3 Secrets to Stop Procrastinating
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- Опубликовано: 9 мар 2022
- Why do I accomplish some of my To-Dos, but delay, avoid, dread, and procrastinate over others? I always assumed the problem was me. Turns out it wasn't.
It was frustrating. I'd put off the urgent, important, or meaningful tasks, unable to buckle down and start, until the day ran out. Then I'd vow, 'I'll get to it tomorrow... First thing... Or one of the first... Or...'
I couldn't understand why I'd avoid simple jobs and manage to do other tasks quickly and easily. Even gladly!
Then I learned some simple reasons that instantly explained why I kept putting off some tasks and easily tackled others. Turns out, they were not all tasks. They were not all simple To-Dos. They were much more than that, a sequential stream of tasks. Understanding these distinctions made a big difference for me. I suspect it will for you as well.
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Uncle Rick! OMG I've been trying to find your channel again. I forgot what your channel was called and I've been searching RUclips like "ADHD test funny" or "ADHD signs" cuz I thought you hit the spot. Now you show up in my notifications. Heaven sent! You know what it's like not knowing what to search for as a person with ADHD?!? Tortureeee!
I do! Things changed is all I can say. But I'm here. Same me! Looking for solutions to all the usual challenges of daily life?
Same here. ADHD is both a gift and a curse.
Yes! I have to break tasks down into smaller to do's, or I find everything else to do except the thing that needs done. Like I'm doing right now. Ugh.....
Sometimes I get lots done while procrastinating about something. I can't seem to harness it on purpose though
Procrastinating around a project about procrastination makes Rick the master!
I love the idea of separating actions from projects. I've never considered that in my past "to do" lists... I HAVE, however, explained that kind of breakdown to my wife when she doesn't understand why I don't want to start a particular project.
Realising how big of a project the 'seeing a friend' is, just made me understand why I always let others lead and organise these kind of things and why, over time I've ended up with no friends at all.
It is hard to maintain friendships, I know.
A simple first step is to reach out to people and explain that you do want to be friends, you value their friendship, but you are struggle to make friendships work.
"I love having you as a friend but I'm crap at keeping up my half of friendships."
I have to disagree with Rick here. Maybe try something more to the point like," I want to see you but calling is hard for me. Please invite me out, I'll almost always be up for it"
I’m an amazing planner, like I could plan professionally. I can happily spend all day organizing plans…but I refuse to do tasks as simple as splashing water on my face in the morning. I’ve found that I need help just doing a task. I either need a reason that forces me to do it (very stressful) or I have to have a very high amount of energy
❤
Love your videos ❤️ thank you!
I'm still laughing at:
you "checking" your phone. 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣
"Kids already think it looks nice'. 👍😂🤣😂
Keep it up! Thanks ❤️😄👍
Thank you. And thanks to our Patrons. Without their support I can't make videos.
The best way to fight work-procrastination, based on my own lockdown experience, is to sit in a room surrounded by people with the expectation that I'll be reasonably busy for at least 8 hours. Takes most of the anxiety-driven thoughts and motivational stress out of the equation. I'm there to do a thing, so I sit and do the thing. If I need to plan the steps (I build software solutions), I sit and plan the steps, and then do the steps. Cat videos and Ink Master RUclips compilations are not an option so they don't even occur to me.
I thought I'd love lockdown. I practically ran out of the office when it was announced. Two years out of the office and I'm 10% the worker I used to be. Can't wait to go back full-time. The few days I've had back in the office this year have been my most productive since 2020.
You are not alone, Mali. I know a lot of people who have found the same thing. Inf act, one of our regular practices with our Patrons has been to create that online in get-togethers known as 'Body Doubling.'
Everyone logs in, we each share what we're going to be taking on: applying for college, cleaning a room, decluttering a closet, writing a report, revamping a web page, taxes, etc., and then we all start. While still logged in. Some people chat. Some switch of the sound to concentrate. Some check in periodically. I remember one guy had a task he'd been dreading for ages and to his surprise he was done in 30 minutes! Some people are still going after 2 or 3 hours. Company helps.
I feel you. I only had "homeoffice" in lockdown for some weeks in 2020 and after a week my efficiency went down so much that is was embarassing.
