The ObservatoryPut it off or begin
Four decision moments where procrastination creeps in, and what actually breaks the pattern
How it works
- The impulse in the momentWriteChoose
- The big thing and the already postponedChoose
The impulse in the moment
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Why does it work?
Builds on the research on "if-then plans" (implementation intentions): tying an intention in advance to a specific situation increases the likelihood that it actually happens. Meta-analysis: Gollwitzer & Sheeran (2006).
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The if-then plan
Turn an intention into an if-then plan that links a concrete cue to an action.
Exercise10 minProcrastination is a feeling
Procrastination is not laziness but escape from a feeling. Naming the feeling often loosens the task.
Exercise12 minExamine the excuse
Between what you say you want and what you did yesterday sits an excuse. Examine it like an auditor: kindly, but without mercy.