The Main Obstacle to Becoming the Best Version of Yourself
Anyone looking for ways to increase productivity and efficiency focuses on ways to speed up the brain and central nervous system. In fact, they are trying to squeeze out more energy during the day, but staying within the framework of maintaining the overall health of the body. Oddly enough, this approach does not always bear fruit. After all, sometimes, in order to move forward, you need to debug the fuel system.
In touch RISE: a community for those who are looking for ways to improve brain function. In this process, the brain is more appropriately compared to a huge orchestra. Only the musicians do not see the notes, the conductor turns the pages chaotically, and the concert itself sometimes drags on until late, sometimes starts at the very earliest. This is the metaphorical essence of procrastination – the main hole in our productivity.
Defense mechanism against useless activities
Procrastination, frustration, boredom are all facets of the same process that happens to our body. Somehow, the brain thinks that this particular task is not a priority and should be avoided until the very end. The reasons for this are both false goal setting and depleted neurotransmitter reservoirs.
What is procrastination?
Maladaptive behavior, in which a person puts off important things for “later”. Conventionally, all our behavior patterns can be divided into two groups: adaptive and maladaptive. The former help to solve the problem at its root. By accepting it, or by overcoming it completely. The latter are great at helping to avoid the consequences of the problem. As a behavioral mechanism, procrastination helps with:
Frustrations. When there is no clearly defined task, or the principle of reward is unclear, a person will cling to clear and specific markers. Therefore, some people tend to prefer cleaning and washing dishes to urgent matters. After all, the result is immediately visible and there is a sense of work done.
Anxiety. It is typical when the success of a task is the absence of punishment, and not the pursuit of a reward. A clear example: if you don’t do your homework, you will be punished. In such a situation, the entire process is built on the principle: interact as little as possible with a dangerous type of work.
Impotence. Yes, it happens that the reserve of strength and vigor comes to zero. This happens, and sometimes it is normal. During these hours, the body consciously minimizes activity in order to gain strength. And here it is important to understand that this is precisely a signal of lack of strength, and not a desire to do something else besides work.
But instead of perceiving frustration as a signal from the body and working on solving the root of the problem, a person usually allows himself to fall into this state. As a result: any dopamine release merges into emptiness. And the anxiety about the deadline again and again drives into a hellish circle, not allowing you to breathe.
How do we fuel procrastination?
Here it is worth turning to lifestyle, neurohormones and ultradian rhythms. It is easier for us to separate the constituent elements of life into separate categories. A particularly common misconception is the positioning of the body as something rudimentary, outdated, not ideal formation from various systems. And attempts to interfere with biorhythms, hacking or debugging something, with the help of habits or dietary supplements.
So, the simplest solution is to look at the most common misconceptions when trying to improve your effectiveness, and why they are useless:
Do something enjoyable to boost motivation. Eating sweets before work, checking social networks or news in the morning, playing a game after university to unload the brain a little. All these are attributes that burn out dopamine reserves even more, resulting in irritation and apathy.
Engage in multitasking. If we are talking about completing several tasks in a limited period of time, then it is better to start them sequentially. Otherwise, the switching itself and returning to an unfinished task will be frustrating, depriving the body of dopamine and norepinephrine, which are valuable for work. Moreover, if the task is unclear, or the reward mechanism is unclear, then a person frantically grabs at everything in a row, trying to succeed in at least something.
I have my own special organism. You can hear it from those who work late and function at the level of basic communication support during the day. Unfortunately, this rule is true if you work as a freelancer or remotely. But “your” regime leads to the destabilization of organic biorhythms. And what a person takes for a “wave of productivity” is in fact just a random surge of motivation.
I do it because I was forced to. This is the very cornerstone of procrastination. Especially if it is a mechanism nurtured since childhood, tied to the same grades from school. As long as there is a supervisor and fear of punishment, procrastination will be your faithful companion.
Moreover, all these factors can merge into a single system, completely destroying any attempt to embark on the path of self-development. Look closely: there is work that is forced to be done – there is anxiety and fear that you want to drown out with something pleasant and increase motivation – self-reward turns into the fact that deadlines are compressed and you need to do something – a person grabs at everything in a row – with a lucky coincidence of circumstances, he solves the problem at one in the morning, firmly believing that it was then that he was at the peak of his potential. The cycle is closed.
