Sunday life: how to fix procrastination
This week I try self-binding
Apparently, Victor Hugo wrote nude. Which is not a pretty visual.
The writer also used to instruct his butler to hide his clothes so he couldn’t head outside for a wander when he was meant to be writing. Which makes me think, if only I had a butler. This column would’ve emerged in half the time and without ingestion of the following: a packet of wasabi peas, two pots of green tea (requiring a descaling of the kettle first and four visits to the loo), three spoonfuls of cashew spread straight from the jar (requiring seperate trips to the kitchen) and, regrettably, a dozen rounds of Angrybirds.
Writers notoriously struggle with procrastination, which is why there is so much written on the topic. Dailyroutines is a site dedicated to the tortured approaches writers implement to beat the tug of manana. It chronicles a litany of rigid techniques – John Grisham used to get up at 5, at his office writing by 5.30am; Kingsley Amis wouldn’t shower or dress until he’d written a certain wad of words.
In the past few years, though, a ream (?) of academics have taken over the struggle, presumably to find a solution so they can get on with their dissertations. Professor Piers Steel, in his recent book The Procrastination Equation, says 95 per cent of people procrastinate, 20 per cent of us are chronic procrastinators and that this figure has quadrupled in 24 years, largely due to the unbounded distractions of the internet. The New Yorker recently described putting things off as “the quintessentially modern problem”. I think most of us would agree; it plagues us.
The newest research, however, has found procrastination has little to do with a lack of willpower. Which I guess is good news because that makes it sound like it’s not my fault that I’m still toggling to check my blog traffic as I write this. Steele explains when we dither it’s because our two decision making-centres – the prehistoric limbic system (which makes impulsive, delaying choices) and the neo-cortex (which can look ahead to the future consequences of doing so) are having a go-nowhere tug-of-war.
So what’s the solution if it’s not pulling your finger out and trying harder? Judging by the research I’ve been sidetracked with this week, it’s about self-binding. That is, creating your own boundaries, like having hired help hide your clothes or tie you to a ship’s mast (as Ulysses famously did to stop himself from being lured off track by those damn Sirens). Behavioural economist Dan Ariely speaking at BigThink reckons humans like being bound. He did an experiment with students where they were given the choice between handing in all work at the end of the semester, or having individual deadlines dispersed throughout, but with penalties imposed if these individual deadlines were missed. The students chose the latter, despite the risk of penalty. That’s how much they preferred being bound.
As I found this week, all kinds of gizmos are emerging to help us self-bind. SnuzNLuz is an alarm clock that, when you hit “snooze”, donates money to causes you hate. This week I paid $10 to download Freedom, a web program that blocks the internet for up to 8 hours. While I was at it, I also downloaded Anti-Social, which selectively blocks your social media sites only. Curiously it costs $5 more. Nora Ephron, Dave Eggers and Nick Hornby all use Freedom, which comes with the tagline:
“Freedom enforces freedom”
Did I experience enforced freedom? Yep. There’s a certain relief to be gleaned from not being contactable nor able to do “just a little bit more extra background reading“ before starting a job. Like going on a work trip where there’s no phone or internet reception. At first you’re outraged. Then you see it as a blessing.
Once Freedom was installed I sailed through the rest of this column. I didn’t move. When I wavered, and tried to toggle over to Twitter, the program screamed at me, “Freedom will not respond until your offline interval expires!” Just like my very own butler.
I’m reminded of something my meditation teacher Tim says to me when I whine about not having enough cash to take off to Bali. Or having to work over a weekend. “Ah, you’ve been rendered choiceless,” he says. He’s said it a few times, and always in a tone that indicates this is a good thing. I guess it is.
Some great tips for fellow procrastinators, thanks Sarah. And I think our meditation teacher may be the same Tim….Tim B of Paddington? So so wise….and soothing!
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March 6th, 2011 at 3:53 pm
Yep, that’s him!
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These are some of my favourite books on procrastination (and perfectionism which relates very closely). All available on Amazon.
And yeah, I haven’t read them all yet – keep putting it off.
(1) The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play by Neil Fiore PhD.
(2) The Now Habit at Work: Perform Optimally, Maintain Focus, and Ignite Motivation in Yourself and Others by Neil Fiore PhD.
