I somehow managed to break to the other side of things: when I'm tasked with something, I say "okay I'm gonna do it anyway sooner or later" and start getting the job out of the way. Instead of stressing myself out and procrastinating and postponing, I start them as soon as possible. Also did it when I was in college back then: when I had to study for a final, I started a relax study cycle days before, not in last night.
I know we tend to procrastinate and what I've explained is easier said than done. But next time you're tasked and is about to procrastinate just remember that you'll be doing it anyway and if you did things ahead of time everyone will be happier and less stressful, and you'll have all your time to do whatever you want when the task is finished, without the stress. Maybe it will help someone.
I doubt there are many procrastinators around who don't realise that if they "just ... did things ahead of time" it would solve their procrastination, but you must realise that failing to do this is the very definition of procrastination. None of us like being procrastinators.
All you're telling us is that you're not a procrastinator.
I once read that procrastination is rooted in fear. I think this generally holds true for me. I've often found it helpful to identify the source of fear and that this sometimes breaks the loop. But just starting sooner? Yes, it's that simple but no, it's not that simple.
> I once read that procrastination is rooted in fear. I think this generally holds true for me.
For me as well. It's rooted in fear of failure, fear of the unknown. I notice it quite clearly when I switch jobs or teams, initially when I'm out of my depth with the new domain I'm working in I get almost paralysed with starting something, eventually I started it after guilting myself on not being productive. Then comes a period of back-and-forth procrastination on the task until I get my mental model in place and feel somewhat productive.
Slowly I chip away the unknowns by gaining more expertise and feeling confident and comfortable with new tasks but up to that point I will struggle with: fear of failure, fear of not knowing enough, fear of delivering a subpar solution. There is some kind of prestige fear in there that I haven't yet wrapped my head around, therapy has been helping, in the least to be able to actually notice the pattern and start some coping mechanisms.
> But just starting sooner? Yes, it's that simple but no, it's not that simple.
Exactly my take as well, it follows the same line I share with people trying to lose weight: losing weight is actually pretty simple, it's just not easy at all depending on your habits.
Some simple solutions are just not easy when you consider the human.
One other thing that sometimes works is that I will tell myself: Ok, you should start this thing, but you only have to do ${trivial-amount} on it. Then you can do ${more-enticing-thing}.
I don't know why this works since obviously I'm fully privy to the subterfuge... but if I can manage that first trivial amount (e.g. when I was writing tech books it would be one paragraph) I would often end up finishing the task (e.g. drafting a whole chapter) as I discover that the thing I fear is illusory.
It's all very frustrating. As often as not the thing I'm procrastinating upon is something I actively enjoy once I get going!
Nothing is new and we aren't all that unique, haha.
The more you described your issue and how you deal with it the more I thought the same "are you me?".
Instead of tech writing I try to produce music (still learning, just 3 years in) and I ended up using the same subterfuge: when I avoid opening my DAW to make music I just tell to myself "open it, create a motif with a preset sound you like and save the project", something that wouldn't take more than 5-10 minutes to be done with. After I start with that most of the time I simply keep going.
I try to apply the same to work tasks, it's just a little harder to get the initial commitment when I feel very paralysed, every time I do the "just 5 minutes" thing it does work though.
Well, yes and no. I also partly procrastinate still, so it's on and off kind of relationship. Just shared how I can make it go away when I can do. I sometimes just can't and know exactly how hard it feels.
I know we tend to procrastinate and what I've explained is easier said than done. But next time you're tasked and is about to procrastinate just remember that you'll be doing it anyway and if you did things ahead of time everyone will be happier and less stressful, and you'll have all your time to do whatever you want when the task is finished, without the stress. Maybe it will help someone.