Why you procrastinate even when it feels bad

Explore what happens in the brain to trigger procrastination, and what strategies you can use to break the cycle of this harmful practice.
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The report you’ve been putting off is due tomorrow. It’s time to buckle down, open your computer ... and check your phone. Maybe watch your favorite KZbin channel? Or maybe you should just start in the morning? This is the cycle of procrastination. So, why do we procrastinate when we know it’s bad for us? Explore how your body triggers a procrastination response, and how you can break the cycle.
Directed by Vitalii Nebelskyi, and action agency.
This video made possible in collaboration with Character Lab
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A special thanks to Fuschia Sirois who provided information and insights for the development of this video.
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[@Wrendys]

The fact that this video was on my “watch later” playlist for months is the greatest irony.

[@JPcommunicates]

That was the message that the video isn't just relevant for you neither the message of the video.

[@zeiphon]

Is it good? It's still on mine

[@Psychodog_]

I'm procrastinating, so I don't have to watch the video. In fact, I'll go now.

[@jankisi]

it was on mine for one day and I'm proud I watched it now

[@zeiphon]

@@jankisi Oooo look at Mr Productive over here

[@vadsgator78942]

I'm procrastinating by watching this video

[@ashishasharma7919]

Us

[@marc46008]

Same

[@ARCWIZARD]

Waste waste

[@iwishexamsneverhappened]

Same

[@jessanraj9086]

Same lol

[@tumi6ocdn]

The fact that I procrastinated watching this video for a year out of fear of feeling judged by its contents is quite telling. Thanks for helping me understand myself better :)

[@siddharthagupta3754]

I've had this tab open for weeks and finally got thru it

[@InbredSpanishKing]

Commenting to remind u to stop procrastinating. Maybe you’ll put off reading this comment 😂

[@tumi6ocdn]

@@InbredSpanishKing bruhhhh 😭🤣 I’m working I promise

[@pardo9025]

Literalmente ese yo,suelo procrastinar muchas cosas,y eso incluye videos como este,con los que me puedo enfrentar a la verdad y tal vez miedo a sentirme juzgado como dices...

[@tumi6ocdn]

@@pardo9025 entiendo lo que sientas exactamente, tengo un poco miedo cada vez que tengo que enfrentar que soy procrastinador...pero nunca se amejorara la situacion si no nos podemos perdonar a nosotros mismos ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@adawgpullup]

I procrastinate literally everything, even things I enjoy doing. This has led to me avoiding the things I used to be inseperable from. At this point, I always look for any excuse to put anything off.

[@wantnoodles]

Same ☹️

[@sebastian26031997]

You got this! Just don't be mad about your past-self. You cannot control or change that. You can only control whats ahead and the earlier you stop being mad at yourself, the earlier you can use this energy to break the circle! Good luck. PS: I am struggling too!

[@LightningShade12]

Are you me

[@nikolaitishkov]

the best excuse i have is "I still have time"

[@adawgpullup]

@@nikolaitishkov blink and that time's passed, act now 9 months since i made that comment, done nothing but procrastinate the whole time, i'm now significantly worse off for it. dont make my mistake

[@joey199412]

A big tip I can give to fellow procrastinators: The first step I always do is promise myself I WON'T work on it that day and ONLY do all preparation for it without actually starting work, so getting everything I need ready, opening up tabs that I need to get the job done and planning out exactly what needs to be done to get it finished. Usually when I have it all laid out in front of me like that suddenly the task looks very small and manageable, the urge to procrastinate evaporates and I get the job done. I still struggle sometimes but this trick has eliminated about 80% of my procrastination times. Somehow by promising yourself you won't do the work and merely prepare you can do it because "it doesn't count" to your brain.

[@TEDEd]

Hold on, let us write this down ✏

[@bosongod2830]

Good for you, but it doesn't work for me somehow. I don't even start to work. That's my problem.

[@lilypond5158]

You ate playing a mind game and trucking yourself to do something you don't wanna do, that's genius amd so funny

[@babyplum2837]

@@TEDEd Even ted replied Write this down guys

[@SaiTejarh]

This works for me sometimes when it's a medium sized task and a bit short term task. For long term tasks making preparation and opening tabs is a difficult and not so useful thing

[@afriendlyfox]

Exactly. A lot of people assume procrastination is cause by people preferring instant gratification, but for me it's running away from a load of anxiety and fear. In school I was always expected to be the best, to do perfectly from first try. If I failed, I was always punished for "not really trying". Even though I realize this is impossible and unhealthy, I feel shame for not living up to perfection every single time. When I expect to fail multiple times before I succeed, it's like having something terrifying looming on the horizon and I put the task off as long as I can. When I eventually start doing it, I feel as if I'm being punched in a face each time I do something imperfectly. The worst thing is, it's preventing me from even getting started on my dreams, since dreams don't have deadlines to make me start and there's even more at stakes in case of failure.

[@LaniakeaArmstrong]

I feel totally identified with your comment.

[@franklidgad]

I can relate. 😬 I seem to have an excuse every time. Whether it's valid one or not it doesn't matter.

[@honeyedlix]

gifted kid burnout goes hard. i'm in the same boat, can't stop procrastinating even though it makes me hate myself so much.

[@afriendlyfox]

I have changed quite a bit since I wrote this comment. If there's anything I would say to myself in the past, it's love yourself. Beating yourself up is counterproductive, because you tend to work worse, not better, when stressed. Allow yourself to make mistakes, because they are essential to learning. Expecting to get everything the first try is unrealistic, just read the stories of initial failures of people who are considered successful, or ask a professional about how they learned. Whenever you catch yourself saying mean things to yourself, stop. And if you think you deserve to be treated badly for whatever reason (which I never did tho), 1. you're wrong, 2. go to the therapist to explain you why you're wrong.

[@franklidgad]

@@afriendlyfox It would be interesting to know if the pandemic has had anything to do with how we have become more of a procrastinator. For certain not being allowed to do some of the things we did before, like social gatherings for instance, which has turned some of us into the world of depression. And once you get into that mind set it makes it really hard to do anything else. Especially when you are trying start something you have been putting off which seems like a lifetime. Everyone has their own story of how they got to this point and my wish is for all of us procrastinators to find help, whether it is by watching these KZbin videos or by attending professional therapy sessions, that we find the courage and the strength to begin so we can get better and get us out of this state that we are all in. With change comes opportunity.

[@SGD2718]

Convincing yourself that you’ve already procrastinated for too long and that you’re already screwed also works

[@Thank-u-so-much-for-everything]

Works for countering procrastinating?

[@huehuehue2448]

I like how procrastination was an even bigger concern than a bear attack that even the bear sat down to comfort and help out

[@ronaldmcdonald9289]

first

[@Tiffanysings]

😂

[@bluming138]

😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣 you can't eat depressed food.

[@EdwardChan.999]

The bear procrastinated its attack...

[@iDressLondon]

bear propGANDA

[@assholable]

"Many people procrastinate..because they care too much." This line really hit me like a ton of bricks

[@lamercado5614]

Same here😬

[@meganreilly9944]

Read this comment right before the line was spoken

[@maanasayenamandra8895]

I relate too. I struggle with low self esteem and anxiety, and I care too much about stuff. To escape it, I procrastinate, which leads to a whole lot of guilt.

