Ask HN: I'm a chronic procrastinator – how do I break it? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: I'm a chronic procrastinator – how do I break it?

#31

Post by panic » Fri, Aug 02, 2013, 5:37 AM UTC

Although, I wonder if I really fucked my brain/habits up so much that I'll never reach my full capacity.

There's no such thing as your "full capacity". What you're doing right now, that is your full capacity. Either accept that you're at your limit or actually do something to prove you're not.

Re: Ask HN: I'm a chronic procrastinator – how do I break it?

#32

Post by lazyeye » Fri, Aug 02, 2013, 5:43 AM UTC

Dont under-estimate the importance of your social environment. As much as possible try to get yourself in a place surrounded by peers who do get stuff done.

Re: Ask HN: I'm a chronic procrastinator – how do I break it?

#33

Post by Misiek » Fri, Aug 02, 2013, 5:48 AM UTC

procastatron wrote: post #19

Misiek wrote: post #18

Try http://www.reddit.com/r/nofap

Wtf

in your case "fap" means doing bullshit like playing games or reading news. If you want to stop doing bullshit you should train your willpower. "No fap" is not only about fapping but about our weaknesses.

Re: Ask HN: I'm a chronic procrastinator – how do I break it?

#34

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Aug 02, 2013, 5:48 AM UTC

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: I'm a chronic procrastinator – how do I break it?

#35

Post by dminor14 » Fri, Aug 02, 2013, 5:50 AM UTC

Create a menu of tasks. Dedicate yourself to making progress on at least one of them at any given time. If you like doing any of them choose then one you feel least adverse to. It doesn't matter how many tasks are in your menu, or which one you choose, just "no empty time".

Re: Ask HN: I'm a chronic procrastinator – how do I break it?

#36

Post by greenyoda » Fri, Aug 02, 2013, 5:50 AM UTC

You didn't mention whether you find the work you're doing to be interesting or boring. When I'm working on something boring or unpleasant I also tend to procrastinate, but when I'm working on an interesting problem (sometimes even tracking down an obscure bug qualifies as interesting), I get absorbed in what I'm doing and don't get easily distracted.

If you find your work boring, have you considered looking for a job that's more in line with your interests?

Re: Ask HN: I'm a chronic procrastinator – how do I break it?

#37

Post by panic » Fri, Aug 02, 2013, 5:54 AM UTC

panic wrote: post #31

Although, I wonder if I really fucked my brain/habits up so much that I'll never reach my full capacity. There's no such thing as your "full capacity". What you're doing right now, that is your full capacity. Either accept that you're at your limit or actually do something to prove you're not.

It also helps me to look at this image: http://i.imgur.com/39U4k.png. Each box is one month of your life. There really aren't that many of them.

Re: Ask HN: I'm a chronic procrastinator – how do I break it?

#38

Post by trustfundbaby » Fri, Aug 02, 2013, 5:57 AM UTC

You need to work with people waaay better than you, the embarrassment of seeing them do so much more than you will either force you to keep up or you'll realize you're not as smart as you thought you were. win-win.

Re: Ask HN: I'm a chronic procrastinator – how do I break it?

#39

Post by rnl » Fri, Aug 02, 2013, 5:57 AM UTC

Travel

Re: Ask HN: I'm a chronic procrastinator – how do I break it?

#40

Post by greenyoda » Fri, Aug 02, 2013, 5:59 AM UTC

beachstartup wrote: post #21

> I make $130k as a 21 year old and I probably put in 3 hours of real work a day. do you really think your subconscious is capable of changing when this is the scenario it is presented with? you say you're "pretty smart", i would say "you're just smart enough to get away with it." start a company. force yourself into uncomfortable situations.

I'm not sure that "start a company" would be good advice until he can figure out what the causes of his lack of motivation are. Working entirely on his own without the structure and goals of an organized workplace around him could lead to even more procrastination.