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

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

#271

Post by crawfordcomeaux »

dreeves wrote: post #63

My startup is all about solving this problem! http://beeminder.com It's specifically for lifehacking data nerds (so probably most people here on HN) and the idea is to combine a quantified self tool with a commitment contract. Specifically, you pledge (actual money) that you'll keep all your datapoints on a "yellow brick road" to your goal and if you don't, we charge you. We integrate with various gadgets and apps li…

Find some ADHD test users and then tell me how well you're solving this problem. Your system seems like something I'd have to develop new habits to use, which is an indication that you miss the point, like every other system I've seen targeting people with ADHD.

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

#273

Post by Ensorceled »

I use the following:

RescueTime + Beeminder: to track what I'm actually doing so I can't trick myself into thinking I'm more productive than I am. I have it set to 30 hours a week of productive work. People think I'm a god damned freak of nature and worth every penny they pay me if I average 30 productive hours.

I use the Pomodoro technique to stay focused. Once I get into the grove it's kind of silly, I'll find I've been programming for about two hours and haven't restarted the Pomodoro. But it IS a great way to cut short procrastination.

"I'll read HN after this 25 minute stretch..."

Depending on what I'm doing I have to have Twit.tv or music playing in the background or I get bored and my mind starts wandering.

Make sure you dev environment is fast. Cognitive drift is your enemy.

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

#275

Post by dreeves »

crawfordcomeaux wrote: post #271
dreeves wrote: post #63

My startup is all about solving this problem! http://beeminder.com It's specifically for lifehacking data nerds (so probably most people here on HN) and the idea is to combine a quantified self tool with a commitment contract. Specifically, you pledge (actual money) that you'll keep all your datapoints on a "yellow brick road" to your goal and if you don't, we charge you. We integrate with various gadgets and apps li…

Find some ADHD test users and then tell me how well you're solving this problem. Your system seems like something I'd have to develop new habits to use, which is an indication that you miss the point, like every other system I've seen targeting people with ADHD.

If you set up an automatic data source (as opposed to replying to the email bot with datapoints, which for many things is not so bad either -- you're already in the habit of checking your email) then I don't think you have to develop new habits to use Beeminder. For what it's worth, we've been praised on ADHD fora and know of users with ADHD who swear by Beeminder.

Note that we're not targeting people with ADHD specifically but akrasia in general.

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

#276

Post by dreeves »

new_test wrote: post #256
dreeves wrote: post #63

My startup is all about solving this problem! http://beeminder.com It's specifically for lifehacking data nerds (so probably most people here on HN) and the idea is to combine a quantified self tool with a commitment contract. Specifically, you pledge (actual money) that you'll keep all your datapoints on a "yellow brick road" to your goal and if you don't, we charge you. We integrate with various gadgets and apps li…

Wow, that must be the least professional promotion video I've ever seen

Aw man! It's so true, but we really hate making videos and A/B tests say that that video's much better than a nice professional image (we were too embarrassed to actually use that video for a long time, till we actually tested it).

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

#277

Post by dreeves »

BostX wrote: post #172
dreeves wrote: post #63

My startup is all about solving this problem! http://beeminder.com It's specifically for lifehacking data nerds (so probably most people here on HN) and the idea is to combine a quantified self tool with a commitment contract. Specifically, you pledge (actual money) that you'll keep all your datapoints on a "yellow brick road" to your goal and if you don't, we charge you. We integrate with various gadgets and apps li…

So the time not wasted on facebook goes wasted in you pseudo solution... rite?

Ooh, no, I think beeminding is pretty low overhead! Especially if you connect it with RescueTime or another automatic data source. Maybe still too much learning curve up front but once you have it set up and dialed in it's nearly frictionless.

I'm also anxious to learn what makes it give the impression of being a pseudo solution. We think of commitment devices as the nuclear option in the war on akrasia.

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

#278

Post by 6d0debc071 »

Perhaps not the healthiest advice if you don't have any addictions already but: One of the things I do is to blackmail myself with my addictions/vices when I want to do something that I don't really want to do. Have the reward present on my desk and just DON'T touch it until whatever I want is done.

If you break it down to pair short bursts of intense rewards, preferably something with a chemical component, for the completion of small short-term objective, (I think my shortest is about three minutes; reward for finding bugs in horrible code,) that approach seems to work reasonably well. (At least, provided your initial urge to start the action is sufficient.) You only have to deny yourself the reward for a short while.

I find I can increase the initial urge to do the activity by writing stuff down to do at the start of the day. I find it has more of an impact if I write it down at the very start of the day rather than planning stuff out weeks in advance.

It can also work with time-limited goals. Like I'm going to spend X minutes doing Y before a reward.

This approach does not seem to work well if using media and activities to reward yourself rather than some physical pay-off.

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

#279

Post by crawfordcomeaux »

dreeves wrote: post #275
crawfordcomeaux wrote: post #271

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Find some ADHD test users and then tell me how well you're solving this problem. Your system seems like something I'd have to develop new habits to use, which is an indication that you miss the point, like every other system I've seen targeting people with ADHD.

If you set up an automatic data source (as opposed to replying to the email bot with datapoints, which for many things is not so bad either -- you're already in the habit of checking your email) then I don't think you have to develop new habits to use Beeminder. For what it's worth, we've been praised on ADHD fora and know of users with ADHD who swear by Beeminder. Note that we're not targeting people with ADHD speci…

I applaud what you're doing, by the way. I didn't mean to attack or offend & I apologize for my tone earlier.

Based on what I've read in the past few months of my research, it seems as though there's a subset of people with ADHD who don't have much success with standard approaches. I don't have more information about that group, but I do think I may belong to it. The theory I've developed about myself is that I have a set of negative habits that reinforce each other and essentially make up a sort of support system for themselves. An example would be habits that contribute to disorganization also contribute to those related to poor time management and vice-versa. I suspect that without a "proper" support system, these habits can be overcome, but with only marginal success and only over a long period of time. I'm building my own system to augment my support system; it's meant to operate as a sort of digital nanny that I'm not able to ignore. I'd love to talk to some of your ADHD users if you're willing/able to put me in touch with them. I'm not trying to convince them to use what I'm building (especially since it'll be a long while before it's available for others), but just looking to understand their situations further and discover how Beeminder has helped them. My email address is crawford.comeaux@gmail.com if you'd like to discuss further.

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

#280

Post by crawfordcomeaux »

crawfordcomeaux wrote: post #72

I can absolutely relate. We're in the same boat and this is my personal cry for help, but more on that further down. I'm 30 and still where you are, except without money. I've only skimmed the comments, but I agree with those who say you may have ADD or ADHD-PI. For adults with ADHD (speaking as one who's done a bit of research on it over the past few months), medication is almost never enough. Adult ADHD is complica…

If anyone's interested in discussing this project further, my email is crawford.comeaux@gmail.com.
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