Leverage Dopamine to Overcome Procrastination & Optimize Effort
Huberman Lab
*How to overcome lack of motivation, procrastination and dopamine troughs - do something harder instead! *
To overcome a lack of motivation and procrastination, it is important to understand that the trough in dopamine experienced during these states can be overcome by doing something harder or more effortful than the current state. Engaging in activities that give a sense of accomplishment can be a mild form of addiction replacement and provide the momentum needed to get motivated. The rate at which one gets out of the dopamine trough is proportional to how steep the trough is, meaning that doing something more painful or uncomfortable than the current state can help rebound more quickly. This does not mean engaging in harmful behavior, but rather finding activities that are tangential to the goal at hand and are experienced as worse than the current state. Cold water exposure or brief exercise can be examples of such activities. Additionally, meditation, especially for those who find it difficult or frustrating, can be effortful and help overcome procrastination. Waiting for motivation to come back or relying on deadlines to trigger action may not be as effective as intentionally putting oneself in a more painful state to jumpstart motivation.
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