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How to overcome resistance to work

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Re: How to overcome resistance to work

#31

Post by barik »

This is great advice for overcoming procrastination and I use it daily. It has significantly improved the way that I work. I think I learned of the trick from GTD, or possibly Pragmatic Thinking and Learning. A TODO list by itself isn't helpful for me -- in fact, in can increase my procrastination by seeing a giant list of tasks because it's just so overwhelming.

What has worked is coupling the task with the next immediate action. Depending on the level of procrastination, this next immediate action does not have to be a grand vision. It is often as simplistic as "open the lid to your laptop", then, "open a text editor", then "think of the file you need to edit", then "type hello world three times" (just to get me to start writing __something__). Passing that initial hurdle usually gets me to the desired state of flow.

Similarly, I now have the following written at the top of my TODO list at all times: "Direct the Rider. Motivate the Elephant. Shape the Path." This psychology comes from Switch by Dan Heath and Chip Heath, and it's hugely impacted my outlook on work, especially as a researcher.

Re: How to overcome resistance to work

#32

Post by dwc »

kiba wrote: post #6

I wish a psychologist research all the suggestions and laid out the effectiveness of each approach. For now, I guess we goes with "whatever works for me".

You have to go with "whatever works" in any case. If a study showed that technique X improved productivity for 95% of the people, you might still be in the 5% that it didn't help. Research psychologists will emphatically tell you that all people are not the same.

Re: How to overcome resistance to work

#33

Post by Revisor »

raheemm wrote: post #9
stephengillie wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's something to be said for the ceremony of grooming for work, travelling to your workplace, interacting with coworkers, during approximately the same time each day. Work is the "2nd space" in the Starbuck's "3rd space" advertisements. Have you tried working in the same seat at a library or other public place each weekday?

That's a good suggestion. I use a spreadsheet to monitor the # of hours worked each day and my goal is to keep that on an upwards trend. Its based on Seinfeld's 'dont break the chain' tactic. This has worked the best for me.

Is the number of work hours really what you want to increase?

Re: How to overcome resistance to work

#34

Post by perlpimp »

I think non-monetary reward is important issue here. Trying to focus not only on smallest but most pleasurable thing if when the result is there is important. It helps to reduce friction to get yourself to get momentum going. Pomodoro is a great way to keep the momentum. Having a realistic checklist with some cool and some less cool things to accomplish for the day has done wonders form my productivity as well.

Remember you've got to treat yourself well while doing work and work will treat you well in return.

Re: How to overcome resistance to work

#35

Post by gte910h »

raheemm wrote: post #9
stephengillie wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's something to be said for the ceremony of grooming for work, travelling to your workplace, interacting with coworkers, during approximately the same time each day. Work is the "2nd space" in the Starbuck's "3rd space" advertisements. Have you tried working in the same seat at a library or other public place each weekday?

That's a good suggestion. I use a spreadsheet to monitor the # of hours worked each day and my goal is to keep that on an upwards trend. Its based on Seinfeld's 'dont break the chain' tactic. This has worked the best for me.

There is a good iPhone app called commit that tracks daily/close to daily tasks well

Re: How to overcome resistance to work

#36

Post by gte910h »

newbie12 wrote: post #19
heretohelp wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Step 4: Burnout, depression, homelessness The above is the advice of an amateur who hasn't actually had to tackle work in a self-motivated manner whether the OP fits that mold or not. Moderation and focusing on what is actionable is how you keep rolling.

This is spot on. After four years as an independent, burnout is a huge issue. I'm 1/3 as productive as when I started down this path.

Do something else, and exercise. Both help incredibly with burnout.

Re: How to overcome resistance to work

#37

Post by kaitnieks »

When I set to do a task for a few minutes in order to trick myself into working all day, it never works because I already know what I'm doing and why, and the trick fails. I have been struggling with this for a long time, and I, too, have discovered that the method that works best is to suck it up and just start working.

Re: How to overcome resistance to work

#39

Post by overgryphon »

michaelpinto wrote: post #38

"resistance to work" usually means that you don't have any passion for that work, and that you shouldn't be doing it. if you're running a business you should think of outsourcing any task that you don't want to do, unless it's mission critical.

This isn't necessarily true- for me, resistance generally means I'm scared I can't do the task well enough, or scared that someone else will look at my work and think it's awful.
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