thus, when you think about a task or project, be used to thinking easily to start. If you want to write a chapter in a book, do not think about how difficult it is to spend 3 to 4 hours writing or how many things you need to discover before starting.
Instead, think about opening a new file, playing great music, and writing down the first thing that comes to mind. The task becomes easy, doable, and accessible. The truth is that you can't get used to these habits suddenly; all you can do is take the next easy step. Focus on doing these steps until they become habits, combine them, and see what happens. Empathize with your future self and think of the easiest way to get started, and you'll be a non-procrastinate person.
This is an additional habit that complements the previous two habits:
3. Feeling comfortable with the task at hand
This habit adds a lot of effectiveness to this method, even if not all non-procrastinate people do not practice it. This habit requires more awareness and vigilance than others. It is about how we usually want to postpone the task, either to stay away from it because it is difficult or full of uncertainty or to finish the task as if it is routine work and move on to the next one because we have a lot to do. The problem with this approach is that each task becomes work that we do not want to do. This means that our days are full of things that we do not want to do, and then after a while, this becomes tiring, stressful, and boring.
This, in turn, leads to procrastination because who wants to do tasks they do not want to do? Instead, what if you were completely comfortable with the task and found pleasure in it? It's about allowing yourself to be fully present, and let's say, for example, that you're about to start writing, so you decide to think deeply and access your thoughts fully. You will think about the task and notice whether you resist it, want it, or dislike it.
You allow yourself to stay on task and be empathetic not only to your future self but also to your present. You feel grateful for your ability to perform the task and associate it with the big goal that serves you and the people you care about.
Through this sense of gratitude and dedication to what and who you care about, you do the task and find joy in a small act. Notice the difference after changing the way you think and feel comfortable in how you usually try to accomplish things; it is entirely different in this way. Feel comfortable, accept the task, empathize with your future self, focus only on the easiest and most feasible ways to start and implement, and monitor the results.
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