One tip that I didn't have to use but that might help you is to ask a collegue to call you/ text you (whatever) at least once a day to ask about your work. As soon as another person is involved you will automatically work a bit more to be able to say that you did something.
I also know this phenomenon from when I was still living with my parents. Even if they didn't control me it was easier to eat etc. on time because I believed that I was expected to function like a normal human.
The part I have trouble with, regarding big projects, is breaking it down into steps. Often I’ll want to Do A Thing, and know how I’d like the end result to turn out, but breaking apart the middle into doable steps seems beyond me. That’s when I ask my husband for help lol. No shame at all getting his assistance here, and I take solace in the fact that he can’t put furniture together to save his life - that’s my area of expertise 😂
Ha ha! I'm the furniture guy in this house. Yes, how to chunk something up is a great topic for a future video. Because, when you think about it, that's how we live our lives anyway, on step or action at a time.
I explain this problem to friends thusly :. I'll start the first step to organize the formation of the concept for determining the design of the process which will identify the . . . .
No matter what I do everything seems like a "project" to me and I never get down to the atomic tasks necessary for the completion of that project.
UUUIUUUUUGGHHH !
One of The reasons I procrastinate is because I know that I'm going to have to look for EVERYTHING I will need to get sh** done. Several times actually, because I tend to lose/misplace things I have found, while looking for other things. 😂
"We procrastinate on things we find interesting or exciting!" THANK YOU! I get so sick of hearing everyone talk about procrastinating on the boring stuff -obviously- but I have a whole list of things I can't wait to do... yet I do wait.
There’s something a little funny to see Rick using discord for his to-do lists. I love it !
I'll watch this later...
It will still be here!
Projects vs Todo’s is MIND BLOWING!! Makes so much sense why have I not realized this before? Thank you so much!
3:30 "Even firster" it's so me too!
Thanks! Made me chuckle.
Ugh, I really struggle with this one a lot. Breaking it down into steps and making the steps actionable makes a lot of sense, plus knowing the difference between a task and a project... well, now we're talking!! I find PHONE CALLS are the WORST for me to accomplish, especially because the shift I work everything is closed by the time I wake up. Example: I was running late (big surprise!) for my mammogram last November (which I should have scheduled for later in the day anyway, but you know how we think we can do it all!) so I called to tell them and they said I would have to reschedule, but of course I didn't have my planner with me so I couldn't do it right then. A bunch of other priorities popped up and then our insurance changed in January so I wasn't sure I'd be able to go to the same place...yadda, yadda, yadda. I had "make mamm appt" on my list for months (!) but what I didn't have on my list (and what was keeping me from calling) was "find papers that say if preventable services can be done anywhere with new insurance." Just the thought of having to find those stupid papers was enough to put off this phone call that could literally save my life! And also, how did those 4 months go by so fast?!
Been there!
I saw this video in my subscription feed this morning and thought "Seems useful. Eh, I'll watch it later."
The irony. Thank goodness I actually set time aside to watch this.
Yeah. In our Friday funnies we had a Meme, "I'm writing my Oughta-Biography. It's a list of things I oughta have done but didn't."
@@rickgreen4131 That's gold ☺ I might use that joke sometime
This makes so much sense!!!!!!!
I have recently been getting comfortable using my Google Task List as a running short term memory hack. It keeps me remembering the things I need to do and I can add subtasks under the bigger projects to achieve the "doable" steps. I just love jotting things down before 🤯😶 "What was i trying to remember?!" 🤔 hits. Just life changing for me. I guess its my version of a bullet journal. Plus I made a TV into an always on display showing my to do list so big I CAN'T MISS IT as I walk past it ✅
That's brilliant, having it there where you can't miss it. I believe the term is 'Externalizing', getting things out of your head and somewhere concrete and visible, that you can't overlook. Like the woman who ended her evenings by preparing her lunch to take to work the next day, then would forget to grab it as she rushed out the door to drive to work. So she put her car keys in her lunch bag! In the fridge. LOL
This video was a God-send; I really needed to learn and do these three steps. However, about the first step, make a list! I used to make a list. For some reason I haven’t done that in a long, long time. Thank you Rick.
