Overcoming procrastination isn’t easy. It’s like there are two parts of you: one part that is completely distracted by the smallest things and bored to tears and another part who wants to get things done.
You’re in luck! I know just how to beat procrastination, and there’s a good reason why.
Two Head Are Different than One
This is my first time writing for Zombie Goals and I’m excited. Ever since this trans-dimensional cloud has connected our post-apocalyptic version of earth with yours, I’ve been excited about the opportunity to share some of my thoughts.
Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done.
Oh, my. I haven’t even introduced myself. I’m Lan, half of Burb’lan. We are the product of a science experiment that went sideways: a couple zombie clones that were merged with wildly mixed results.
Two Heads One Body
Being a merged clone of two zombies, life can be a little challenging, particularly when one has mastered the ability to share thoughts coherently, and the other…
Brains! Brains!
Yes, Burb. Brains. Well said.
It’s one thing to be able to type. For the most part it’s pretty easy to keep two hands in check, with the occasional Brains! Brains! interruption. However, doing bigger things, like learning the guitar, doing some exercise, or even trying to walk in one direction can be a challenge.
In short, I know a lot about overcoming procrastination. If you’ve ever felt like that there’s a part of you that desperately wants to get things done while another part of you can’t be motivated to do jack Brains! Brains! I completely get it. I’m living it!
Luckily, I have found a few ways to overcome it, and it starts with understanding it.
Being Stuck with an Unfocused Mind
The thing is, Burb’s a good guy. He’s sweet. He’s kind. And despite his limited vocabulary, he’s a lot of fun.
It’s not that he’s lazy, it’s just that he doesn’t really have any concept of life goals. To him, getting food is a goal, or doing something fun is a goal, or not being bored is a goal.
When we were first awakened by the mad scientist that put us together, I was depressed and angry. I went through the first 4 stages of grief up and down and back again then stayed in depression for months. It wasn’t until I started to realize something that things started to change.
Stuck in My Brains! Brains!
Burb was a gift. He wasn’t focused – well on anything. He simply lived life and enjoyed whatever stepped in his path. Where I was driven and single-minded, he was playful and curious. At first it was frustrating, until I started to placate him.
I would try to work and he would want to play. Sometimes I’d have to give in just to pacify him. It was frustrating. That is, it was frustrating until I realized that it was some of the most important work I did, and it was the key that helped me in overcoming procrastination.
The problem was that when I was working, I was in focus mode. I had made all my plans and was trying to execute. There was no “big picture” stuff. I was stuck with pre-defined plans trying to make things happen.
I never took a step back. I never got creative. I was too busy working to take the time to find new approaches and new solutions. It’s like I was stuck in my Brains! Brains!
Yes! Exactly, Burb. I was too stuck in my brains and Burb realized it. He saw that something was off and was trying to get me out of my focus mode into a mode where I could take another look, or sometimes, even a break.
Understanding Procrastination
Overcoming procrastination first starts with understanding procrastination. We often think of procrastination as a curse. It’s not. In the same way Burb is simply responding to the things that drive him – hunger, friendship, and curiosity – procrastination is a way of our minds telling us that we are doing something that doesn’t feel right.
Now that discomfort may just be from doing something we know we need to do, but we don’t want to do, like getting out of bed or running for five more minutes. At the same time it could be telling us we’re doing something we shouldn’t do.
Overcoming procrastination starts with asking the question “why”. Why are you being distracted? Are you hungry? Are you not getting enough sleep? Start with the basics.
Next, make sure you’re headed in the right direction. Sometimes procrastination is a way for your mind to tell you that your solution to a problem is the wrong one.
Overcoming procrastination isn’t just about fighting our base instincts. Sometimes it’s about determining why we’re so distracted to begin with, and discerning which one it is takes Brains! Brains!
That was actually well timed, Burb. Thanks!
Simple Steps to Overcoming Procrastination
If you want to overcome procrastination and change your world for the better, use the same techniques I use when Burb tries to distract me.
- Build Strong Habits: To stay on track have strong habits.
- Ask Why: When the distractions are strong, figure out what’s driving them.
- Adjust as Needed: If your creativity is stifled or your approach is wrong, adjust.
When you start out with strong habits (they’re easier than you think), you can accomplish a lot, but you still need to pay attention when the drive to procrastinate is strong. Be sure to find out why and make the changes necessary to make your life the best it can be.
Sometimes your best Brains! Brains! comes less from how much you do, and more from how wisely you do it.