[@Aya_riiia]

That made me cry lol

[@user-sf9gs2pg1b]

Oddly enough, low amounts of thc really helped me. It stopped me from constantly feeling horrible feelings of incompetence or stress when working, and I managed to study 6 hours, and 6 hours another day after work. That being said, don’t recommend, I hear it’s bad for memory retention (and especially bad for those under 25) - not to mention the possibility of psychosis, especially for those predisposed to it. It works differently on everyone, for me it helps on stressful study nights.

[@shashwatpathak1192]

I am a chronic procrastinator myself, I often find myself waiting for the right time and opportunity to complete the task, even though I know it is just going to pressurise me even more. But when I finally do the task I realize I could have done much better if I had started when I was busy waiting. I really hope this video can be a turning point to my procrastination. Here are some of the tips I learned and plan to implement.I hope the future readers might find it helpful. 1) You can prepare for the task by opening the tabs and making necessary adjustments whilst promising your brain you're not going to do it today. Intrestingly your brain doesn't count this one and it reduces the barrier energy you needed to get started tommorow . 2) Break down your gigantic task into tiny chunks, you just need to get started once you have done that rest of the task seems simpler and it gives you a positive feedback loop by releasing dopamine.Tell yourself you just need to get the 10% of you task done right now. 3)Don't be too hard on yourself, you are probably in a bad rut like I am. Once you get a few things done right you will be back to your best, in no time.Be compassionate to yourself and give multiple tries. 4)Once you get started it is important to make sure you don't get dragged back, therefore keep your distractions away.Especially social media, turn off your notifications and if possible keep your phone away. 5)Journalling your thoughts and feelings might help you think more clearly.( Like i am doing right now)

[@twilightsparkle7060]

This is so true, I always find that I'm less likely to procrastinate if I stop myself from overthinking and just start doing the task as soon as I realize I need to do it instead of dwelling and thinking about it. Its better to just not think at all and go for it then it's not so bad as I thought. While writing this, I'm actually procrastinating right now by watching this video instead of studying haha

[@ken-wy7qf]

1. Break the task into smaller categories 2. Journal your thoughts on why you feel stressed to do the task 3. Reduce distractions 4. Forgive yourself because you can do better next time

[@pratikrathod7552]

thanks a lot man XD

[@DenizD]

People who only do the fourth step: 📈

[@timl.b.2095]

That saves me some time: I don't need to watch the video, because I've heard all those and am not going to do any of them.

[@someone-ja]

​@@timl.b.2095you should watch it

[@trevxz6208]

ill just do this later

[@SirPembertonS.Crevalius]

"Procrastinators report a high fear of failure" God this is me to an absolute t. School and parents always made me so damn afraid of failing anything.

[@royalredbird9717]

As a high schooler too, I agree.

[@pravini]

fr

[@o_tout0]

Dat profile pic tho 💀

[@praggy7521]

for me it's not even school and parents, I have just set the standards too high for myself and when I don't achieve them it makes me even more scared and self doubt kicks in

[@randomdev4246]

same!! my teachers used to be so strict, now i'm even putting pressure on myself ...

[@aryabima256]

I procrastinate so much that I added this video to my watch later playlist

[@_Ginger_Tea_]

If you want to procrastinate less and concentrate better on working you can study with me here. Instead of watching videos on youtube you can have a video of me studying and keeping you company, so you don't get distracted. You can make youtube into something useful instead of a distraction. I study for 1-3 hours with breaks in between while I keep you company If you're interested, feel free to work with study videos of mine Hopefully it will be useful for you...

[@corentinm.105]

This has remained still in my "watching later" playlist for more than a year 😅 I had an intuition about most of it (I mean the origin and process of procrastination, even the solution for getting rid of it), though this will help for sure ; because it confirms what I was uncertain about and helps me forgiving myself. I'll work on it, I swear ... like, tomorrow in the morning ;)

[@yesh7183]

I think what's more disturbing to me, is that procrastination seems to be on the rise, both in student academia and the working world. It makes me wonder if our biology is really cut up for the world that we've made and is much too complex such that it's making us depressed and mentally exhausted. Food for thought

[@s.n.2359]

We really arent cut out for capitalism i just want to pet cats and gather berries fr

[@cocobunitacobuni8738]

absolutely. We're also living double as long as we used to.

[@-siranzalot-]

The Internet in general, social Media, Gaming and the overall entertainment industry are all things which are hard to make sense of for our brains. There are so many products and services designed to be as addictive as possible, that choosing a task which only offers delayed gratification (if any) in favor of something triggering that response immideately requires insane amounts of self control

[@dhanvi3]

I think it can be attributed also to the fact that as our (humanity's) average IQ keeps increasing, our day to day tasks are also going on increasing in difficulty be it the education curriculum, or job tasks That could be why procrastination is also rising as competition and difficulty is rising

[@thecrimsonaxe6037]

I've been thinking that exact same thing for the past few weeks, that human beings just aren't meant to be juggling this much at once!

[@TheACDGames]

It's important to remember that we might procrastinate doing tasks we enjoy too. As an artist/producer music is my life, but I find myself procrastinating because I'm often feeling like I'm going to "fail", even though there is nothing to fail at. It's a tight rope to walk on, but I'm getting better at it.

[@liyaa_ts]

Omg same I have so many plans(coding tho) and I love it so much but I can't get myself to do the work like I'm scared to fail so instead of practicing and like enjoying it I just end up overthinking and procrastinating💀

[@SuperTroll2003]

I guess might as well join the puddle, even i i draw for myself, perfectionism which fuels my procrastination like crazy stops me from enjoying it and fearing that I will fail and everyone will laugh at me or strictly criticize what i did

[@izanneto]

glad im not alone in this

[@ablot3383]

i love that someone wrote about this! i am a writer/poet and that's a big part of my identity as an artist/creator. my work has been published by quality publications and my professors have greatly complimented my academic writing and used it as examples for other classes. but as an artist, when something doesn't turn out exactly perfect, even if it's only for me, i'm mortified and disgusted by it, because i know i have done better and could do better and other people have done better, etc, etc, etc. being an artist is just agony. i hope you are able to free yourself from your own expectations--i'm working on that in my life as well.

[@Tilith]

@@ablot3383 Being a perfectionist is agony, people think it's a false defect you say to look smart on your resume, but it just makes you unable to relax and to appreciate most things, and none that you made unless others compliment it. (the worst is when people keep complimenting things you think you made poorly and you start not giving value to their opinions, any opinions, but I hope that's just a me-thing lol - in any case beware of that trope - working on it too, good luck!)

[@alishaokeeffe7574]

This was lovely. I want to watch this video every month as a reminder. In my case procrastination definitely comes from caring far too much about the outcome but to others it looks like the exact opposite. That layers even more anxiety and shame as I’m afraid of how others view me on top of dreading failure at the task

[@yunantheobserver6841]

3:34 This shed a tear on my eye. It felt like a part of ke that wasn't seen...that i didn't even know I have..have been seen, validated amd given a word for. I was used to people telling me that I don't care when I don't do anything sometimes on works or discussions. That I see them as nothing....on the contrary; I see them as giants and that scares me in a way that I could never see them eye to eye no matter how hard I tried. That no matter how much I've grown, it still wouldn't be enough. It's suffocating, it makes my chest tightens likes its holding tar.