(3) Still Procrastinating: The No Regrets Guide to Getting It Done by Joseph R. Ferrari.
(4) Present Perfect: A Mindfulness Approach to Letting Go of Perfectionism and the Need for Control by
Pavel G. Somov.
Off Topic: Duke Uni Professor Dan Ariely’s story is amazing – search for “Temptations and Self-Control” on YouTube. (He has many other great YouTube videos).
He suffered burns to 70% of his body, infected with Hepatitis from bad blood whilst in hospital, then chose 18 months of daily painful injections of trial drugs. All explained through the concept of Behavioural Economics – and not in a boring way, trust me!
(A) Predictably Irrational, Revised and Expanded Edition: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions by Dan Ariely.
(B) The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic at Work and at Home by Dan Ariely.
PS: I’m still using the Pomodoro Technique every day – though I set the timer for 15mins not 30mins – and take a simple 2 min stretch out of the chair. It really is one of the simplest methods of beating procrastination daily.
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Procrastination! Perfectly timed post – I’ve just started using EFT to unblock a lot of the root causes of my procrastination (which apparently is another form of self sabotage). It’s absolutely incredible what comes up out of the old subconscious about why I’m really preventing myself from finishing that chapter, or why on edit number three billion and fifty one I’m now considering a total rewrite!!
Havi Brooks, a totally unique and somewhat wacky blogger, has specific techniques for creatives, who are often the worst of the procrastinators, her Procrastination Dissolvomatic is fascinating and her blog is a must-read for blocked creatives, totally mindbending.
I also use chrome Nanny on occasion to totally block the internet during work hours, but may switch on your recommendations.
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Hi Sarah
I also think the net has made it so easy to get distracted so those programs sound brilliant. I was recently recommended an old book: The Power of Concentration by Theron Q. Dumon by a friend who told me that concentration eliminates procrastination. i have just started reading it and if you dont have time reading then id like to recommend a program to you: Spesoft Text To MP3 Speaker. it turns documents and ebooks into mp3 for on the go
Thanks for this advice, self bounding is a great idea and will help me get lots more done
Cheers
Peter
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March 7th, 2011 at 2:57 pm
Really!? Is the program free?
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March 7th, 2011 at 2:57 pm
And is the voice “mechanical”?
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March 7th, 2011 at 5:22 pm
Hey Sarah
Yes the programs free and the voice is femail and does sound a little machanical. but will suffice, however their are paid programs similar with natural sounding voices but i havent tried them. i find this one meets my present needs well enough
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the other day my boyfriend happily gave me a helping, if not a tad firm hand, in beating my dangerously encroasching procrastination (and subsequent guilt-glumness) …he packed my computer away, said “no reading the papers, no checking facebook, no reading magazines, you have to sit and design and sew a dress by the time i come home, and if you need a break you can go for a walk in the rainforest, or do some stretches, meditation, but no popping off the shops!” and i thought it was a little condescending and patronising, but just for the sake of it, i followed the recommendation…and completed 2 new dresses that day, a self designed original pattern, and sorted out the fabrics i’ve been meaning to do for oh…6 months…it has unleashed something good in me, and sometimes we need these enforced regulations just to kickstart a natural process of progressing with tasks and goals. So thanks BF, but in the week since its been all me!
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That’s a nice post for procrastinators like me. Thank you, Sarah.
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I started reading this post yesterday. I got half-way through… then I went a played a couple of computer games, read a magazine, made dinner etc…. I came back and finished the post just now. I guess I have a LONG way to go
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March 7th, 2011 at 8:57 am
how good was your Sunday!!!
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Busted! I’m reading this article instead of finishing my paper…. :S Thanks for the kick up the bum, I’ll get back to it now!
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March 7th, 2011 at 2:56 pm
God speed!
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A faculty of academics? Hmm I prefer a “tweed” of academics
Great post Sarah, and some good comments too.
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March 7th, 2011 at 2:55 pm
Hah! A tweed…like it!
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Hi Sarah,
Really enjoyed this article.
Just one question – ‘how do you know if you’re a chronic procrastinator?’
Cheers,
Michael.
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