05 - A Procrastination Preview

Everybody has some issues with

procrastination.

Because if you’re working on something, it

means

you’re not working, on a lot of other

things.

But some people have more issues with

procrastination than others.

In this video, we’re going to give you a

little insight into procrastination.

Why it arises, and a powerful little tool

to help you address it.

When you look at something that you really

rather not do, it

seems that you activate the areas of your

brain associated with pain.

Your brain, naturally enough, looks for a

way to stop

that negative stimulation by switching

your attention to something else.

But here’s the trick.

Researchers discovered that not long after

people might start

actually working out what they didn’t

like, that neurodiscomfort disappeared.

So it seems what happens when you

procrastinate, is something like this.

First, you observe, and get a cue about

something that causes a tiny bit of

unease.

You don’t like it, so to make the

sensation go

away you turn your attention from whatever

caused that unease.

You turn toward something more pleasant.

The result, you feel happier, temporarily.

We’re going to talk more about

procrastination later on.

But in the mean, time I’m going to let you

in on a handy little mental tool.

This tool is called, the Pomodoro.

It was invented by Francesco Cirillo, in

the early 1980’s.

Pomodoro is Italian for tomato.

The timer you use often looks like a

tomato and really,

a timer is all there is to this elegant

little technique.

All you need to do, is set a timer

to 25 minutes, turn off all interruptions,

and then focus.

That’s it!

Most anybody can focus for 25 minutes.

The only last important thing is to give

yourself a little reward when you’re done.

A few minutes of web surfing, a cup of

coffee, or a bite of chocolate, even

just stretching or chatting mindlessly,

allowing your brain

to enjoyably change its focus for a while.

You’ll find that using the Pomodoro

technique is very effective.

It’s a little like doing an intense 25

minute workout at a mental gym.

Followed by some mental relaxation.

Give it a try.

Next, we’re going to see how one very shy

ten year old, changed her brain.