You do it.
I do it.
We all do it.
And I am not talking about poop…
I am talking about procrastination.
Procrastination is the act of delaying or postponing tasks or decisions. It can lead to stress, a sense of guilt, loss of productivity, and missed opportunities.
But, like I said, we all do it.
Why do we procrastinate?
Avoidance of discomfort, fear of failure, perfectionism, poor time management, lack of motivation, decision fatigue, and feeling overwhelmed are the common culprits when it comes to being a procrastinator.
I am sure one, if not all, resonate with you in some way.
So how do we stop procrastinating?
Stop procrastinating: Option #1 – Go Shia-LaBeouf Style and “Just Do it”
Look, in option #2, I’ll give you some solid science to follow so you can procrastinate less. However, you have to know, even the best scientific strategy is going to come with a large dose of… JUST DO IT!
You have to set yourself up for success the best you can, but after a certain point it will be about just starting. Making some progress. Getting uncomfortable and taking action.
Stop procrastinating: Option #2 – Follow the Science
There’s a great study that came out in 2024 called, “Time perspectives and procrastination in university students: exploring the moderating role of basic psychological need satisfaction,” that looked at ways to procrastinate less.
In simple terms, the study explored how time perspectives past, present, and future and how they influenced procrastination.
So do you always look to the future?
Are you present and in the now?
Are you looking to the past? And worse, do you have a negative association with the past?
If you always focus on the present or past – that had a higher correction with procrastination.
If you are future-focused – those people in the study seemed to procrastinate less.
Simple takeaways here:
Try setting clear future objectives
And pulling some bigger nuggets from the study:
Work on building your skills
Make decisions for yourself
Seek support from friends or mentors.
Try harder,
-JM
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform.
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:
- [00:00] Introduction to the topic of procrastination and its impact on entrepreneurs by Jerred Moon.
- [00:21] Discussion on the reasons behind procrastination, including avoidance of discomfort and fear of failure.
- [00:44] Analysis of how procrastination can lead to stress, guilt, and missed opportunities.
- [01:34] Emphasis on embracing discomfort to overcome procrastination.
- [02:02] Exploration of fear of failure and perfectionism as causes of procrastination.
- [02:21] Mention of Shia LaBeouf’s “Just Do It” motivational speech as a strategy to combat procrastination.
- [03:26] Introduction of scientific strategies to reduce procrastination, focusing on future-oriented thinking.
- [04:02] Suggestions for setting clear future objectives and improving skills to minimize procrastination.
- [05:11] Encouragement to make autonomous decisions and seek support to combat procrastination.
- [06:00] Jerred Moon plays Shia LaBeouf’s motivational audio clip to emphasize the “Just Do It” approach.
- [07:00] Discussion on the scientific study about time perspectives and their relation to procrastination.
- [08:00] Advice on being future-focused and how it helps in reducing procrastination.
- [09:00] Strategies for better time management and decision-making to avoid procrastination.
- [09:59] Conclusion and call to action, highlighting the importance of taking steps to reduce procrastination and improve productivity.