You are welcome, Nancy. Do subscribe to our Friday Funnies. There's always good stuff in them. They're free, at RickWantsToKnow.com
And if you want more, check out the benefits of becoming a Patron. For a few dollars a month there are exclusive, Patron only webinars, (last week I had my friends Colin Mochrie (Who's Line Is It Anyway) and his wife, Debra McGrath on, talking about applying the lessons and rules of Improv comedy to their lives and marriage. The only reason I can make these videos is because of the support of our Patrons.
Thanks Rick ! I've always heard about divising tasks in smaller ones, but the way that you are explaining it offers a different way of unterstanding it. I never thought about the nuance between projects and tasks. Well, I know I have both projects and tasks in my to do list, but I never thought about IDENTIFYING projects as projects. Your way of defining this method is way more precise. And transforming tasks into *doable* actions must surely make a difference.
I will try asking me these questions when I don't know where to start. Thank you, it's the first time I hear someone explaining this method like you did!
This was so helpful for me. This could be a huge game changer in my life at the moment. Thank you so much!
Thank you for making an amazing video!
You are welcome! Kudos to the crew and the Patrons who make all these videos possible.
Just had a funny experience. A notification popped up on my phone that this video was posted, and I was thinking "I want to watch this now, but I have to keep working. So, should I put off the task I was about to do until the video is over, or should I select the 'Watch later' option on the notification?"
Here's what I decided: I'll switch this task with the next, which I can do from my desk and listen to Rick's video about procrastination, and then go do the task I was going to do in the first place... But do it second.
Nice! LOL. Did it work?
@@rickgreen4131 Well, I'd have to say "yes and no". The task that I started with the video took a lot longer than expected (but not because of the video, only because the information I was looking for was not where I expected it to be...it was literally "at hand", printed on a brochure in the box I was holding, and not in a note I thought I'd saved on my computer). And I had a string of more urgent tasks that popped up all day long. I finally took care of the first task I knew I needed to do, and it took 5 minutes, but was followed by a great conversation with the person I was helping by doing it. --- Just a typical day working in tech support, except that I don't always get in much time for conversation with a colleague.
Life with ADHD is certainly always interesting and full of variety! 😆
But I'm glad I listened to the video when I did. If I'd used the "Watch later" link, I may not have gotten back to it for 4 months
@@jeremykermott537 Oh, tell me about it! Every two weeks we do a webinar for our Patrons and the next morning in our Patron chat rooms there are always folks lamenting that they set multiple reminders and still managed to miss the event! (I record them so they can be watched at any time, but still... I'm hosting them and I've almost missed a couple... "I'd better get a glass of water in case I get a dry throat," and I end up doing the dishes, taking out the garbage and trying to fix the drip in the faucet. LOL
Rick, I'm watching this while exercising at home. I feel validated 😁 Great video series by the way, Jess and I enjoy them quite a bit.
Can't believe I didn't Procrastinate watching this video. Only uploaded 40 minutes ago.
Oh good! You're no longer a procrastinator! Ha!
Rick, you always make me laugh! A lot of these examples are so on spot! It is a comfort to know I am not from Mars! I am very happy you are advocating for ones that have many of these traits! Thanks! People respect you, therefore hopefully in time they can respect the common one who has ADD/ADHD! We are called/ labelled, many negative things!🤐
This was so good! 😆 I gained here, thank you m'dude.
Awesome. What did you take away from this? Where does it apply in your life?
@@rickgreen4131 well, the skits showed me that my episodes aren't individual nor special --and I hadn't been able to slow down time until now, now that you made those skits & omg, thats soooooo me!!
But, I like the idea of finding the steps of the projects -no wonder I keep clamming up and falling behind, I'm overwhelmed. Thanks, I appreciate all you're doing. ♡ I'm learning so much. (Only 5 mo of diagnosis at 49)
Great tips! Sometimes its a ton of mental energy and sometimes it comes more natural. Im finding with video editing I am better able to be focused on actions, when im not its time to stop haha.
Yes! Know your energy levels and play to them. Don't try to push through them. It uses up willpower, of which we have limited supplies.
Hmmm ?
This all makes sense.
I wonder if I can make it "actionable" ?
You have excellent taste in board games!
Seems to me there are THREE causes for MY procrastination. (N at 77 i have had enough experience to have a pretty good handle on this).
One - i’m not interested AT ALL. Which is rare, actually
Two - i really do NOT Already know How to DO this thing - so part of the journey is the Learning BeFore the Doing.
