The Art of Overcoming Procrastination Through List-Making

KEY Points

1. Procrastination is an emotional response to avoid negative feelings associated with tasks
2. Recognize the conflict between impulsive desires and rational goals that leads to procrastination
3. Use structured lists to make tasks less daunting by breaking them into smaller, manageable parts
4. Focus on extremely small actions to make starting and completing tasks more achievable
5. Opt for simple, short-term lists to effectively overcome procrastination, avoiding complex productivity hacks

Understanding Procrastination: It’s Fear

Before we dive into the art of list-making, it’s important to understand what procrastination actually is and why it happens. Procrastination is the act of avoiding or delaying a task or responsibility that needs to be done. It can manifest itself in many different ways, from constantly checking social media instead of studying for an exam, to putting off a work project until the last minute. Procrastination is often characterized as laziness or disorganization, but it’s actually much more complicated than that.

RELATED: WHY WRITE WITH A FOUNTAIN PEN

At its core, procrastination is a form of emotional avoidance (source). When we procrastinate, we are not simply being lazy or disorganized, but we are actively avoiding the negative emotions that come with starting or completing a task.

These emotions can include fear of failure, self-doubt, and even perfectionism. By putting off a task, we temporarily avoid these uncomfortable feelings, but in the long run, it only creates additional stress and anxiety (source).

Procrastination is a Mental Paralysis

There are two mental forces that vie for your attention when you have tasks to complete: the impulsive, emotional side and the rational, goal-oriented side. The impulsive side is driven by emotions and desires in the present moment, while the rational side considers long-term consequences and goals (source).

When these two forces are at odds, procrastination occurs because we give into our impulses instead of following through with our goals (source). For example, the impulse to binge-watch a TV show instead of studying for an exam may win out, even though our rational side knows that studying will lead to better grades.

Overall, procrastination is the paralysis that results from the inability for one side to win over the other. The impulsive side wants to avoid negative emotions, while the rational side wants to achieve long-term goals.

How Lists Can Help

You want to feel good now (avoid bad emotions), but know that there’s a long term cost. This is a mental battle that we all face, but it’s important to recognize that it’s not a battle we can’t win. One of the most powerful tools in this battle is using lists.

Lists are incredibly effective in helping us overcome procrastination because they provide structure and direction for our impulsive minds. By writing down tasks that need to be done, we can visualize them and break them into smaller, more manageable pieces. This makes the task appear less daunting and decreases the negative emotions associated with it.

Creating an Effective List

The key to an effective to-do list is to break every task down into piece so tiny that you can’t but laugh. For example, if you’re trying to write a research paper and having trouble starting, try this:

Instead of writing on your list “write research paper”, you should break this task up into mundane actions like “turn on computer”, followed by “open Microsoft Office”, then “Write your name”.

As I’ve written before, one way to beat a larger, more powerful force is to divide and conquer.

Break down each project! Tiny pieces.

No really! Your list should be include the tiny, tiny actions that you need to do for the bigger task. Yes, I even do this in my workflows. And as a full-time professional, I still rely on these mind-tricks to get projects done; even those jobs that I’m very familiar with.

In the hobby world, if you’re painting a miniature but for some reason having trouble, the process is the same. Instead of setting a goal of “paint model x”, you can start with “prime model x”, then follow up with a “base coat model x”, and so on.

By breaking down even what you think is a simple project into parts so tiny, you’ll have almost no problem getting started.

I’ll admit there have been times where I felt like doing nothing at all. To get over this hump, I gave myself just one job…. turn on the desk lamp. It’s just one button! Press it!

With the light on, at least I can see what to do next…

Different Kinds of Lists for Different Purposes? No!

Sure, there are other articles out there about different kinds of lists for your life. Productivity hacks, as they are called. I actually don’t like bundling productivity hacks for things. This actually COMPLICATES things further.

The key to overcoming procrastination is SIMPLIFICATION.

Ignore the daily to-do lists, the weekly/monthly planners and all such kinds of productivity tricks. For those of us who struggle with procrastination, the key is reduce, reduce, reduce.

Make your life simple. Less is more because there’ll be less to fear.

Of course, I’m not saying ignore the big picture things, especially if you’re in a position where you need to do larger projects that span a long period of time. Rather, I’m saying focus on the actions you can act upon right in front of you in the NOW.

One List to Rule Them All

So, when it comes to different kinds of lists…. there is only one list you need to make. That list is the one you can write for the day you’re living now. Even better, are the lists where you can achieve something in the next 2-3 hours.

The more compact the time frame of your list, the sooner you’ll experience the reward of completion, of achieving. And, this reward, this dopamine release is essential to building resilience to larger, more complex tasks over time.

Ultimately, I’m encouraging you procrastinators to make only a single list that spans what you want to do in the next few hours. This short timespan list is the kind of powerful tool that will help you regain control over your impulsive mind.

And, the more you practice this list making habit, the more control you’ll have not just over completing tasks but also in managing emotions that contribute to procrastination. With this habit in place, your lists can incorporate larger and more complex tasks.

I’ve been making short term lists for years and years. When I’m unmotivated, I write simple things down. Then I break them down further until I can’t ignore how silly simple they are for me to do, and I’m compelled to get up and act.

Act.

Bonus: Lists for Mental and Physical Health

So, before I go, I realized that there’s one other area that I’ve used lists to help me. And, it’s not related to procrastination directly but is still an important topic: mental and physical health.

For me, lists were extremely helpful to manage emotions of anxiety or stress. When these feelings became overwhelming, I would make a list of things that needed doing in the next few hours so that I could regain control over my thoughts and emotions. This simple act has helped me tremendously to cope and build resilience in difficult times.

On the flip side, lists were also useful for keeping track of my physical health. For example, a big problem in the past with my eating habits was that I didn’t actually know how much I was eating. I mean when I was hungry, I ate. But I ate when I was bored, too, or anxious. I ate as entertainment, and ate to feel in control.

Writing a list of what I consumed, a simple list of foods, not calories, helped me see just how much I was snacking and overeating. The process of making a list formed a habit of mindfulness. I became much more self-aware.

Making a list created a habit of awareness of what I was doing. Writing a list made me intentional, rather than reflexive. Lists forced me to pause and think about the action I was taking before I actually took it.

So, in conclusion, lists are a powerful tool for motivation and focus that can be applied to any area of your life, including mental and physical health. Give it a try next time you’re feeling overwhelmed or unmotivated. You may be surprised at how effective such a simple act can be.

FINAL WORD

Procrastination is something we all face, but it’s not a battle we can’t win. By using lists to help structure our tasks and break them into smaller pieces, we can overcome the negative emotions that lead to procrastination. The key is to focus on the present moment and create a single list for what needs to be accomplished in the next few hours.

This will not only help increase productivity, but also build resilience and control over impulsive thoughts. So next time you’re feeling overwhelmed or unmotivated, try making a list and see how it can empower you to take action.

So go ahead, grab a pen and paper, and start making that list! Remember, the power of lists is in their simplicity.

Keep it simple, break tasks into tiny pieces, and watch as you conquer procrastination one list at a time.

Happy list (writing)!