Procrastination beating tactics

11 watchers
Jan 2020
12:25pm, 15 Jan 2020
6,405 posts
  •  
  • 0
bigleggy
Stop debating the task at hand with yourself. I find the minute I let that internal dialogue run I'll talk myself out of doing pretty much anything.

If I shut it off and just get going, I'm OK once I start.

Easy to type in here, not so easy to implement
Jan 2020
12:27pm, 15 Jan 2020
9,447 posts
  •  
  • 0
rf_fozzy
bigleggy - yes. The question is how exactly you do that! If I could do it, I wouldn't procrastinate....
Jan 2020
12:59pm, 15 Jan 2020
9,583 posts
  •  
  • 0
geordiegirl
can I have a tip or 5 to get me through this task I have to do at work that is quite possibly trying to kill me with boredom..... thanks in advance

(it appears popping by Fetchland is not getting it done)
Jan 2020
1:23pm, 15 Jan 2020
44,310 posts
  •  
  • 0
Diogenes
One of my ways of procrastinating is by doing easy tasks like washing up or putting the washing on.

Sometimes you just have a plan and stick to it, even if that plan is fix the broken door handle before anything else.

As Seneca said, "it is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that they are difficult."

That's why tomorrow I am going to date to run a 3 minute mile, dodgy calf or no dodgy calf.
Jan 2020
1:34pm, 15 Jan 2020
6,406 posts
  •  
  • 0
bigleggy
Ah, well - if there's no calming down that inner voice you have no choice but to get yourself some accountability.
Jan 2020
1:36pm, 15 Jan 2020
18,725 posts
  •  
  • 0
ChrisHB
1) When unable to start a task, kid yourself that you started it a couple of minutes ago and that you are now stuck into it.

2) Or tell yourself, you're only going to work for two minutes so that the day won't have been 100% idle time, and then find that you carry on.
Jan 2020
1:57pm, 15 Jan 2020
29,826 posts
  •  
  • 0
halfpint
I'm going to be controversial and say that starting a thread on Fetch is not the way to avoid procrastination.

WHen I was studying and allowed myself to get distracted by social media etc I used an app called StayFocsed (or something like that). You could set it to block certain sites or all sites except xx for a period of time. It worked a treat for online distractions.
Jan 2020
2:04pm, 15 Jan 2020
33,869 posts
  •  
  • 0
HappyG(rrr)
If it's general, then I'm afraid one of the guru things that I find really helpful is "eat the frog". That is, choose the worst one on your list and just start that. Everything else seems relatively easy once you've cracked the hardest one.

Artificial deadlines work quite well for me. Do nothing until 11.34, then convince myself that I have to have completed task by 12 and just rush through it.

For running, so many, but mainly "do the run you'd like, not the run you think you should do" e.g.

if you don't like to run along, then run with others (or vice versa);

don't like running on streets, run in a place that you like up hills or a park (or vice versa!);

don't want to do a fast, hard, hilly run etc, then just do your min, slow, easy one instead (or vice versa - I know at least one runner who hates running slowly!)
don't want to run in horrid weather, run on treadmill (or vice versa - I hate treadmill!)

But running is great. Just go and run! :-) G
Jan 2020
2:05pm, 15 Jan 2020
33,870 posts
  •  
  • 0
HappyG(rrr)
*alone, not along
Jan 2020
2:32pm, 15 Jan 2020
20,341 posts
  •  
  • 0
TRO Saracen
I struggled with longer runs and/or bike turbos.

I remember one where i'd planned 4 hours on the turbo; planned start time passed and I was still faffing; I was still faffing at the time it would have been due to finish.

Grrrrr. That made me furious: I could have been sat there, glowing from a tough ride done and planning what to do with the rest of the day. Yet there I was, having wasted the whole morning, with the entire ride still to do.

I often think back to this as it usually helps knowing that I will not regret it if I just bloody get on with it! Much better now, since this....

About This Thread

Maintained by rf_fozzy
Share your best ones, rather than the unrealistic ones offered by the gurus!

Particularly annoyin...

Related Threads

  • challenges
  • lifeadmin









Back To Top
X

Free training & racing tools for runners, cyclists, swimmers & walkers.

Fetcheveryone lets you analyse your training, find races, plot routes, chat in our forum, get advice, play games - and more! Nothing is behind a paywall, and it'll stay that way thanks to our awesome community!
Get Started
Click here to join 112,110 Fetchies!
Already a Fetchie? Sign in here