[@Lucky-jg2on]

Judging by the title, this video is entirely tailored for me and others like me, I'm at that point where I can procrastinate and not even feel a thing, and the reason why I feel bad isn't because I procrastinate but because I don't feel bad for procrastinating, it's like I've given up on myself

[@hakimdiwan5101]

Be careful bro that's how I ended up in servere bout of depression.

[@andrealf2001]

This describes me so well it hurts

[@codpoolyt5349]

You are really brave to write that to so many people, it just what's happening with me and i couldn't even think of writing this to do many people 🫡

[@totallyrandom13]

I've got an assignment due today and I'm barely half way there. And I'm watching this video. This is saying something.

[@rachelkrumpelman5131]

I'm in touch with that non-feeling feeling.

[@useless0708]

“Many procrastinate…because they care too much” How true can this be? I’m a perfectionist and a procrastinator that can’t ever get out this vicious cycle of self loathing and unhappiness.

[@bluedash24]

God fuckin same

[@useless0708]

Saw this notification while procrastinating again 😂😂@@bluedash24

[@tortillachips-nn8dj]

I have a tip I learned from a study youtuber called fayefilms... Basically, instead of setting the amount of time you want to work on something, like "i will do this and that for 2 hours after work/school" set the time LIMIT for how long you can work on it. It helps you to actually start and reduce the overwhelming dread. For me, if I just tell myself "I'm going to study this subject that i hate with a passion tomorrow morning" chances are 1. i don't do it 2. I do it VERY inefficiently since i'm forcing myself and I wanna do perfect. Setting the *max* amount of time you can spend on the task is the best middle ground for me😊

[@sarahfromtheneverland9001]

@@tortillachips-nn8djThank You for the tip ❤ I'll try this

[@lo7212]

Hi! I'm having a hard time understanding this concept. Could you please give me an example? I'd be so grateful @@tortillachips-nn8dj 🙌

[@joanlavaki7261]

thank you for making me not feel crazy and for giving words to something I've struggled with for so long. my procrastination is a coping mechanism and I am not lazy.

[@steverobinson8771]

The value/message of this video should NOT be underestimated - this describes exactly how 'most' people (myself included) think and make decisions about themselves.

[@heremapping4484]

I procrastinated an entire semester. I told the TAG teacher I wanted to do an independent study in history. I did close to nothing. Over the weeks, and months, I grew more and more stressed. So much stress came to me, I had nightmares every night, my anxiety grew through the roof, and I developed suicidal tendencies. Even now thinking about it I get dizzy, dissoriented, depressed. Never apalogized to the teacher, in fact I never spoke to him again.

[@em945]

It is probably worth noting how many people have done exactly that in their studying lives! Worth forgiving yourself and having a smile.😁 I, personally dropped out in my second year of early college, and it was traumatic at the time....but so many don't even try. I am much older now and know my limitations and gifts better. The important thing to note is that it was clearly a way of study that didn't work for your particular mind/ body, certainly at this time in your life. We live and we learn. This video was really interesting about how the nervous system goes on high alert and tries to comfort by distracting, then it becomes unproductive, and can make us unwell. So helpful to know. I wonder if you have a cat or a dog to cuddle to help settle your nervous system. Or a lovely garden or space you can visit. Or an easy going friend. I did want to say, I highly recommend writing (possibly just a short handwritten note if easier) a very short straight to the point note to the teacher saying you just found you could not do it, and thank them for their time. IT WILL REALLY RELEASE any guilt you feel. It really is not the end of the world and these teachers will have had all these things happen before. If you want to give more feedback, you can explain how you became stressed and other specifics you felt may have helped or struggled with etc. This is because the teacher may also need some good feedback to either assess how it went from their side, their possible weaknessess and if that delivery was functional or not. It may not suit anyone, doing it like that. Take care! And enjoy your history studies...always interesting. My Uncle was a history professor for 30 years and wrote many books, and I think was an excellent teacher too.

[@kinglucos5146]

Same like you

[@slevinchannel7589]

@@kinglucos5146 ...Here, a better version of this here: "The Future and Past of WORK" by 'Some More News'.

[@Fashion040998]

Same! My stress culminated into psychosis and panic attacks 😓 woops 😅

[@viktoria7212]

exactly this happens to me. all throughout my college life until now, Ive always been a really bad procrastinator and my gpa would show for it. I get stressed about the workload and how it would always remind me how i was almost kicked out of college and lost my scholarship due to my poor gpa... I still have anxiety from my mind automatically thinking about it and im still a chronic procrastinator, but like with everything, all your actions are made because theyre habits and slowly I am fixing it :)

[@Champitoinwonderland]

This was so validating and encouraging for a chronic procrastinator like me. Especially the part that mentions that you should have self-compassion and forgive yourself. Everyone knows that doing stuff last minute or submitting work in a delay isn't acceptable or even practical. So there is no need to try to "remind" people who procrastinate how "lazy" they are for not doing their tasks. Because we know, and because we are very aware of that and actually care too much about that, it feels even worse. You don't need to beat me up for my procrastination, I already beat myself up the whole time.

[@pillowpillow9207]

It felt like I was heard, and it felt so warm to my sweet lil' heart.

[@CatLover-lk9gz]

Procrastination is just a stress response. I find work that makes me doubt myself is work that I save to the very bitter end. Converging into a panic attack when I finally force myself to do it.

[@CatLover-lk9gz]

So I wait, in hopes my skill will improve ever slightly. Maybe just a passing comment or some sudden understanding will finally help me.

[@hdhgjhjdvj]

I hate your comment. It makes ME feel worse.

[@Marqan]

Yeah, I discovered that "lazy" is just a deregatory term used when people don't understand why you're not doing something. If you start asking questions about the meaning of "lazy" then it just falls apart. It's just a mirage, laziness doesn't exist.

[@EriksonPictures]

Toto bylo úžasné video, chtěl by sem vidět víc takovýchto a myslím si, že nejsem jediný. Ale narážíme na čas. Jsem rád za všechno co pro nás udělali.

[@dratuang2962]

procrastinating by watching a video about procrastinating

[@cheyenne9865]

the most annoying thing about procrastination, at least for me, is that it works. at the end of the day, or in this case, deadline, you still get it done no matter the stress. it's literally what unconsciously motivates me to keep procrastinating because eventually, it'll be done.

[@MrOfstring]

I survived college and many things by doing this but now that there are no deadlines, no imposed time limit, that I have to set everything up by myself, I'm just lost and frozen

[@cybisz2883]

That's what got me through university. When deadlines get too close, an intense guilt & fear washes over me whenever I procrastinate. It's like my brain realizes I don't even have a minute to spare. I stay awake working hard all through the night... after having wasted my afternoon/evening procrastinating.

