8 ms·

I’m on the same boat. What do you think the root causes of procrastination were in your case?

by throwaway295729 1y ago

zachrip 1y ago
They did mention their adhd diagnosis..
- lucideer 1y ago
  ADHD definitely doesn't help but I don't find there's a direct link between ADHD & why I procrastinate. The why is personal to me & unlikely to be the same for everyone but I find these kinds of tools & strategies are a means to ignore the why & "get by" without addressing any fundamental issues. One example (of which there are many) is that external validation as a motivator is a big cause of procrastination in some people - working on things "for others" hits on a lot of complex issues around personal insecurities & ego. The idea that your work will be seen & judged can be a big factor in pressures & subconscious negative emotions around doing the work. Addressing motivation properly involves addressing those insecurities, rather than just "getting on with it" & using a temporary strategy to get it done. That's an example, but it doesn't apply to everyone & it's never that simple for anyone.
  - dceddia 1y ago
    I’m coming to see the root is usually some kind of avoidance, always emotional, often subtle. I think this actually is pretty universal but the specifics vary wildly. It’s taken a while to unpack this. For a long time, when I’d about of a task I was avoiding, I’d just get this wave of a feeling of “ughhh” and turn away. There’s something the feeling is trying to warn me about, and sitting with it can help figure it out and let it go. A lot of my own stuff stems from school I think. The funny thing is it’s often totally illogical. Like a sense of panic comes up - “oh no! Someone will be mad I haven’t started this yet!” - yes well wouldn’t getting it done avoid that outcome? “no but it’s too late! They’ll yell at me when I turn it in!”. My brain associated “doing the task” with “getting in trouble” in a weird way, and that emotional program runs whenever something vaguely similar comes up. The surface-level fear might cover up a deeper fear underneath too (something like, I won’t be ok, or good enough, or loved anymore). All this emotional stuff has been a recent focus of mine ever since finding Joe Hudson’s work. There’s a good playlist on procrastination that’s relevant here: https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrbct081G13-ot5FviKz1btJwHdRLV6et https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrbct081G13-ot5FviKz1bt...
    - lucideer 1y ago
      One other thing that trips many people up I think is the idea that they shouldn't be feeling "avoidant" about certain tasks that they love, enjoy & are passionate about (why would you). Often that comes down to being more invested in a perfect outcome for those "passion" tasks which ultimately builds more pressure to do it well & associated anxiety around not living up to ones own invented standards. "It's my passion therefore I must not fall short" can be a massive avoidance trigger.

I’m on the same boat. What do you think the root causes of procrastination were in your case?

zachrip 1y ago

They did mention their adhd diagnosis..

lucideer 1y ago
ADHD definitely doesn't help but I don't find there's a direct link between ADHD & why I procrastinate. The why is personal to me & unlikely to be the same for everyone but I find these kinds of tools & strategies are a means to ignore the why & "get by" without addressing any fundamental issues. One example (of which there are many) is that external validation as a motivator is a big cause of procrastination in some people - working on things "for others" hits on a lot of complex issues around personal insecurities & ego. The idea that your work will be seen & judged can be a big factor in pressures & subconscious negative emotions around doing the work. Addressing motivation properly involves addressing those insecurities, rather than just "getting on with it" & using a temporary strategy to get it done. That's an example, but it doesn't apply to everyone & it's never that simple for anyone.
- dceddia 1y ago
  I’m coming to see the root is usually some kind of avoidance, always emotional, often subtle. I think this actually is pretty universal but the specifics vary wildly. It’s taken a while to unpack this. For a long time, when I’d about of a task I was avoiding, I’d just get this wave of a feeling of “ughhh” and turn away. There’s something the feeling is trying to warn me about, and sitting with it can help figure it out and let it go. A lot of my own stuff stems from school I think. The funny thing is it’s often totally illogical. Like a sense of panic comes up - “oh no! Someone will be mad I haven’t started this yet!” - yes well wouldn’t getting it done avoid that outcome? “no but it’s too late! They’ll yell at me when I turn it in!”. My brain associated “doing the task” with “getting in trouble” in a weird way, and that emotional program runs whenever something vaguely similar comes up. The surface-level fear might cover up a deeper fear underneath too (something like, I won’t be ok, or good enough, or loved anymore). All this emotional stuff has been a recent focus of mine ever since finding Joe Hudson’s work. There’s a good playlist on procrastination that’s relevant here: https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrbct081G13-ot5FviKz1btJwHdRLV6et https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrbct081G13-ot5FviKz1bt...
  - lucideer 1y ago
    One other thing that trips many people up I think is the idea that they shouldn't be feeling "avoidant" about certain tasks that they love, enjoy & are passionate about (why would you). Often that comes down to being more invested in a perfect outcome for those "passion" tasks which ultimately builds more pressure to do it well & associated anxiety around not living up to ones own invented standards. "It's my passion therefore I must not fall short" can be a massive avoidance trigger.