Moment 177: You're NOT Lazy! This Is The REAL Reason You Procrastinate: The Performance Doctor
Aug 30, 2024
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Adam Grant, an organizational psychologist and best-selling author, dives into the intriguing world of procrastination. He explains how it’s a natural part of the creative process, often serving as a defense against fear and anxiety. Grant shares strategies to identify and reframe the negative emotions associated with procrastinated tasks. He also discusses how tech choices can impact job performance, distinguishing between child prodigies and adult geniuses, and challenges the conventional views on perfectionism, advocating for a more forgiving approach to success.
Procrastination is a defense mechanism linked to negative emotions, and reframing tasks can help overcome it effectively.
The choice of internet browser can reveal insights into a person's creativity and willingness to innovate in the workplace.
Deep dives
The Role of Procrastination in Creativity
Procrastination can serve as a valuable tool in the creative process, rather than merely a sign of laziness or avoidance. Many individuals procrastinate due to negative emotions linked to certain tasks, such as confusion or anxiety, rather than the tasks themselves being too difficult. By acknowledging the emotions tied to procrastination, one can begin to identify strategies to tackle the work more effectively. Embracing moments of procrastination as opportunities for idea generation can also lead to more innovative outcomes, helping individuals to push through their mental blocks and ultimately produce better results.
The Significance of Choosing Tools Wisely
The choice of internet browser may reveal deeper insights into a person’s creativity and initiative. Research indicates that users of browsers like Chrome and Firefox tend to perform better at their jobs and exhibit more job retention compared to those using default browsers like Safari or Internet Explorer. This trend suggests that people who upgrade their browsers are also likely to question the status quo and seek more effective ways to accomplish tasks. Therefore, the browser choice can metaphorically represent one’s willingness to innovate and challenge conventional practices in the workplace.
The Downside of Perfectionism
Perfectionism is often perceived as a desirable trait, but evidence suggests it can lead to burnout and limited job performance. While perfectionists may excel academically due to their ability to memorize and prepare, the ambiguity of the real world can hinder their growth and adaptability. This reluctance to embrace failure leads to a narrow focus on known strengths, preventing exploration and innovation. Recognizing that aiming for 'good enough' can be more beneficial than perfection can help in developing a more balanced and resilient approach to challenges.
According to Adam, procrastination is a natural part of the creative process, and rather than a method of avoiding hard work, it is a defence mechanism. Procrastination can be a method of protecting yourself against what you find to be psychologically challenging, or a way to avoid negative emotional feelings such as confusion, boredom, anxiety and fear. In order to beat procrastination, Adam says that you need to identify what negative emotions are stirred up by tasks that you consistently put off. Once you have identified these you can then change them by reframing them into a more interesting challenge.