[@Luna-yw7mq]

I procrastinate and sometimes, things don't get done. And the reason why I procrastinate is that my brain automatically thinks about all my bad experiences when I do a task that takes a good 3 hours one sitting and it was exhausting even though I'm actually enjoying it.

[@entwurfung]

Yeah, even worse: I have a pretty good estimate how far I can procrastinate and still somehow make the deadline.

[@thugly921]

Getting it done and getting it done well are totally different. You never live up to your full potential as a chronic procrastinator and that's the most frustrating part. At the end of it you always wish for a time machine, wonder why you couldn't have started earlier, etc. Not to mention all the late nights taking years off your life. The data on sleep deprivation is scary.

[@MINDthyMIND]

TED-Ed is like that friend who we ignore first by scrolling down but come back to them afterwards because the topic somehow bothers our own soul

[@allainefria4589]

exactly!

[@courtneybean6290]

omg I felt the same way lol

[@jind0sh]

hahaha why do i think of INFJs in MBTI reading your comment

[@Bonny-zt8iv]

What I’ve learned from this video about procrastination (I am a former procrastinator): - Procrastination is a habitual act where you put vital things that need to be done off - People who often procrastinate suffer from negative feelings, have a lack of motivation to do the work, and is afraid of failure - To combat procrastination you you can break down the things that you need to do into smaller parts to make it feel less intimidating or sort out the less important from the more important things that you need to do - I learned that people sometimes procrastinate as a defense mechanism. Our bodies sends a signal to our brains to protect us from doing tasks that we find difficult (I didn’t know that before)

[@user-uk6re3nf4w]

The animation is so well done. I really like the message of learning to handle your emotions instead of just dealing with procrastination rationally when it's actually an irrational problem.

[@fiolioco1523]

why did I almost tear up at the end? I've always felt guilty for procrastinating and I think hearing the reason why people do this, despite knowing the consequences, its very comforting.

[@ADHSV113]

Because we live in an era with little in the way of compassion? For instance, I’m rather self critical and have rarely if ever lived up to my own unrealistic expectations.

[@ditichaudhari7951]

same, i have a math exam tomorrow, and i'm still on my laptop

[@Shazwani-Iris]

reaall im too empathic for this

[@saumyasingh9355]

Biggest takeaway procrastinating the task actually makes it seem much more fearful than it really is!

[@_ashmason007]

Not really some exams are as hard and scary as they feel 😃😭

[@Deblen]

@@_ashmason007 yea right ?

[@agga10]

Thank you for explaining what I'm currently going through. It helps me to feel more at ease and motivates to do better tomorrow.

[@divitkarekar5803]

at this point i have watched a lot of videos to stop procrastinating and about adhd,but i have still not stopped procrastinating i hope after typing these set of words and after clicking on the blue comment button,i somehow magically stop procrastinating and work towards my goals consistently i wish myself all the best for this,thank you god for everything you have given me

[@jordansifunablog]

This is beautiful. I heard somewhere once: negotiate with yourself like someone you love when carrying out a task instead of forcing yourself like someone you hate.

[@ayamesfioui6157]

wow this is actually very helpfull

[@J_larry]

I wish I did this before I dropped college 😗

[@nochill9722]

Wow I'm probably going to use this one a lot. Thank you!

[@nocturn9164]

Dang, I feel like crying when I saw this

[@neelroy2918]

Wow. Thanks.

[@ozzyg82]

Some additional tips for fellow procrastinators: 1. Promise yourself you’ll only do 5mins of the work which makes it less intimidating 2. Reward yourself for any work done so you associate it with positive feelings 3. Remind yourself putting something off till the end of the day, ruins the whole day and you still have the task to do, whereas doing the task first thing, means you get the task out the way and have the rest of the day to yourself. 4. Remind yourself that the act of avoiding / procrastinating often takes as much energy as the task itself - but with none of the reward/ achievement. 5. A big one is ask for help - it’s amazing how much easier it is to focus when someone helps you figure out what to do first / next. 6. Don’t be afraid to be mediocre. We all have to create something rough and ready before we polish it into something better. 7. Balance studies/ tasks with exercise - moving your body releases tension and anxiety and helps the mind wake up, focus and concentrate. 8. Remember things are always worse / more difficult/ take longer in your imagination/ mind - in real life, it’s usually easier. 9. If, after you’ve broken the task down, each piece still feels too big, break it down further. 10. Look out for your mind wondering and don’t let it get side-tracked by other little thoughts; doing a 2month course of mindfulness meditation alongside studies can calm the mind, lessen anxiety and focus your thoughts on what you want to achieve. 11. Anxiety / fear is a big aspect of procrastination. Remember procrastination is avoidance, you could Google free self-help guides for anxiety and employ some tips and ideas. The less anxious you feel, the less you’ll have the urge to avoid/ procrastinate.

[@smilesmcgee4926]

Thank you for the super useful tips.

[@entertainment326]

It's really helpful 🙃🤝

[@marianoivana.7899]

Imma comment on this for future reference

[@ecstasy3692]

big on the number 4

[@asiefamier]

Thanks for the tips

[@AntiZombieFortress]

Discipline can INCREASE procrastination... This was the one part that had me stopping the video to think a while. Ive been making mistakes. I think it makes sense now that I would only procrastinate in certain areas. Not the unpleasent ones... but the ones I would hate myself for failing

[@dontpanic15]

ive a procrastinator and its been extremely stressfull. Thanks for puttig this together and remiding us to forgive ourselves, that is really important!

[@_Ginger_Tea_]

If you want to procrastinate less and concentrate better on working you can study with me here. Instead of watching videos on youtube you can have a video of me studying and keeping you company, so you don't get distracted. You can make youtube into something useful instead of a distraction. I study for 1-3 hours with breaks in between while I keep you company If you're interested, feel free to work with study videos of mine Hopefully it will be useful for you...

[@poulamimondal1824]

I procrastinated a lot in my college, to the point all my classmates and teachers knew that they can never expect any assignment on time from me. However hard I tried, i could never bring myself to complete the task and over time I got so used to it that I stopped caring about the assignments all together. I do regret those times and wish I could've done better

[@deliciouspaint]

Oh it's always the worst when the task is timed . You want to do it, but you don't, and end up doing it when it's too late. Recently I had the whole week to finish an assignment , but I only did it at 3 am in the morning right before it was due for school. I did that so much that I felt too much self doubt .

[@ExtrovertedCenobite]

You are far from alone, I believe the majority of the human race procrastinates to one degree or another! Don't feel bad or guilty, just remember that today is a new day, this hour is a new hour, heck the next 5 minutes are another opportunity. Look forward and no guilt about the past! Good luck, hope this helps even if it is just one bit! God Bless!

[@k0bsessed]

tm i procrastinated soo much that they set up a catch up class so I could do the assignments there, yet I just sacked it all off n decided to drop out cos I knew I wouldn't get it done in time for grading

[@Far-Reez]

For me there was only two option: Done it Or never do it It was a bad habit (my professor said) because if there was 10 assignment, I will only do 7 and ignore the three so I can get C to pass the subject. (Yes, Im not willing to get an A. Just flat C)

[@neelroy2918]

As the video says, forgive yourself or that becomes a trigger for even more downer and hindrance to things today.

