013 - Overcoming Procrastination: My Tried-and-True Strategies

Non-ironically, I was on the edge of procrastination just before starting to write this.

But I know procrastination is emotion-based — whether it’s from cognitive overload (which was my case), fear of failure, or something else.

I’m currently in the middle of Cave Mode, a protocol I follow to help me achieve more, faster — like a super-goal bootcamp. Part of this protocol involves reducing dopamine, and that’s how I knew what my culprit was. I recognized it and eliminated it — maybe not immediately, but fast enough.

But what if you don’t know what’s stopping you?

Productivity and procrastination are two sides of the same coin.

Maybe you’re cognitively overloaded. Maybe you’re afraid of the task or of failing — like delaying studying for a difficult exam. Maybe you’re just exhausted (also my case today), and you’re taking it too easy on yourself.

Procrastination isn’t about poor time management; it’s about poor emotion management. Timothy Pychyl has studied this, and it clicked for me. You’ve probably heard how we always talk ourselves out of things — whether it’s justifying purchases with stories that make us feel better or giving excuses to avoid something uncomfortable.

If that’s what procrastination is — a story we tell ourselves to soothe uncomfortable emotions — then we can flip the script. We can tell ourselves a story that motivates us instead.

Stop feeling sorry for yourself.

What you think, you become. Right now, whatever thoughts you’re harboring are fueling your anxiety and pulling you further from your task, the very thing you know will get you closer to your goal.

If you’re constantly envisioning negative scenarios that lead to failure, you’re creating an aversion to the task. You won’t get it done.

But you know once you start, it’ll feel less daunting, right?

My strategies may sound silly to some, but they work.

Since procrastination is emotion-based, the key is to change the emotion. We need enthusiasm, not dread. Energy, not sluggishness. Courage, not cowardice — even for tasks we despise or feel aren’t our responsibility.

Here’s how I look at it: If I have to do it anyway, I’ll do it. If I can’t do it with a smile, I’ll do it with determination and purpose. If I don’t have high energy, I’ll focus. If I can’t focus, I’ll do it with speed. But I’ll never do it with anger, frustration, or anxiety. I have one life, and I’m not here for the wrinkles!

The first step is setting my mind in the right frame. Some days, it’s as simple as playing music. I’ve anchored certain songs to feelings I want to change, and I’ve tied those to small rituals. Once I start the ritual, I remember the song, and everything flips. Weird, I know — but it works.

Every day, I do my devotional, my meditations, and my reading. This ensures I start the day in a good mindset — the foundation for a productive day.

On days when I’m tired, like today, those rituals only go so far. That’s when I turn my emotions off, stay single-minded about the task, and eliminate distractions. I have to do it, period.

When distractions get too overwhelming, I either put my phone out of sight or use it to record a timelapse while I work.

My Key Strategies:

1. I follow my morning routine of devotion, reading, and self-care -> this sets the base mood.

2. I recognize how I’m feeling so I can be self-accountable, use my anchoring, or put my phone away.

There’s no magic to it. It’s self-knowledge, ditching self-pity, and a lot of self-accountability.

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