The problem is you cant say no toeverything else.
Others spend hours reading pointless stuff on Facebook, rather than being productive.
Some even procrastinate because they haveperfectly reasonable fears about the thing theyre putting off!
The reason this happens is found in how your brain handles impulsivity.
While risky behavior can be a symptom of impulsivity, the truth is more subtle.
In reality,impulsivity simply meansthat you act immediately on your impulses.
When the mood strikes you to do something, you do it.
Lack of premeditation:A person acts without thinking or planning ahead.
Lack of perseverance:A person will give up on a long-term task quickly.
Sensation seeking:A person decides which tasks to pursue based on how good it makes them feel.
Individually, we all experience these things to some extent.
However, an impulsive mind has trouble managing these motivations.
Planning ahead doesnt matter.
All that matters is that you do what you feel like doingright now.
Impulsivity is a key trait in a lot of neurological disorders,including ADHDandsubstance abuse.
The immediate impulse overrides everything else.
How Impulsivity Affects Your Productivity
Not all impulsive behavior is universally bad.
The problem comes when you cant stop acting on impulse.
Worse yet, the effect compounds on itself.
What you might Do About It
Impulsivity affects a lot of different aspects of your personality.
Fixing impulsivity is a bit like fixing anger.
Sometimes being angry is totally called for, but when its out of control it can cause serious problems.
That said, here are some things it’s possible for you to do to be less impulsive.
Practice Mindfulness Exercises
Mindfulness is the practice of simplybeing fully aware in the moment.
Mindfulness includes paying attention to your thoughts and controlling them, rather than letting them dictate your actions.
Naturally, people who have an impulsivity problem struggle with this.
Fortunately, mindfulness is something you could practice.
If you really have an impulsivity problem, this will probably feel like torture, but it helps.
Mindfulness isnt just a ritual, its teaching your brain how to focus.
Dont worry if it doesnt come natural.
Its not supposed to, and thats the point.
The next time the trailer for a Marvel movie drops, though, I can expectsome lost man hours.
We all have weaknesses that can easily distract us.Learning your triggerscan help you preempt your impulses before they happen.
you could combat this feeling by giving yourself some space toindulge your procrastination.
Then you’re free to focus on the task at hand.
Talk to a Therapist About Your Specific Problems
Yes, seriously.
This act of structured practice alone can help train your brain to control your impulses over time.
Understanding the underlying impulses that lead to distraction and procrastination can help you develop better long-term solutions.
It would be nice if you could simply sit at your desk and yell Focus!
hit up the author at[email protected].