[@francesleones4973]

That last part about cultivating self-compassion helped make me feel better. I procrastinate due to anxiety and fear. It's really my setting of high standards for myself that paralyzes me in the actual doing.

[@drwizardd]

Omg... That the same thing with me too.

[@AelYap]

"It's really my setting of high standards for myself that paralyzes me in the actual doing." This hit me hard. I often punish myself of not watching my fave shows to trick myself that i'm being productive, but in reality, i'm really not. It also has paralyzed and keeps on paralyzing me for years up to now. I guess i'm going back to the reward system technique because being strict to myself is not helping at all.

[@ambikadas10]

This is me. I totally understand you. The fear of failure is strong enough to make me do nothing at all. Nobody is harsher on ourselves than us. I wish we could be kinder to ourselves.

[@clarab325]

you just described my life

[@Wannago1423]

An additional piece of advice for my fellow procrastinators on how to break the endless cycle: Practice actively choosing to do a task you enjoy. Anything counts here as long as its an active choice. "I really want to go swimming/binge my favorite tv series/take a walk in the woods". The more you practice choosing to do any task actively instead of doing it as procrastination, at some point, choosing to do a work related task becomes much easier. Obviously it wont help meeting a deadline next week, but I guarantee a change in the long run.

[@_Ginger_Tea_]

If you want to procrastinate less and concentrate better on working you can study with me here. Instead of watching videos on youtube you can have a video of me studying and keeping you company, so you don't get distracted. You can make youtube into something useful instead of a distraction. I study for 1-3 hours with breaks in between while I keep you company If you're interested, feel free to work with study videos of mine Hopefully it will be useful for you...

[@Mistaken4MiddleEast]

If I do only do the things that I enjoy, I'll never complete the tasks that I need to do. So something like this wouldn't work for me. I have also procrastinated on school assignments by drawing and coloring before

[@Kriv-kj6lk]

Never related more to a video, or a comments section more in my life. Thanks for this!

[@knowhowtodo]

Procrastinating is one of the worst habits and sadly it's not easy to break. Everyone who is trying, good luck! 💪🏻

[@zaitunialihussein6362]

Thank you

[@HookedBBX]

Thank you

[@stellaf.190]

❤

[@luisenpairazaman]

Thanks!😊

[@fitnesswithsteve]

I’ll watch this video later…

[@jemimahmary9014]

You’re on this table right now🤣🤣🤣procrastinating

[@catherinewetherill7399]

😅

[@amyche8403]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@taliavarela9840]

Ugh, I felt so understood by this video. I'm incredibly hard on myself. My mind is so critical of me and I often label myself as lazy and a bunch of other things, but the reality is I don't want to fail. I don't want to become stuck or do something I'm unhappy with, so I'd rather not do it at all because there's an illusion that it's "easier." I don't think crying at my desk or picking apart my skin about something I could've completed in a breeze is "easier." Now, the hard part is trying to pull myself out of procrastinating one assignment at a time. 😮‍💨

[@reasonablehuman7682]

I literally had this video in my watch later playlist for ages. Finally have started making small but sure steps towards solving the procrastination habit which I formed during my college years.

[@tehmeeed]

here are some things that genuinely helped me to stop procrastinating and hoping it helps the readers too- 1) dont add too many tasks to ur day. always prioritise ur tasks, always mark that one task that u really have to do today...the rest will follow 2) dont schedule everything. leave some time and space between each task to move around and talk to people or rest. (or anything u like) scheduling every minute of the day really made me anxious. 3) keep ur workspace clean, make it attractive and calming space for u ( i keep my workspace as tidy and minimalistic as i can so im not overwhelmed) 4) dont pile up ur tasks, dedicate some hrs to study after school/college one major giveaway is i used to add too many tasks on my to do list and i NEVER got everything done ever. yet i woke up next day and did the same thing again. break down ur task in simple chunks to make it less threatening. let me know if any of these helped you because they really changed my life :)

[@andrewrobertson444]

As a recovering procrastinator myself, I can confirm these are great idea (though I always put off tidying my workspace). The idea of keeping to-do lists down to something achievable today is a very good one that I found works well. Start with one simple one that you know you can get done (like answering a simple email, e.g. 'Sure, I'll be there') and you're on your way.

[@knaditya8228]

I dunno what this is but I used to procrastinate by watching youtube videos instead of writing the document that I need to be working on but ever since I got another monitor for my pc I have been finishing my work everyday becasue I watch those yt videos on another monitor while working. What I believe is we procrastinate becasue there is no fun involved in the task so when we need add a passive "fun" task to the important one you will work faster.

[@tehmeeed]

@@knaditya8228 yeah i fully agree.. although my i cannot afford multitasking (its a bad idea) i always try to make my studies more fun, i add breaks in between so im not exhausting. im preparing for an exam right now and it included me studying for 10-12 hrs a day..its absolutely exhausting and its a very lonely process but im hoping this will pay off in the end

[@knaditya8228]

@@tehmeeed I wish you best of luck!

[@KrishJain-oe8zz]

U wrote points which are extremely true, doesn't look like from a book at all ! I am seriously not being sarcastic (my text might sound like that) . U have actually been through this and it gives me a hope for myself as well . Thank You 🙏🏼

[@februaryfriday5099]

the fact that this video came up in the exact moment i was thinking about how badly i procrastinated today

[@manwhoasked5942]

I feel like YT algorithm recommends such videos so fast to those who have been refreshing their feed a lil bit too much. I know it did to me.

[@kfc1501]

literally me I procrastinated this whole week and have a huge test in a few weeks 😬

[@benburwick3403]

I spend most of every day procrastinating and feeling bad about ir. So, at least in my case it feels like a low bar for the YT algo to get this one right! Ha. 😐

[@eoarwyn]

As an emotionally dysregulated person (due to trauma), procrastination is my norm. I do better by analyzing why I procrastinate and breaking down a big project into manageable tasks. And yes, being kind to myself has been a deal-breaker. I tried having everything on a calendar and it didn't quite work for me -- Failing to meet my own deadlines made me sad, lol. Now I only keep track of tasks on a weekly basis. That way I can rearrange what I needed to do throughout the week without much pressure. Thank you for this video.

[@lwgg742]

This is the best video I've seen out there on procrastination and as a struggling procrastinator I have been researching this topic for over 20 years without much improvement. Only lately, after I have been recognizing the impact Complex PTSD has had on me (aka not being able to regulate emotions well), I am beginning to understand the reasons of my procrastination which are often emotional threats for different reasons (unclear assignment; assignments for which other pre-knowledge is required; teachers who personalize criticism blaming it on my (non)skills rather than procrastination; ...etc etc). But your video shows that procrastination is a kind of trauma coping mechanism that overrides parts of the prefrontal cortex in the brain. That make me think that procrastination is not really my fault, nor is it a personality trait I should be ashamed of, ... Rather your video seems to suggest I can actively work to evolve, since the brain, too, is a muscle. Many thanks for this video.

