’The Writer’s Brain’ on Procrastination: Part Two

In Part Two of another special edition of The Writer Files called "The Writer's Brain," a guest series with neuroscientist Michael Grybko, we dig further into the dreaded procrastination – a malady we all battle – what it is, how science looks at it, the difference between constructive and destructive procrastination, and some tips on how to overcome it.

"Never put off till tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow." – Mark Twain

We're all guilty of it, let's be honest, it's really normal to procrastinate.

Who among us hasn't waited until the last minute to do something tedious or uncomfortable like contest a speeding ticket, study for a test?

Today, you're far more likely to grab your smartphone and search longingly for those little red notification flags from a social media app, or to pop open a rainbow colored game for that quick hit of dopamine your brain loves so much.

I'm guilty of dusting and straightening every shelf and book in my office until they look conspicuously like modern art before I'll sit down to write an important email or a blog post.

The truth is that procrastination is built into the human condition -- clearly we can't do everything on our to-do lists at the same time -- but why has it become so frowned upon in our culture of late?

And how can we reframe procrastination since we know it's so integral to the creative process?

Luckily, research scientist Michael Grybko returned to the podcast to help me find some answers from the perspective of neuroscience.

Stay tuned ...

This episode of The Writer Files is brought to you by the team at Author Accelerator. Author Accelerator book coaches give writers feedback, accountability, and support while you write, so you can get that your idea out of your head and onto the page.

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If you missed the first half of this show you can find it right here. And If you’ve missed previous episodes of 'The Writer's Brain' you can find them all in the archives at writerfiles.fm, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you tune in.

In Part Two of this file Michael Grybko and I discuss: Why your inner-critic, stress, and anxiety hijack your productivity so easily Practical tips for breaking out of the wicked feedback loop of procrastination How social media, FOMO, and notifications mess with your self esteem and ability to focus Why we need to take breaks, practice mindfulness, and be nicer to ourselves How to trick yourself into being more productive And how to short circuit your amygdala, change your habits, and bootstrap incremental progress toward your goals The Show Notes: Author Accelerator Challenges on the Writer's Journey with Prominent Book Editor Peter Guzzardi: Part One Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear [Amazon] Procrastination: A Scientific Guide on How to Stop Procrastinating Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst by Robert M. Sapolsky Why Your Procrastination Might Not Be as Bad as You Think Why Your Brain Loves Procrastination ‘The Writer’s Brain’ on Productivity vs. Creativity: Part One The Best of 'The Writer's Brain' Part One: Creativity The Best of ‘The Writer’s Brain’ Part Two: Empathy The Best of ‘The Writer’s Brain’ Part Three: Storytelling The Best of ‘The Writer’s Brain’ Part Four: Writer’s Block The Best of ‘The Writer’s Brain’ Part Five: Fake News The Writer's Brain on Impostor Syndrome: Part One Productivity vs. Creativity, the Content Creator’s Catch-22 Rethink Your Definition of Productivity to Squash Uninspired Filler How to Outsmart Writer s Block with Neuroscience Kelton Reid on Twitter Please click the donate button to support the podcast with a secure PayPal donation