Harvard Business Review’s Post

the major difference between success and failure is being consistent with carrying out your responsibilities irrespective of how you feel at a given time.

An article by the Social Psychologist Heidi Grant, that resonates a lot with me (see some highlights below), procrastination and how to get work done! ------------ "Reason #1   You are putting something off because you are afraid you will screw it up”. There are two ways to look at any task.  You can do something because you see it as a way to end up better off than you are now – as an achievement or accomplishment..(promotion focus) – if you are afraid you will screw up on the task in question, this is not the focus for you. Anxiety and doubt undermine promotion motivation, leaving you less likely to take any action at all. Whereas prevention focus, instead of thinking about how you can end up better off, you see the task as a way to hang on to what you’ve already got – to avoid loss.  Decades of research shows that prevention motivation is actually enhanced by anxiety about what might go wrong.  The more worried you are, the faster you are out of the gate. Go on, scare the pants off yourself. It feels awful, but it works. “ Reason #2     You are putting something off because you don’t “feel” like doing it "Somewhere along the way, we’ve all bought into the idea – without consciously realizing it – that to be motivated and effective we need to feel like we want to take action.  We need to be eager to do so.  I really don’t know why we believe this, because it is 100% nonsense. In fact, as Burkeman points out, many of the most prolific artists, writers, and innovators have become so in part because of their reliance on work routines that forced them to put in a certain number of hours a day, no matter how uninspired (or, in many instances, hungover) they might have felt.  Burkeman reminds us of renowned artist Chuck Close’s observation that “Inspiration is for amateurs.  The rest of us just show up and get to work. Or lastly “ Reason #3   You are putting something off because it’s hard, boring, or otherwise unpleasant.” Too often, we try to solve this particular problem with sheer will:  Studies show that people routinely overestimate their capacity for self-control, and rely on it too often to keep them out of hot water. Do yourself a favor, and embrace the fact that your willpower is limited, and that it may not always be up to the challenge of getting you to do things you find difficult, tedious, or otherwise awful.  Instead, use if-then planning to get the job done. In fact,  if-then planning has been shown in over 200 studies to increase rates of goal attainment and productivity by 200%-300% on average. The three strategies offered by Heidi Grant – thinking about the consequences of failure, ignoring your feelings, and engaging in detailed planning – don’t sound as fun as advice like “Follow your passion!” or “Stay positive!”  But they have the decided advantage of actually being effective – which, as it happens, is exactly what you’ll be if you use them. ------------------- https://lnkd.in/eFNYTHCQ

The good news is that you can get better about not putting things off, if you use the right strategy. Here is an article pointing out some suggestions about what you can do when you don't feel at your best at work.

Practical steps to move work forward and remove stress.

Came across this post on "How to Make Yourself Work When You Just Don’t Want To." It dives into practical strategies to overcome procrastination and get things done, even when motivation is lacking. Some key takeaways include breaking tasks into smaller, manageable pieces, setting specific goals, and rewarding yourself for progress. These simple yet effective techniques can help you push through those days when motivation is low. Personally, I've found that setting small milestones and celebrating each accomplishment, no matter how minor, makes a big difference in maintaining momentum. It’s all about finding what works for you and creating a routine that supports your productivity. How do you motivate yourself on days when you’re just not feeling it? I’d love to hear your strategies! #Motivation #Productivity #Procrastination #SelfImprovement #ZincGohAndAssociates

Stop Procrastinating with These Proven Strategies. Struggling with procrastination? Whether it’s fear of failure, lack of motivation, or dealing with unpleasant tasks, there are effective strategies to help. Focus on avoiding loss, ignore your feelings, and use if-then planning to get things done. These practical approaches can significantly boost your productivity and reduce stress. Check out the article by Heidi Grant for more insights! #Procrastination #Productivity #Motivation #TimeManagement #SelfImprovement #WorkLifeBalance

Imagine making meaningful and expansive changes in your life, fast. Together we’ll dive into understanding how the way you see and respond to problems or situations that are creating stressors in your life impacts the results you create with them. And how starting with your thoughts can lead to a chain reaction of new results. http://dlvr.it/T31Q7w

Imagine making meaningful and expansive changes in your life, fast. Together we’ll dive into understanding how the way you see and respond to problems or situations that are creating stressors in your life impacts the results you create with them. And how starting with your thoughts can lead to a chain reaction of new results. http://dlvr.it/T4zF6c

Imagine making meaningful and expansive changes in your life, fast. Together we’ll dive into understanding how the way you see and respond to problems or situations that are creating stressors in your life impacts the results you create with them. And how starting with your thoughts can lead to a chain reaction of new results. http://dlvr.it/T7qrKB

Imagine making meaningful and expansive changes in your life, fast. Together we’ll dive into understanding how the way you see and respond to problems or situations that are creating stressors in your life impacts the results you create with them. And how starting with your thoughts can lead to a chain reaction of new results. http://dlvr.it/T2PFrt