The Procrastination Equation: How to Stop Putting Things Off and Start Getting Stuff Done By Piers Steel

The Procrastination Equation

• Different people procrastinate for different reasons, corresponding to the different variables in the Procrastination Equation: Motivation = (Expectancy x Value) / (Impulsiveness x Delay). Procrastination results from lowering Motivation too much.
  
  • Expectancy = how likely you think you are to reach your goal
  • Value = the value you place on the goal
  • Impulsiveness = how influenced you are by short-term vs. long-term gratifications
  • Delay = how far into the future the goal is

• Understanding why you procrastinate is a major first step towards reducing procrastination.
• The book has an assessment tool you can use to help you identify why you procrastinate.

• Reasons for procrastination

  • Low Expectancy (= lack of optimism): Some people procrastinate because they lack the optimism that they’ll be able to achieve their goals, so why try too hard? 
  • High Expectancy (= overconfidence): This is the opposite of lack of optimism. People with this issue delay because “I can always do it later”. 
  • Low Value (= lack of enjoyment): Many people procrastinate because the goal isn’t high enough value to make them want to do the unenjoyable steps that lead up to it.
  • Tiredness (#1 reason for procrastination): This is really just a special case of the work being unenjoyable – people who are tired just want to relax and/or rest, not work.
  • Impulsiveness: People who are impulsive find it hard to focus on long-term goals and to keep from getting distracted or tempted along the way.
  
  

• Suggestions   Goals should be:

  • Attainable but challenging (challenging is the more important)
  • Meaningful (tied to larger goals / values)
  • Short-term
    • [This reduces the Delay part of the Procrastination Equation.]
    • Day goals are good
    • 5-10 min. goals if main challenge is getting started
  • Specific
  • Break down large goals into sub-goals
  • Goals can be inputs (time worked) or outputs (words written) or both (e.g., whichever comes first)

  • Good habit formation makes work routine, subconscious, and effortless
    • Have a predictable environment, especially time and place
    • State an explicit intention to act, even just “if X happens then I’ll do Y” (really works!)
    • Habits are hard to start, and only start working after a bunch of repetitions, so keep that in mind when coming up with excuses for the first few times
    • Might be worth extra money to pay someone (coach, personal trainer, etc.) to help get it up and running

• Set good goals