[@TheMyEve]

I think my brain works better under pressure, especially during university I always did my assignments a day or few days before it’s due. Procrastination was seriously my enemy whenever I tried to do any work ahead of schedule. That adrenaline I get hours before the deadline would kick in and I managed to pass all of my assignments. I know my life would be easier to get it done in advance but I just couldn’t

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

Same here. When I do stuff ahead of schedule, often find myself doing things about three times as slowly, and I seem to make very little progress on the project. A pressing deadline puts things sharply in perspective and prevents time-wasting, but it’s often highly stressful.

[@cosmic.pluviophile]

Highly true. I am more likely to study for a test/ exam a day before, rather than a week before. I have tried many times, but I found that I do it better while under pressure. Now, that is starting to make me worried, because I have a big exam coming up, and I feel that I wouldn't be able to reach my target because of that. Any suggestions? (I would have gone to quora for this question, but I would have started procastinating there ;-;)

[@lavanyabhatnagar7412]

U aren't alone

[@whymeeee]

same dude, 1 month bef exams I do next to nothing but 1 week before I am so productive that I can do 2 chapters in a single day, idk why but this seems bad as I think I might forget whatever I have done as you know I didnt gave enogh time to it, its really confusing

[@Just_A_Wayfarer]

I have exactly the same problem I’m mind blown that I can literally study a whole subject in a single day and get 98-100 at the exams But if I had a week or so to study, it would be very very hard to start studying and if I encouraged myself to start I would immediately get distracted and do other stuff with the excuse of having enough time. I wish I can fix this problem

[@zayie]

Could not have come at a better time, I'm literally procrastinating right now. Thanks Ted-Ed

[@soobeanies]

same

[@hans983]

Same here

[@abw7297]

Same here Its 1 am in the morning in hk Im supposed to do revision for my quiz

[@abw7297]

Ehhhh Imma watch this vid first

[@AmaltheaVimes]

The algorithms know! ;)

[@diabetix695]

This is the most accurate videos about procrastination i’ve ever seen

[@vlr7368]

Can confirm! The way I convince myself to start on a task is to trick myself that it will be fun so I focus only on the interesting aspects. It's hard, but most of the times it works. Thank you for this video!

[@knownstranger2570]

Day by day I'm learning how much my low self-esteem and fear for imperfection is dragging me down. Gotta work at that

[@Shotblur]

Eh maybe later

[@flowey01]

Same! And I thought that I had a good self esteem but time shows me the opposite of good

[@hollowme2091]

These videos aren't just extremely informative, they're also insanely well animated!

[@Meisha-san]

Yes, I agree about the animation.

[@answerman9933]

In my opinion, every character looks creepy.

[@sparkgrid]

​@@answerman9933true XD, except the bear :3

[@asiaattia2773]

Yes, and the voice of the speaker is just amazing

[@Stranger-mk5fd]

Totally

[@thijsbrundel6102]

I always thought i procrascinate soo much because of a lack of discipline, or being lazy. But i have never skip going to the gym when i plan to. I go to the gym 4 times a week now, and have been doing that for 6 years. I guess i just dont have that same fear for my school work. I have had a lot of work finished that i have not handed in, because i was not satisfied with the quality of it, did not end up changing anything when it was probably good enough. This has cost me a lot of time This video gave me a better idea of why i procrascinate, and what i should focus on. Thank you for this video Now its time to get to work.

[@LifeWizard03]

I’ve been struggling for a while now.. This really made a lot of sense and was spot on for describing the reasons I do it.

[@memo6032]

The thing about being afraid the task won't live up to your expectations took me back to English writing assignments. I used to procrastinate doing the writings as much as I could because I wanted them to turn out perfect. When I saw one of my classmates doing his, I was really shocked. He looked aloof. He, also, wasn't distracting himself every single second. He finished it fast. Yeah, my writings were better than his, at least according to our class teacher, but I really wished I could do them as fast and as stress-free.

[@theartzycraftzysisters]

Oh, my... This is me too! This is EXACTLY what I feel as well.

[@aishwaryakumarihada1890]

Used to happen with me too while making projects for the school. Always found people way cooler who would finish things on time though not up to the mark, but were not stressed like me.

[@corinamorga9890]

SAME i want it to be perfect so i just...dont do it

[@meditationmatters6183]

Perfectionism paired with procrastination is a aweful feeling

[@ChauceyEllis]

I read recently that it's easier to edit a poor document and improve it, than to write a great one straightaway.

[@TheFuryKat]

1) A note on breaking tasks into smaller parts; sometimes this just leads to having an overwhelming number of small tasks that you need to do, and the wall of motivation is still too large to climb. Focus instead on the next three small steps: open your computer, open the project document, and copy relevant assignment information into the document for reference. Celebrate your success in completing that set of three tasks, then plan what your next three tasks will be. Having a separate list of just the basic large steps can be helpful as a general guide and making sure you don’t forget anything though. 2) Since research isn’t a straightforward process, task based goals may be frustrating (ex: find 3 good sources, or: find a specific number to back up your argument). Time-based goals will give a better sense of achievement to keep you feeling positive and motivated (ex: research about this topic for 30 minutes). 3) If you need to interrupt a project (eating, sleeping, etc.), leave yourself some notes on what you were thinking or what step you were going to take next so your brain has a breadcrumb trail to try to get back into the flow of things with later. I do this a lot to prevent writers block; whenever I finish a chapter or section, I always leave myself some notes or sentences for the next part, that way I don’t have a blank page to look at when I next try to tackle the thing.

[@amplifiedshock]

This was really helpful, thanks for sharing !

[@akiraagreste359]

oh that third tip is genius

[@evilsharkey8954]

My brain is shockingly good at breaking a task I don’t want to do, like washing the dishes, into dozens of tiny steps, which become overwhelming. Meanwhile, I never think of all the tiny, time consuming tasks involved in getting somewhere on time, resulting in chronic tardiness. It actually offends me that certain tasks take as long as they do, like how can walking to my car and getting in take a whole minute? How does it take two minutes to put my shoes on?

[@jedyt]

i need this. thanks!

[@thinthle]

You actually addressed my biggest hurdle overwhelm. I get overwhelmed super easily which is why an ever extending to do list hasn't worked for me ever. I've found Scrum or Kanban also can help cause it isn't stagnant and you don't have to scan the whole list every time. You have a to do, doing and done column with post its that you can change/move around accordingly. It shows you progress and it feels great having not only tasks that you still have to do visible but also what you already did accomplish.

[@hiryuimajin]

This is the best video so far. Understanding why and relating to it gives me a way to improve myself.

[@chloewee-oc1px]

It is so true that I have this procrastination and I've been struggling with anxiety for a longtime

[@chrissiep7363]

I've been procrastinating a lot lately. I feel like I have too many things to do, and get overwhelmed by all of it because I know that for every project I need to do, I'm most likely going to fixate on it for longer than I should while striving to make it as perfect as possible. So I put it all off and become productive on easier, distracting things, such as cooking, cleaning, running errands, watching anime, playing games, etc. But instead of feeling better and energized after putting my work down, I feel even worse about all of the work that I put off. Then I get overwhelmed again and do the same thing. However, there are fleeting periods where I finally decide to sit down and commit to getting a part of a project done; and in those moments I feel absolutely euphoric about it. So much that I decide to reward my efforts....and then get too distracted to continue. Then I feel shameful for giving myself a reward despite not completely finishing something. So the next time I go to tackle a project, I binge-work on it...spending 10+ hours on consecutive days marathoning jobs and homework assignments. Afterwards, I feel so fatigued and tired that I take a longer break. When a new project comes I remember how long it took to get stuff done the last time I marathoned, and wind up getting overwhelmed again, choosing to default to distractions. The thing is, I'm seen as an excellent student/coworker, and even when I turn in work that I rushed to complete late or made in a day, it is highly praised. I feel like stress, anxiety, perfectionism, and the seeming lack of a negative response to my bad behaviors is fueling the urge to procrastinate even more.

