Procrastination

Procrastination poisons productivity

Hey everyone,

I’ve been procrastinating with this newsletter for a few weeks now. And you know what? It's really hard just to sit down and magically summon inspiration to create something. You end up starting to find any excuse to do something else instead.

"The secret of getting ahead is getting started." – Mark Twain.

(Yes, I even found a quote for that). That’s precisely how it is with this newsletter.

You need to begin.

Indeed, Twain's words resonate deeply. Every achievement begins with the spark of courage to take that first step. This newsletter is a deep dive into the power of starting and how it can be the pathway to greatness.

In psychology, there's a lot of talk about balancing your demands and resources. This balance, or the lack thereof, can significantly impact one’s well-being and productivity. But let me shift from theory to a slice of my daily life.

Midjourney/prompt: "Imagine “Procrastination”

I thrive when I'm swamped with work and tasks. Loading up my schedule greatly increases my motivation when faced with a single task. This becomes especially apparent when things start to slow down or I face a slow day or week. As a Founder & CEO, even a small task can escalate into a significant endeavor. This is just how we approach things.

It's like a clear signal—if you stack up 100 solid decisions, you might just hit that 100 million mark. On the flip side, 100 bad calls could have you struggling to keep the ship steady.

And this newsletter, which I've been putting off for weeks, is no different. The fact that I have an incredible newsletter audience of 2,000 people on

Substack

and Linkedin is a huge motivator for me to create the next piece of content.

Yes, I’m incredibly grateful to each and every one of you. It turns out you are my secret weapon against procrastination.

They say, "Just sit down and get it done," but it's more than that. You need to feel connected to what you're doing. Share something because it resonates with you, and work on something because it feels right. Sometimes, it’s just about sitting down and giving it a shot. Do you know what I mean?

That being said. I wanted to explore the psychological tips, tricks, practical strategies, and, most importantly, the mindset needed to overcome procrastination. It's about transforming the 'I'll do it later' into 'I'm doing it now'.

Let's embark on this journey together, starting with the very foundation – the psychology of beginning.

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Balancing two extremes 

In our lives, we often swing like an in-between two extremes—boredom and burnout.

Fragment from Casey Neistat's youtube video “Creative Poison”

Just like the sign in the picture: A state of boredom, where we wanted to do more, or a state of burnout, where we needed to do less. It’s never in the middle. It's always one or the other.

We're either searching for something to spark interest or a break to catch our breath.

This constant back and forth is actually where our creativity lives. So, I have a few great examples.

Myself. A few years ago, I committed myself to post daily on my LinkedIn for 100 days to see how it worked and what results I would get. At the end of the experiment, I got like 60k-100k views under each post I made. Cool, isn’t it? But soon after, I started to feel that I didn’t want to do any more posts because I just couldn’t.

Another good example

Michael Maximoff

with his newsletter

From Zero To Agency Hero

(if you are not subscribed, shame on you ) where Michael shares how both of us struggle with each and every step of building Belkins as an agency business.

Another extreme is that Michael committed to making 100 or even more editions of this newsletter weekly. And it’s quite a job if you want to remain with quality.

Both are a testament to dedication but also a one-way ticket to a burnout city if not managed carefully.

When we're bored, we have the space to think of new ideas. It's like an empty playground where our thoughts can run wild. But when we're too bored for too long, we start to feel stuck.

On the flip side, when we're in burnout, it's because we've done too much. Our minds and bodies are telling us to slow down, take a break, and recharge. It's like running too fast without stopping to rest—you'll eventually run out of energy.

We shouldn't see boredom and burnout as bad places to be. Instead, they're like signals. Boredom is a sign to start something new, to get creative. Burnout is a sign to take a break, to recharge, and to come back stronger.

So, how do we stay in the middle, where we're not too bored or too burnt out? How do we find that sweet spot where we're excited about our work but not too tired to do it?

That's what we're going to explore next. We'll talk about listening to these signals and finding a good balance in our work life.

Stay tuned as we find out how to keep our work fresh and our energy up.

Neither Too Bored Nor Too Burnt Out

Your list of 10 things is below:

1. Know Your Limits

It's important to understand how much you can handle. Are you feeling tired or uninterested? It might be time to take a break or try something new.

2. Set Achievable Goals

Make goals that are realistic. Break big goals into smaller steps. This helps you feel good about making progress without feeling overwhelmed.

3. Plan Your Day, But Be Flexible

Have a daily plan that includes time for work and breaks. But be ready to change the plan if you need to. This helps you stay focused and keeps things interesting.

4. Do Different Things

Doing a variety of tasks can keep you from getting bored. If your work is the same daily, try mixing something creative or new.

5. Take Real Breaks

Make sure your breaks help you relax. Go for a walk, meditate, or do a hobby you like. Breaks should help you clear your mind and come back with more energy.

6. Stay Healthy

Exercise, eat well, and get enough sleep. Being healthy helps you think clearly and have more energy for work.

7. It's Okay to Say No

Don't take on too much. You might get burnt out if you have too many things to do. Learn to say no when you need to.

8. Ask for Help

If you're feeling stuck, talk to someone. Sometimes, family (I’m lucky that my wife always supports me with everything), a friend, colleague, or professional can give you good advice or a new perspective.

9. Check In With Yourself

Regularly think about how you're doing. Are your plans working? Do you feel good about your work? Be ready to change things if you need to.

10. Work on Things You Love

Spend time on projects or hobbies you're really interested in. This can keep you motivated and stop you from feeling burnt out.

But all of you should know this without me, right?

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Curious now, what's your go-to procrastination activity?

• A) Social media scrolling,

• B) Deep cleaning things that don't need cleaning,

• C) Starting a new hobby for a week."

• D)………………………………………….

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Post-Credit Scene

Before you go, here's a little something extra for those who are reading this.

A curated collection of resources for anyone looking to learn more, get inspired, or simply enjoy some great content I enjoyed

Podcasts

1. The Procrastinators (obviously)

2. The Output Habit

   
   

3. art of all

4. I really like this one by Serial Productions:
   

   
   

5. Strike Force Five
   

TED Talks

1. "Inside the mind of a master procrastinator" by Tim Urban - A humorous and insightful look into the mind of a procrastinator.
   

Interviews

One of the interviews I liked with the one with Lex Fridam and Neri Oxman.

YouTube Channels

• Casey Neistat - in case you don’t know the guy, just check the link

• Thomas Frank - Offers practical advice on productivity, habit-building, and study techniques.

• Matt D'Avella - A minimalist filmmaker who talks about productivity, habits, and the journey towards a more meaningful life.

Books

1. "Eat That Frog!" by Brian Tracy - classic book on managing your time and getting more done in less time.

2. "The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg - This book explores how habits are formed and how they can be changed to improve productivity.

3. "Atomic Habits" by James Clear - Offers practical strategies to form good habits and break bad ones.

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Thank you for your attention.

Vlad