This is where i freeze. Unless i have a GREAT Interest in this subject/ project this triggers OLD shit from childhood, which makes doing Well at Anything New VERY Dangerous for me. (OLDE Old stuff!)
All that i NEED to work thru the triggers and get Over this shit!
Three - i WANT to do this thing with my Whole Heart! Therefore i must Earn the Right to Do what i want by doing a Whole BUNCH a what i Don’t like (mundane stuff/ everyday stuff)
Again, childhood training.
#2 is not so bad any more but still trips me up. #3 is so subtle! I Miss it! N Dont enjoy life as much as i want to.
SOOOOO
Thank you Rick! You do auch a Clear job of explaining what is Likely happening, and then How to Fix It! Live your clarity! AND your Humor!
Not a good sign that I'm watching this video while I'm supposed to be working...
Ha ha! Yeah... But at least it's helpful info, as opposed to videos of people pranking their roommate.
This is a fantastic video - I had no idea some items were a project with many steps! Thank you so much this will help me and my kids too, you are a genius Rick!!
Fantastic video and as always I love how you present, approachable, funny, adorable. Discord has been so helpful lately too, I’m Carryl btw. I’ve been not doing much on a story/comic for a long time and I’ve broken down steps, still often eludes me. Still, this feels more hopeful again. Or maybe I could let that one go, holding on too long doesn’t help.
No. And thank you Carryl, I always love your posts in our Patron chat rooms. It's such a wonderful community.
Great video Rick!!!
I often procrastinate without knowing why. When I stop to think about the steps involved, usually there's at least one that has unconsciously stumped me for some simple reason. I can't, for example, clean out my closet without a large garbage bag but I never think to buy those because I have a small trash can. Now, do I buy a batch of them or steal one from my boyfriend? I don't think he'll mind... Okay, so I still don't want to clean out my closet but at least now I have a plan, I was completely stalled on it before
"the road to hell is paved with good intentions".
A common dictum uttered by my grandma when I was a kid.
I'll Watch this Later.
Maybe watch it with Caruthers Willaby and Richard T. (See above!) Tee hee!
I am working on a project: masters thesis. Lots of huge tasks, I break it down (into a brain dump), then the list becomes so long, anxiety sets in. Procrastinate, where to start, how to start, I cannot find where I put that file… or where can I get that file. The story of my life the last couple of years… life with ADHD and ASD. I got so overwhelmed today, I just shut down again…
This is exactly what I needed today!! Are you a mind reader??
Yes. And so are you, so I didn't even have to tell you.
Seriously, glad it was what you needed today. I need it EVERY day!
i started new "work out" routine which is just, doing a workout set a few times a day. cause any workout is better than none, and im not likely actually get dressed and get to the gym. but making one set of pushups on the livingroom floor without shoes when i listen to that very long voice messege? i can do that im adhd af
Thanks, I’ll watch this later …
Smart.
@@rickgreen4131 sorry my friend … I just couldn’t help myself … it had to be said :)
I’ll watch this later.
the difference between to-dos, projects and appointments I understand. I'm extremely well-organized (now lol). it's the doing that's the problem. I cant do. if I dont want to do, I dont do. no matter how much I need to or even how much I think I want to. I won't do it. how do you turn the will to do anything gene back on? 😒
How do you adjust to the time change when comes time to go ahead a hour or fall back a hour ?
Instead of exercising at home, I bought an eBike.
Now, exercise isn't a to-do, it's an escape.
I want to go to the store... Might as well take the bike.
I wonder how Jim's doing? He did want to give this a ride...
I want to go on a walk, it would be silly to drive a car somewhere, to walk on a trail...
Ah. Yes. If you break down even a short project into steps, there are so many little steps in each thing.
I wait for manic days, then do it all in one day
Okay, wait- is making a project out of something small a procrastinating technique?
For example-
You don't need anything but your body to exercise at home. You can even do it with bare feet. You can do calisthenics you learned in grade school. Pretty sure that's why we did them. Teachers wearing us out.
Walking is a great exercise I do in my regular sneakers.
My kids and I often make mountains out of molehills like this. But we also do what you describe. We tend to look at the whole metaphorical hamburger and try to stuff it in our face, instead of taking one bite at a time.
Ugh. Smart ADHD brains are so complicated 😂