Procrastination is the eternal enemy of productivity, familiar to everyone. Procrastinating, endless distractions, excuses and excuses... Familiar? But what if we use a simple but effective way to defeat this “enemy”? In this article, we'll talk about the 10 minute rule that will help put procrastination in its place.
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Why we procrastinate
No.1. Fear of failure
We are afraid of failing to do the job, getting a bad result, or running into criticism.
#2. Perfectionism
The pursuit of an ideal result can be paralyzing and lead to procrastination. We are afraid of not achieving perfection, so we don't even start.
#3. Low self-esteem
People with low self-esteem often doubt their abilities and are afraid of making mistakes. This leads to postponement, because the person thinks that he will not be able to do it anyway.
#4. Ineffective planning
Poorly planned work or unrealistic goals can lead to feelings of overload and stress. It seems to us that the task is too big and complicated, so we put it off until later.
#5. Lack of motivation
If a task isn't interesting or doesn't seem important, we can easily find reasons to postpone it. A lack of intrinsic motivation is one of the main causes of procrastination.
Who came up with the 10 minute rule
It is difficult to name the author of the 10 minute rule. It is more of a practical time management technique that arose as a result of collective experience and observations of the effectiveness of working with procrastination. It is not a patented method or an invention by a specific person. Many coaches and productivity experts recommend this approach to overcome procrastination.
What is the 10 minute rule
This is a simple but effective method to combat procrastination. Its essence is to force yourself to start working on a task for just 10 minutes without thinking about whether you will complete it or not. It is often the beginning of work that causes the most difficulties, and once a person has already started, inertia helps them to continue working and even finish it.
How the 10 minute rule works
#1. Identification of the task
Choose the thing you're putting off.
#2. Setting the timer
Set the timer for 10 minutes.
#3. Getting started
Start working on the task. Don't think about how long it will take you to complete all the work. Focus only on the current 10 minutes.
#4. No ratings
Don't assess the quality of work during these 10 minutes. Just do it. When 10 minutes are over, you can...
No.1... continue to work
If you're involved in the process and don't want to stop, keep working.
#2... take a break
If you're tired, take a short break and then start the timer again for 10 minutes.
#3... finish the job
If the task is done in 10 minutes, great! Go to the next one.
Why it works
#1. The main thing — start
Often the hardest part is getting started. The 10 minute rule helps to overcome initial inertia.
#2. 10 minutes — it's not scary
Breaking a big task down into small periods of time (10 minutes) makes it less daunting.
#3. Increased motivation
After a successful first 10 minutes of work, there is a sense of satisfaction and an increase in motivation to continue working.
#4. Flexibility
The rule is not strict. After 10 minutes, it's up to you to decide what to do next.
However...
The 10 minute rule is not suitable for tasks that are very difficult or require a long period of concentration. It is better for them to use other time management techniques. However, for most things we put off due to procrastination, this method can be very effective.
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