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Tricks to start working despite not feeling like it

deprocrastination.co

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Re: Tricks to start working despite not feeling like it

#141

Post by muzani »

keiferski wrote: post #87

I have a nagging feeling that any time we have to force ourselves to do a task, something is wrong at a fundamental level; that we are somehow out-of-tune with nature; that contemporary society is missing a key insight about our minds and the way we organize our work. An eagle doesn't force itself to hunt for food; it just hunts. I can't imagine it having to psych itself up simply to be. Looking for and harnessing th…

Marc Andreessen advises to do whatever we feel like doing, because it's a good way to stay in flow.

I think he's in a lucky place to want to do important things though. Most of us just want to lie down and watch TV. It's probably the side effect of addiction. If we bore ourselves, we tend to get inspired to try something else.

Re: Tricks to start working despite not feeling like it

#142

Post by pritovido »

laurieg wrote: post #106
e19293001 wrote: post #29

I'd like to share this post[0]: The last two weeks I made it a goal to run 5km every morning. A few times, particularly today, I felt lazy and run down, but I got out of bed anyway and told myself that I'll at least walk. The next thing I know I'm running and feeling amazing and on to set one of my better times. The point: When you tell yourself "just one more game" or "just one more post", or "just one more video" a…

I like the idea and I'm glad it works for some people but I tried it and often I would get out the door with all my running gear on and then turn back around and give up. Something about thinking about it like this made it easier to give up.

Well, you didn't do it.

I mean you did not start the activity. This trick works only when you have already started the activity.

I suggest that next time you become serious about it: There is no way you could let yourself not doing the minimum activity BUT you can leave after you have done your minimum.

For example: Your minimum activity is going out and running for a minute. You do it, period.

Your mind will try to put excuses, like "I don't have time", but because the activity is minimal you don't have to think about that, you spend less time doing it than thinking about it.

Another suggestion: Only complete minimal activities first, and feel good about it,until you get used to going out each day.

Going out for running just minute over 30 days is much much better than running kilometers one day, being exhausted, feeling pain( and guilt) the next.

After 30 days you will have established a routine. It becomes harder not going out each day than staying home.

Re: Tricks to start working despite not feeling like it

#143

Post by digitalsushi »

e19293001 wrote: post #29

I'd like to share this post[0]: The last two weeks I made it a goal to run 5km every morning. A few times, particularly today, I felt lazy and run down, but I got out of bed anyway and told myself that I'll at least walk. The next thing I know I'm running and feeling amazing and on to set one of my better times. The point: When you tell yourself "just one more game" or "just one more post", or "just one more video" a…

I wish I had this written down somewhere, but I don't; perhaps it's well known enough that someone else can correct my mediocre paraphrasing:

A Marine once told a civilian that everyone is programmed to believe their 80% remaining is their 0% remaining, and the courageous work of realizing that limitation is what unlocks the extreme feats that someone so well physically and mentally conditioned can undergo.

I'm not military, don't know anyone military, and have no particular leanings, but I have always been absolutely invigorated by the apparent, quiet force that service members project. It's inspirational even devoid of agenda.

Re: Tricks to start working despite not feeling like it

#144

Post by cjfd »

It may not always be wise to start working despite not feeling it. One could burn out that way. Scott H. Young write an article about this recently. https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2020/01/13/too-tired/ I have also experienced this. When I got my first job I actually tried to work all the time, besides the occasional breaks, ignoring feelings of tiredness. This got to the point where I was feeling tired pretty much all the time I was awake. Then I concluded I should give into my cravings for purposeless web surfing sometimes.

Re: Tricks to start working despite not feeling like it

#145

Post by grogenaut »

theironlily wrote: post #97
itchynosedev wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I damaged my shin bones because I was running too much too soon and currently taking 2 months break. Side note, I used to run 20k every week, then stopped. Be careful of the problem on the opposite side of the spectrum: your body might not be able to keep up with your motivation.

I think this could do more with your running form and listening to your body than your will that kept you going. It might be worth checking out your form with a running coach. Either way, wishing you a speedy recovery.

I think you missed the point. Regardless of if their form was good or bad they ran through the pain. Shin splints and pantar faciticus are really bad to do that with as the recovery takes forever and you just can't do anything during it related to that area.

I think your getting downvoted as you answered x when they were discussing y.

Re: Tricks to start working despite not feeling like it

#146

Post by Mirioron »

keiferski wrote: post #87

I have a nagging feeling that any time we have to force ourselves to do a task, something is wrong at a fundamental level; that we are somehow out-of-tune with nature; that contemporary society is missing a key insight about our minds and the way we organize our work. An eagle doesn't force itself to hunt for food; it just hunts. I can't imagine it having to psych itself up simply to be. Looking for and harnessing th…

What you're thinking of is delayed gratification. An eagle doesn't have to force itself to go hunt, because physiological processes tell it that it needs to hunt. It's the same reason you don't have to psych yourself up to go have lunch - your body desires lunch.

Humans have evolved to sometimes delay their gratification. That is, we don't hunt and eat our catch immediately, but instead we hunt and preserve the food to eat next time. This has been an immensely successful strategy, because it allows us to do things like plant crops and use that as food later. Modern society is essentially built upon delayed gratification. You go work, but get paid later.

The problem is that this delayed gratification is constantly under attack by things that you could do right now that would make you feel good. Delayed gratification tends to lead to better outcomes in the long term, but our base instincts are still about getting pleasure right now. This is why people with ADHD have no problem playing a video game for hours upon hours, but have difficulty doing their job - in the video game they get the rewards immediately, but at work the rewards are significantly delayed.

Re: Tricks to start working despite not feeling like it

#147

Post by Mirioron »

vortico wrote: post #4

Thanks, I have two projects I'm avoiding right now, and even though I've started them a few weeks ago, if I drop them for a few days I feel like I have to start back again. The "screw it, let's do it" and "what's the smallest step you can take right now" approach would work in my case. The first is nice because I sometimes convince myself that I'm too lazy or unmotived to work on it. But am I? Or do I just think I'm…

One of the best ways to get yourself to take a small step on a project is to put some parts of it in places where you will stumble upon it. Eg when you put your computer to sleep have that project be at the front or leave your notes about the project in a place where you're likely to run into them etc.

Re: Tricks to start working despite not feeling like it

#148

Post by pritovido »

pritovido wrote: post #142
laurieg wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I like the idea and I'm glad it works for some people but I tried it and often I would get out the door with all my running gear on and then turn back around and give up. Something about thinking about it like this made it easier to give up.

Well, you didn't do it. I mean you did not start the activity. This trick works only when you have already started the activity. I suggest that next time you become serious about it: There is no way you could let yourself not doing the minimum activity BUT you can leave after you have done your minimum. For example: Your minimum activity is going out and running for a minute. You do it, period. Your mind will try to…

PS: Now , After you have already run for a minute, it will sound ridiculous not doing one more.

The important thing is establishing the routine. Do not try too hard. If you do you will create pain and condition your body against it.

Re: Tricks to start working despite not feeling like it

#149

Post by Mirioron »

d--b wrote: post #10

I use all of these, and they work pretty well. Structured procrastination is also a good one: http://www.structuredprocrastination.com/ The basic concept is that work is procrastination of something more important. There is nothing like having a big writing deadline to get the cleaning done!

This technique was incredibly useful for me in college. I got so much programming homework done while I was procrastinating writing reports.
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