[@PrevalentAA]

This. It's like you have described me perfectly. Crazy how similar our brains work. People are not in fact that different as one would like to believe eh...

[@annaw2492]

Oh no yeah I relate to this so much too! I think maybe writing EVERYTHING that you need to do down really helps or at least it really helps in my case. Try not too get distracted (which can be difficult and is something I struggle with haha).

[@LaTachyna]

soy exactamente igual

[@pastamasta702]

The comments here are so long it's almost like people have nothing better to do. Either that or everyone is procrastinating... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@tavi2278]

oh my god this is literally me

[@WhiteSpatula]

I truly believe that laziness is not a character trait. It’s a symptom. We’re all born with ambition and fascination. Someone experiencing laziness (notice I don’t say “someone who is lazy”) is suffering under imperatives that don’t match their skill set. When we care, as a society, more about nurturing everyone’s natural ambition toward careers that utilize their natural fascination -or in other words, when we aren’t obligated to surrender the best hours of the best days of the best years of our lives underutilized in the performance of tasks that we were never destined to be very good at, just for the supposed privileges of living indoors, eating, rinsing off from time to time, and dying in a bed when it’s all over- the widespread ailments of depression and anxiety, and thus the symptoms of laziness, will in turn find their own natural remedy. But in the meantime, we should be honest enough to acknowledge how ridiculous it is to expect anyone to be happily dissatisfied.

[@jahnaviuppuleti1751]

Watching this video as a I procrastinate on something I've been putting of for more than a month. I am going to journal and write down my fears. Thanks a lot for the video!

[@abigailgarcia3090]

This has been on my watch later playlist for the longest time. Glad I finally watched it.

[@nappman1999]

Don't remember quite where I heard this, but "Anything worth doing is worth doing badly" reminds me of this. Of course we never want to do something poorly, but doing it at all is often more beneficial than just not doing it, and our perception of how daunting something is turns more into training when you allow yourself to fail but at least tried, even if you think you can't do it to your own standards.

[@driesjansen3273]

I thought the quote was (originally french): " Anything worth doing is worth doing well".

[@ghostoryx2149]

Me: puts video to watch later

[@lolliii5477]

society said/says: if your job is done badly, it's better to not do it also society said/says: if (one of) your job worths nothing, you're absolutely worthless. *wait society never said those, why are those a thought?*

[@Secret-sw8ih]

Hey, thanks! I think that just might have helped me somehow.

[@SuperAblabla]

„Done is better than perfect“ is my new mantra. It helped me with my procrastination depending on the task. Now that I’m writing my bachelors thesis it’s difficult because I need a good grade. But for most everyday things it really helps Doing something is better than doing nothing

[@abbygolucky_]

"In fact, many people procrastinate because they care too much. Procrastinators often report a high fear of failure, putting things off because they're afraid their work won't live up to their high standards." I feel like there's a correlation between perfectionism and procrastination. A lot of people that I know who procrastinates and crams their works regularly are those who want to always be on top of their games - not failing just delivering works with perfection.

[@a_very_burnt_steak]

That sounds like me. "To be, or not to be.", I will do the work or I will do none of it. No in-betweens. I usually choose the latter because there's always *something* that screws me up during the process of said work.

[@DN-wy3ud]

This is so true. I don't procrastinate on anything else expect the one thing that is important to me and that I have high expectations for.

[@iunderstanphotography2780]

so relevant

[@shav2004]

​@@a_very_burnt_steak thats so like me...for me if I start studying then I will only study nothing else but once that studying habit breaked...getting back becomes very difficult! Right now I'm trying to get back on the track but it's so difficult still it's not the first time happened. I'll get there eventually.

[@Tilith]

Being a perfectionist is agony, people think it's a false defect you say to look smart on your resume, but it just makes you unable to relax and to appreciate most things, and none that you made unless others compliment it. (the worst is when people keep complimenting things you think you made poorly and you start not giving value to their opinions, any opinions, but I hope that's just a me-thing lol - in any case beware of that trope - working on it too, good luck!)

[@SidenoteChannel]

You are all very true about all these reason, they are spot-on on but none of your solutions help. None of those "break things into small parts", "just start in baby steps", "don't worry about the outcome too much", work. They are all very much useless. I've realised that procrastination is a like cancer, most of them can't be treated only managed to a certain degree.

[@jiyoung8340]

the fact that i even procastinated on watching this full video and watched shorts equivalent to the same time:

[@snookstuh170]

This video really opened my eyes. I’m definitely going to stop procrastinating starting tomorrow!

[@julievanamsterdam9396]

Starting tomorrow 😂

[@Nylemrac_Haillehc]

All the best bro👍🏽

[@lefly]

No. Start now, you don't feel like it. START NOW.

[@cesarst3720]

Did you managed to stop at least a lil bit the procrastination problem?

[@ErlingHaaland-yb9it]

Legends say that he still is gonna start tomorrow

[@peterpehlivan157]

Really relate to the psychological description of chronic procrastinators. Negative emotions and feelings of shame are very common in the way I relate to my work. Perfectionism is a big part of it: the reason a perfectionist might be a chronic procrastinator is because they fear messing up, i.e. they care too much, and I think that's my situation. It's like a negative perfectionism. What ends up happening is I do huge amounts of work in a very small amount of time, like a single afternoon. This has led me to short periods of *extreme* stress that would've probably already ruined my health if I wasn't still young.

[@pastamasta702]

Everyone writing a paragraph about procrastinating be like: 😟💻

[@zhevtone]

Fr, I'm the same.. I procrastinate until I can no longer procrastinate, because the project is due, and then do it overnight, get very little sleep, but get it done with an incredible amount of stress. Like WTFFFF brains seriously

[@pastamasta702]

​@@zhevtone I find this video helps. Just put on headphones/earbuds and do your work. I believe in you. Don't get sucked into the KZbin spiral. We believe in you mate :) kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJ_XeoyZgtCIl5I

[@constantin58]

If someone struggles to visualize or imagine the positive outcomes associated with completing a task, it may contribute to their procrastination. This is related to the concept of "delayed gratification," which is the ability to resist the temptation for an immediate reward in favor of a later, potentially greater reward. Many people find it challenging to prioritize long-term benefits over immediate pleasures, leading to procrastination. If they could more vividly imagine or believe in the benefits that their actions could yield in the future, they might feel more motivated to act promptly.