Getting rid of ballast
The nature of procrastination lacks two main components: understanding a specific goal and finding a truly working fuel to solve the problem. Both problems can be solved in two ways: by working with behavioral mechanisms and by organizing a nutrition system for the central nervous system.
Thinking and Effective Habits That Eliminate Procrastination
Create a pattern for internal motivation
Our abstract thinking allows us to quickly understand what is happening in the world, but it does not retain and categorize tasks very well. Therefore: a notepad or an application in which you can write down a list of tasks for the day will be an ideal help. And here it is important that the tasks are built into a single system, pursuing a global and pleasant goal. For example: a couple of tasks that I solve every day will give me a solution to a more global task by the end of the week, which will give a return on the prospects of the month, a successfully closed month will give such an advantage for the quarter, half-year and year. It is the understanding of “Why am I doing this?!” that helps me wake up every morning and get down to business.
Such a clear and open list of tasks leads to the second behavioral mechanism – internal motivation. Understanding what you are moving for in the long term, understanding the value of a specific goal, you do the work no longer under duress. Yes, it can still be unpleasant, boring, repulsive, but this is only a convention of time and circumstances. And you can endure it for the sake of a greater goal.
Your final goal is important to you. Not to your loved ones, acquaintances, parents, social circle or political leader. No, it is your vision of what you want. What you strive for above all else.
We adapt simple habits to the principles of motivation
No magic, everything is very simple and clear. No rewarding yourself before the result is achieved. Of course, correlate the reward with the result and deadlines. I will buy a chocolate bar and drink a latte after work if I finish the report – that's ok. I will not eat until I close the KPI for the month – that's a nightmare. By the way, self-flagellation is another procrastination pattern.
But in addition to global behavioral changes, it is much more important to implement a set of mini-habits, namely:
No gadgets in bed. In the evening, the light from screens destroys melatonin. In the morning, gadgets drain dopamine reserves.
Tasks for the day and understanding their priority. If the priority is unclear, contact the person who set the task and clarify the deadlines.
Minimize notifications. Each of us has our own life and our own communication peculiarities. Leave work notifications and notifications for the closest people. Ideally, separate work and personal periods of “in touch”.
All these methods and practices are described in such detail because it is important to know the reasons. Without understanding how it works, you can very quickly slide into the same principles: I do it so that it doesn’t feel bad. Instead of moving towards making me feel good.
Supplements that protect against time and resource drain
MindBooster from Nooteria Labs – almost a combo of the following
The section with supplements is written at the end, and for good reason! Without all the listed methods and behavioral patterns, any drug will lead to you procrastinating even more and meeting deadlines in less time. That is, no objective benefit, only further acceleration of the pace and draining of potential.
If the recommendations above are put into practice, then the following will help you increase your personal productivity:
Tyrosine and caffeine combination. Tyrosine serves as fuel for the synthesis of dopamine and norepinephrine. And caffeine increases the sensitivity of dopamine receptors.
DMAE, Alpha-GPC, citicoline. These are sources for choline/acetylcholine synthesis. It is better to choose one of the list. Increase acetylcholine in the body – pump up attentiveness and focus.
Theanine. Tuning fork of calm. Helps to balance the invigorating effect, preventing it from developing into anxiety. As a result, the same caffeine does not act immediately and powerfully, but gently and over a long period.
B vitamins. Basic fuel for the central nervous system. Helps the synthesis of both new neurons and neural connections. Excellent support for the overall resource of the body.
Rhodiola rosea and Bacopa monnieri. Adaptogens are best used in combinations, as they enhance each other's effects. Rhodiola gently stimulates the central nervous system, working with the blood flow in the vessels. And Bacopa helps develop neurons and neural connections.
It is best to use such a cocktail before work. As a result, it will allow you to fully immerse yourself in solving problems, thereby preventing you from being distracted by trifles, and maintaining focus on solving current problems.
Why can't you fight procrastination?
Because it's like putting a tape over your check engine light. Fighting or imagining that procrastination is your enemy is just a recipe for anxiety and frustration that will send your behavior patterns back into the procrastination groove again and again.
I talk in more detail about the biomechanics of productivity, focus on the goal and personal effectiveness in materials and personal reports in a cozy telegram community. Subscribe to receive new articles first!
Article written by Philip Donchev, community member Rise: Nootropics and Biohacking. We post more interesting analyses, cases and studies on our Telegram channel and other platforms.
