322 — This 60-Second Mental Strength Play Will Help You Stop Procrastinating (And It Doesn't Require Willpower)
Mentally Stronger with Therapist Amy MorinShow Notes
Want more mental strength plays? Pick up a copy of The Mental Strength Playbook.
Do you procrastinate more than you'd like to admit? You've probably told yourself the problem is willpower, motivation, or self-discipline. But, procrastination usually has nothing to do with those things.
It has to do with trying to avoid an uncomfortable feeling. Fortunately, there's a simple mental strength play that can help you start taking action fast. And the best news is, in less than a minute you can get yourself working on that project. It's backed by science and it can help you get moving on those tasks you dread.
Some of the things I talk about are:
Why calling yourself "lazy" or "undisciplined" is the exact story that keeps you stuck—and what's really driving your procrastination.
How dread quietly turns a small task into a huge source of dread.
Why procrastination thrives in isolation.
The "Text a Motivation Buddy" play—and how I used it to finally edit the section of my book I'd been avoiding for weeks.
The three science-backed reasons a single text message can do what willpower can't.
How to run the play in five steps, including the specific way to word your text so it actually works.
The buddy you should never pick (the lovable friend who'll talk you into lunch instead).
The simple "time swap" variation that gets you and a friend both unstuck at once.
Related Episodes
118 — How to Do Something You Hate
244 — The Science of Motivation: How to Get Things Done When You Feel Stuck
Connect with the Show
Buy a copy of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do
Connect with Amy on Instagram — @AmyMorinAuthor
Sign Up for My Newsletter — https://amymorinlcsw.com/newsletter
Sponsors
Helix Sleep —Go to helixsleep.com/STRONGER to get 20% off sitewide
AirDoctor — Head to AirDoctorPro.com and use promo code STRONGER to get UP TO $300 off today!
One Skin — Go to oneskin.co/STRONGER and use code stronger to get up to 30% off your first 3 subscription orders
Quince — Go to Quince.com/stronger for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns!
Flamingo — Get a $7 starter set at ShopFlamingo.com/STRONGER
Subscribe to Mentally Stronger Premium for exclusive content like weekly bonus episodes, mental strength challenges, and office hours with me. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More from Mentally Stronger with Therapist Amy Morin
Have you ever gotten good news from a friend and felt bad instead of happy for them? Or someone in the group chat announced they’re pregnant — and instead of feeling excited, you felt a little sick to your stomach. And then you felt guilty for feeling that way, so you typed “congratulations” and moved on.
Are you always the one who reaches out first? You send the text, plan the dinner, and remember everyone’s birthday. At some point you start to wonder, if I just stopped trying, would anyone even notice?
Do you notice things other people miss , like a shift in someone’s tone or tension in the room before anyone says a word? Do you need more time to recover than the people around you, so even a fun party or a good work trip can leave you completely wiped out for days?
Are you the person everyone comes to? Someone asks you to cover a shift, join the committee, host the gathering, or help with the move, and the yes comes out before you’ve even thought about it. Then you’re driving home wondering, why did I just agree to that?
Have you ever downloaded a meditation app you swore you were going to use? Or bought a journal that's still sitting on your nightstand? Or promised yourself that starting Monday, you'd finally do that 20-minute morning routine that was going to change everything — only to abandon it a week later?