PART 2 - UNBLOCK
When you need or want to do something, people advise two methods to do it -
- Motivation - You make yourself want it bad enough
- Discipline - You make yourself push through it, make it a habit. Karm karo fal ki Ichha mat karo.
The author suggests a third path - the ‘Unblock Method’ - Find what’s stopping you from moving ahead, and remove the blocker. Usually it is one of 3 things
Let’s tackle them one by one.
Chapter 4
Seek Clarity
Uncertainty is one of the biggest drivers of procrastination. When there are too many unknowns or you cannot fathom the complexity of a task, it provokes anxiety and fear. You -
- Overestimate - The repercussions or consequences of the event
- Become hyper-vigilant - You become overly sensitive about any information pertaining to the task
- Stop recognising safety - You become constantly anxious and fail to recognise how to reduce this anxiety
- Avoid - Eventually you simply avoid the task
When you avoid the task, you feel bad. Then the anxiety and fear compound. So eventually and uncertainty paralysis sets up where you are unable to make any progress.
Now let’s ask the hard question. How to combat the uncertainty?
1. ASK WHY
Clarity about the purpose of a task often leads to much better motivation than to be running after uncertain tasks.
- Commander’s Intent - Keep the purpose of the task and the expected outcome clear in your mind.
- 5 Whys - Use 5 whys to arrive at the ultimate objective of your task - is it worth doing int he first place?
2. ASK WHAT
It’s good to know why we need to do a task. But one also needs to know what?
- NICE Goals - SMART Goals have been popular for quite a while, but they are outcome focussed. ‘Near-term’ ;Input-based’ ‘Controllable’ ‘Energising’ goals are input based and controllable goals where you stop worrying about the eventual output.
- Crystal Ball Method - Let’s say one week later you still haven’t done the task. Guess the top 3 reasons why it might have happened. Now mitigate those 3 reasons in advance.
3. ASK WHEN
Important to mark when you’ll be doing the things you said you would
- Implementation Intention - Apparently research suggests that you are much more likelyto do a task when you have pre-defined when (before and after events) you are going to do it. It creates a default order in your head and now the task is in your schedule.
- Time Blocking - Super useful - block time in your calendar for all important things. You can’t miss them.
I’ve already written the gist of the other 2 blockers - Fear (https://www.salonikhandelwal.com/thoughts/feel-good-productivity-find-courage) and Inertia(https://www.salonikhandelwal.com/thoughts/feel-good-productivity-get-started). What’s next?
PS: I’m finding increasing hard, again, to remember all these things again.
