This next month’s challenge is quite simple in its concept. One of the most mentally debilitating habits I picked up when I first started experiencing major depression was procrastination. This developed originally as a coping mechanism. I was a perfectionist with regards to my own achievements. At some point in medical school, it became impossible to maintain my desired level of perfectionism, but I didn’t know how to find a middle path. I would try harder and harder and harder, and then distract myself with what was increasingly becoming my TV addiction, though I didn’t realize or acknowledge it at the time.
I still have a lot of healing work to do in the area of mental health, both with managing depression and getting to abstinence in the area of my addiction. However, I am trending in the right direction at this point. One of the habits I want to install in my life is the initiation of productivity. Not any specific productivity metrics, just choosing to initiate tasks that I would rather avoid either because they are difficult, confusing, or just require a little more physical or mental energy than I want to output at that moment.
There are 2 basic methods that can be used to initiate productivity: action-based methods and time-based methods.
- Action-based – This involves taking a specific and simple action or series of action to begin a project or activity, but without committing to going any further than that at the outset.
- Running – Lace up (figuratively – my toe shoes don’t have laces), throw a jacket on if chilly, and run down the driveway. If I do that, it’s a success!
- Blogging – Log in to my website, create a new post, enter a title, and type one sentence into the text area. After that, I can stop and not write another word.
- Finances – Organize 3 receipts/bills by date. Open up Microsoft Money and enter in one transaction. After that, I can close down the program and not think about money for the rest of the day.
- Time-based
- Intensive exercise – Pick out one exercise (biking, push-ups, planks, etc.), set a timer for 1 minute, and start workout. Once the timer beeps, I can choose whether to stop or continue.
- Big project – Set a timer for 5 minutes and start diagramming my plan of action for completing the project. After timer beeps, save work.
- Karma practices – This could be meditation, check-in, skill practice, etc. Cast lots to pick one and do it for 1 minute.
One of the biggest hurdles for me in the area of productivity is just choosing to start things. I can put off even simple projects for months because of this resistance. Oftentimes, once I start I end up doing much more than I required of myself and enjoying it in the process. Of course, this isn’t always true; sometimes perseverance is needed.
I am not requiring any specific productivity metrics be met this month. However, I expect that if I look back after the month is complete, my metrics will be increased without me necessarily having that as the goal. Getting over the inertia barrier is my biggest obstacle in most cases.
The challenge this month then is to NOT PROCRASTINATE. Start doing whatever I am avoiding, even if I just do one thing or only spend 1 minute on it. Perseverance is optional.
Namaste.