There is a pile of mail on your counter.
Deep down, you know you should open it. Usually, it would take thirty seconds. But every time you walk past it, you feel a weird pang of anxiety. So, you tell yourself the most dangerous lie in the English language:
“I will just do it tomorrow.”
Tomorrow comes. However, you don’t do it. Consequently, the pile grows, and the guilt grows.
This is the “I’ll Do It Tomorrow” Trap. It turns tiny molehills into massive mountains.
It Is Not Laziness, It Is Mood Repair
Why do we put off small things?
Psychologists found something surprising. Procrastination isn’t about time management. Instead, it is about emotion management.
You aren’t avoiding the mail. You are avoiding the feeling of stress. After all, paying bills is boring.
Saying “tomorrow” gives you instant relief. It makes you feel better right now. Unfortunately, it makes your future self miserable.
3 Ways to Break the Loop
You cannot wait until you “feel like it.” You will never feel like it. You have to trick your brain into starting.
1. The “2-Minute Rule”
If a task takes less than two minutes, do it immediately.
Do not write it down. Do not plan it. Just do it.
For example, if you drop a shirt, pick it up. Likewise, if you finish eating, wash the plate.
Basically, if you stop the small clutter from piling up, the big clutter never happens.
2. The “5-Minute Promise”
For bigger tasks, the hardest part is starting. The mountain looks too high.
The Fix: Tell yourself, “I will only work on this for five minutes. Then I can stop.”
Anyone can do five minutes. Usually, once you start, the anxiety disappears. Then, you keep going. But you need that “out” to trick your brain into beginning.
3. “Eat the Frog” First
Mark Twain had a famous rule. If you have to eat a live frog, do it first thing in the morning.
Do the thing you are dreading most before you check your phone. Get it over with.
If you wait until 4:00 PM, you will spend the entire day dreading it. However, if you do it at 8:00 AM, you get to feel like a champion all day long.
Common Questions About Procrastination
Why am I so lazy?
You probably aren’t lazy. Instead, you are just overwhelmed. Basically, your brain is trying to protect you from stress.
Does the 2-minute rule work?
Yes, it works perfectly. First, it stops clutter from building up. Also, it makes your To-Do list look smaller.
How do I stop scrolling my phone?
Put it in another room. Because if you can’t see it, you won’t use it. Out of sight, out of mind.
Conclusion
Your “Future Self” is tired of cleaning up your messes.
Be kind to them. Open the mail. Wash the dish. Do it today, so you don’t have to carry the weight of it until tomorrow.
Tell me in the comments: What is the one “tiny task” you have been putting off for weeks? I have an email I need to reply to from 2023.
