I’ve started using a stopwatch, and my aim is not to complete the task, but just to spend time on that task and nothing else. This does 2 things: 1) just the fact I’m on the tasks moved me forward more than not being on the task. 2) as its counts up, not down, I am just interested in increasing the number, so every 30 seconds or minute or 10 extra that I do makes the number bigger and the dopamine higher.
I combine this with a habit tracker (literally called habits on android store) so I can try and beat my last high score etc.
I don’t set myself any targets etc that would cause me to feel shame (and then procrastinate due to that shame), so it lowers the barrier of startinf sufficiently low so that I can get on. And then the flow starts to kick in and we’re off…
I’ve started using a stopwatch, and my aim is not to complete the task, but just to spend time on that task and nothing else. This does 2 things: 1) just the fact I’m on the tasks moved me forward more than not being on the task. 2) as its counts up, not down, I am just interested in increasing the number, so every 30 seconds or minute or 10 extra that I do makes the number bigger and the dopamine higher.
I combine this with a habit tracker (literally called habits on android store) so I can try and beat my last high score etc.
I don’t set myself any targets etc that would cause me to feel shame (and then procrastinate due to that shame), so it lowers the barrier of startinf sufficiently low so that I can get on. And then the flow starts to kick in and we’re off…