Dig into the Procrastination Problem

Welcome to "Mastering the Linkages Between Procrastination and Memory," a transformative journey inspired by Barbara Oakley's insights in her book, "Learning How to Learn." This course is designed to help you understand and overcome procrastination while enhancing your memory. Expect to explore the intricate relationship between procrastination and memory, and learn techniques to improve both.

Procrastination is more than just a bad habit; it's a significant barrier to effective learning and memory retention. It shares features with addiction, offering temporary excitement and relief from mundane tasks. This habit can be a keystone bad habit, meaning it affects many areas of your life. You might find yourself thinking that procrastination is an unchangeable trait, but it's not. Understanding its impact on memory is crucial because building solid chunks of long-term memory takes time.

Barbara Oakley dives deeper to provide insights into the zombie mode of habits.

To combat procrastination, shift your focus from the product to the process. The product, such as a completed assignment, can trigger anxiety and procrastination. Instead, concentrate on the process—the small, manageable chunks of time you dedicate to working. For instance, commit to working for 20 minutes rather than fixating on finishing a project. This approach reduces the pain associated with the task and helps you build effective habits. By focusing on the process, you create a routine that allows you to tackle unpleasant tasks without overwhelming yourself.

Let's explore a conversation between two colleagues, Jake and Victoria, discussing how to tackle procrastination by focusing on the process rather than the product.

• Jake: I've been putting off starting my report because it feels so overwhelming. I just can't seem to get started.
• Victoria: I used to feel the same way. What helped me was focusing on the process instead of the final report.
• Jake: How do you mean?
• Victoria: Instead of thinking about the entire report, I set a timer for 20 minutes and just start writing. It makes it less daunting.
• Jake: That sounds manageable. So, you just focus on writing for a short time?
• Victoria: Exactly. It’s about making progress, not perfection. Once you start, it gets easier to keep going.

In this dialogue, Victoria demonstrates the key idea of focusing on the process rather than the product. By breaking down tasks into smaller, manageable chunks, she reduces the anxiety associated with large projects, making it easier to start and maintain momentum.

In the upcoming role-play session, you'll have the opportunity to apply these concepts and practice overcoming procrastination in real-life scenarios.