What would happen if there was a cutting-edge NLP technique available to stop procrastination and boost your productivity today? Whether we know it or not, even a slight improvement in the amount of time we waste procrastinating would make a world of difference. Think about it. What would happen to your productivity if you were able to stop procrastination by only 20%? Or what would happen if you reduced your procrastination daily by an additional 1%?
I know if there was an index of some kind on how high you are on the productivity scale, I would score high. When I look at my life, procrastination is very contextual. If something relates to something happening in or around an NLP training, I really don’t miss a beat. Also, when I take over the back office from my amazing team, I answer people at lightning speed. To a point that it almost can become bad marketing, as if I have no other purpose in life than answering prospective customers. The reality is, many times managing my company should be taking priority over anything else. Things like scheduling a meeting with my accountant, or actually anything bookkeeping related. I am also notorious for procrastinating in making you-tube videos, which I should do to show off our amazing NLP training locations such as the beach in California, Mexico, Bali, and the old city center of Amsterdam. I actually like creating youtube videos. It is just that nature, beach activities, and live students in the class have more of a pull on me.
What is procrastination?
Basically, procrastination happens when the part of our brain that makes us feel good and craves pleasure (the limbic system) takes over from the part that helps us plan and make decisions (the prefrontal cortex). So instead of getting work done, we end up putting things off and finding excuses to do other things that feel better in the moment.
For example:
My limbic system says:
I want to go for a long walk on the beach. Then I’d like to sit on the beach, meditate, read, and enjoy the sunset. This will make me feel good.
My prefrontal cortex says:
I should go to the beach and make some videos. If I prepare them properly and think them over first, I can more effectively shoot the videos. II can catch the best light at the golden hour around sunset. This will help my business, and it will also make me feel good.
Scientific facts about procrastination
– Procrastination is often intentional self-sabotage, giving ourselves an excuse in case we don’t perform well.
– Preferring short-term satisfaction over long-term discomfort.
– Our brains can determine whether we are more likely to procrastinate. For example, people with a larger amygdala (which warns us about danger and negative effects) or people whose brain can not process the information the amygdala gives are more likely to procrastinate.
– Procrastination is a chronic issue for around 20% of adults.
– Procrastination has become more common in modern times, likely due to phenomena such as the increased availability of distractions and temptations (e.g., social media and video games), as well as the increase in unstructured or self-structured jobs.
– Gender is weakly associated with procrastination, as men tend to procrastinate slightly more than women.
NLP technique to stop procrastination to boost your productivity – long version
- What specifically is the long-term and the short-term goal you wish to achieve? What specifically is the task you wish to complete today?
** We borrow from the NLP-meta model here – the powerful questioning modality that we learn in an NLP training.
2. Imagine what you will see, hear and feel the moment you will reach your long-term goal. Repeat for the short-term goal, and the moment you complete the task today.
This is an NLP technique called future pacing. Experience the future as seen through your own eyes.
3. How specifically should you complete this task?
** Another meta-model question.
4. Watch a movie in your mind, of someone who has no procrastination issues at all because they can make a task more fun and because they give themselves a deadline. What did you learn?
** We are using a model of excellence here to learn from. Many NLP techniques have been created by studying the successful.
5. Watch a movie of yourself, in your mind, doing the task borrowing from the model of excellence. Does it have the intended result? Does it stop procrastination? Are you making it more fun for yourself? Are you giving yourself a reward? If not adjust the actions in the movie.
** This is an NLP technique called dissociation, which allows for a more logical approach to things, rather than an emotional one.
6. Step into “the you” starting the task. See what you would see, hear what you would hear, and feel what you would feel.
** This is association, which allows you to experience the action as if it is real. It is also like a rehearsal.
7. If at any point there is an obstacle, do what you need to do to navigate the obstacles.
If you can not figure that out associated, then do so by dissociation – seeing yourself in the situation.
8. Once you are at the end of the movie and upon the completion of the task, try to augment that feeling of accomplishment inside the body as much as possible.
You could make the feeling more intense, make the image larger, and brighter, the sounds more intense. For those of you who have taken an NLP training, these are the submodalities. Consider setting an anchor.
NLP technique to stop procrastination to boost your productivity – short version
You can use this NLP technique to stop procrastination as a stand-alone technique or as a daily short practice when you think you are about to start procrastinating.
1. Watch a movie, in your mind, of yourself doing the task – all the way to the moment that it is completed.
2. At the end of the movie float your awareness into yourself. See what you would see, hear what you would hear, and feel what you would feel. Pay attention to the satisfaction you will feel.
3. Jump forward into the movie to a point where the real benefit of the task will be felt. See what you would see, hear what you would hear, and feel what you would feel. Who would be around you?
Conclusion
This is a very simple NLP technique to use to stop procrastination. I left plenty of space in the design for you to make changes if you have taken an NLP training.
Resources
Book
Getting Things Done, by David Allen.
Atomic Habits: an Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones, by James Clear.
Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time, by Brian Tracy
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Video
How to change a habit using your emotions
