Procrastinator’s productivity tip #2

Aim Low.

Hat tip to Jordan Peterson for this one. Scale back what you are trying to achieve and negotiate with yourself about what you are willing to do. Don’t become a tyrant to yourself by expecting too much at first, and then beating yourself up because you didn’t achieve what you set out to do. From day to day you can then increase expectations with reference to what you’ve previously achieved, and what you’ve negotiated with yourself to do.

Jordan Peterson also suggests thinking about what the perfect day would would look like to you, whilst also including work, and aiming to fulfil that. Over time you can increase your productivity and efficiency.

The problem this solves is overcoming the inertia or blocks that come from discouragement at not performing at the level you aspire to. Perfectionists may particularly suffer from this — not even getting out of the starting blocks in a race because ‘why bother when you won’t finish first’.