[@Alpange]

Actionnable summary: * Break tasks/objective in smaller tasks * Journaling to express those difficulties * Remove nearby distractions (I recommend DF Tube add-on for KZbin as you look concerned by it :-) ) * Re-inforce self-compassion, forgiving yourself, and make a plan to do better next time Love

[@virginiasultana3654]

This video left me almost about to cry. I'm so sick of this. I have four assessments left of my Bachelor and one of my Diploma and I keep putting them off. I have ADD and autism, so the point about those who are unable to regulate their emotions as easily being big procrastinators -- and then the reasoning for why it made sense -- really hit me. I just want to write these things and hand them in and be done with it!

[@toyotaprius79]

♥️

[@AK4IICH4N]

I believe in you!

[@selimsabbagh861]

right there with u! i don't have autism, but i do have add and struggle with anxiety. i have one semester left before receiving my bachelors degree and diploma, and i'm just getting worse and worse at turning in assignments on time or at all, when i was a straight As student earlier on. i just need to be done!!!

[@catpronouncreator2696]

i'm autistic and have adhd and actually cried without expecting it at 2:15, but i also only slept 3-4 hours the last two days. Yea, it hits.

[@cjcayer2232]

Also don't get procrastination and executive disfunction confused! If you have ADHD and Autism you very well might be grappling with your brain not being able to start a task at all, sitting in front of a blank document focusing on nothing but needing to fill it for example isn't really procrastination because you aren't putting the task off, you just can't do it anyway. Sometimes procrastination techniques can help, other times you're gonna need more specific help and need to ask your doctor. It's worth trying, but also keep in mind that if they don't work for you there's other options as well

[@fencerlacroix2512]

I really appreciate and enjoy the classic ted ed animation, the nuanced and carefully worded language through out the whole video, and the great content starting with a quote. Awesome work TED ED.

[@fandroid6491]

And the modern rubber hose style aesthetic of the animation is just gorgeous

[@user-xu9mf8vm2o]

this video is what i need, i always procrastive my tasks until my deadline. It become my habit such as my exams, my work. I realise it harm for my growth. Through this video i see some solutions to reduce my procrastination

[@hanzflackshnack1158]

Eye opener for people that are ruining their kid's lives by telling them "success requires hard work" and "nobody wants to do it but we have to": Successful people enjoy effort. They prefer it over easier options. Nobody (including themselves) is forcing them to do it. Your kid is never going to accomplish more than the bare minimum because you trained them to think of progress and pain as synonyms

[@Coco-Loco]

I hate how strong of an effect procrastination has on me. I was legit procrastinating watching this video for two whole days. It's not like I forgot about it, it was taking a major space in my head, always there, I had reminders to keep reminding me I need to watch it. I also knew its at best a 6 minute video. Yet I kept procrastinating it till now. I also procrastinated all of my studies and have been doing so for the past week and it keeps building up the pressure, shame, guilt and so many awful emotions, spiraling down into a feeling of burnout and constant anxiety. I don't know what to do anymore, I've tried so much. I tried making it less stressful by breaking my studies into small topics instead of the whole chapter but I feel like that's not the problem. Once I get to study, I can easily do it for over an hour and half. It's the starting out part that gets me. I don't know how to force myself to start something. I've tried reminders, to do lists, routines, etc and nothing lasts. Please, this is a literal call for help now, I need to get my work done and I don't know how. If anyone else who is knowledgeable on this or has gone through the same give me tips on how I can do better about this? Thankyou!

[@katsuma859]

i relate to this sooooooooo much. things that helped me is having some kind of reward/motivation for finishing a task. or promising myself to do a task for just 5 minutes. it is possible to improve dont lose hope!! also finding out the source of ur procrastination is helpful

[@maryamqa2117]

Gosh I couldn't relate more. I'm at the exact situation as you and the stress is killing me inside. I can't even take one small step towards starting even tho I know it's not that hard once I get it started. It feels so bad that I rather die than be in this situation.

[@Coco-Loco]

@@maryamqa2117 If you're anything like me, it also gets better for you. It's a cycle that happens, we figure out something that pushes us just a bit to get on doing something and then when it becomes a habit after months of working, it stops working and we feel depressed and awful. Don't lose hope tho as with time, you'll figure out another way to push yourself and get back into the rhythm. I'm trying to find solutions for this cycle myself. Hope you do alright dude, take care!

[@sopegivesmelife2845]

lock up yourself in a room with your work material like your books or computer, but leave out your phone somewhere that's not in reach. Even if you dont wanna start right away, being away from distractions could somehow healp. I always leave my phone out for at least 30 mins and I eventually open my books out of boredom.

[@sharpstarwheel]

Study in parallel with someone

[@vanesashii]

I needed to hear this. I'm currently going through this cycle of procrastination and blaming myself for the bad results of not working. Even right now I'm putting off work just to comment on this video. But it's very timely for me. Thank you. Taking notes on the tips in this video and in the comments section. We can do this guys!

[@MysticalKO]

I literally almost decided to put this in watch later.

[@malzergski]

@@MysticalKO damn that's a whole new level of procrastination

[@joanna4500]

@@malzergski hahaha

[@Pi_g3on]

@@MysticalKO oh my goodness 😭

[@dizont]

Yea most importantly, dont be too hard on yourself. Be kind, take a day off. And dont think that procrastinating today will ruin all the progress that you have done so far. So just start tomorrow again.

[@patima3084]

I've listened to this podcast as a small element of a task (learning and practicing english) through my first step of stop procrastinating :)

[@ashokakash1992]

Apart from the knowledge gained, the animations are top-notch. Kudos to the designers who made it 👏

[@may-sy8fg]

chronic procrastinators reunite! we may be lost but we are still a valid part of our society. i believe we can do it ❤️

[@TJ-hg6op]

Nah I’ll do it later.

[@galacthicc693]

We aren't

[@mitalisatpurkar]

Omg I've been procrastinating so much it's unhealthy now. I'm actually in trouble cuz of it. The timing of this video is spot on..

[@mandeep3.14]

Same

[@hollynamjoon1083]

I learn to apologize to my self for being too hard on my self. I also learn to forgive my self for the procrastination behavior that I did before. I actually feel good right now. I tell my self that I just need to finish doing whatever I do, that's it. I don't need to be perfect, just finish it. It helps me to ease the tension and even helps me to finish my work faster and even with a better result.

[@PC-ro1kf]

My little advice or contribution is a tecnique I've been practising for few months and I can tell you it woks a lot for me. When I have to do something, even if i got time or not, i take 5 minutes to stay away from any kind of distraction or things wich is not in my mind and then I spend other 5 minutes doing whatever i supposed to do at first. In no more than 10 minutes in "inside" of what i have to instead of still procastinating. I hope I've been of help. Just always try to remind we are totally free to take a couple of minutes in the sense of finding peace before going ahead with something challenging

[@GPTAsk]

As someone who has struggled with procrastination, I can definitely relate to the cycle described in this video. It's easy to get caught up in avoiding a task that we find stressful or challenging, and before we know it, time has slipped away. It's interesting to learn that procrastination is actually a response to our body's attempt to protect us from a perceived threat. It's also important to note that not all procrastinators are lazy, and that some people procrastinate because they care too much and have a fear of failure. In terms of breaking the cycle of procrastination, I think the strategies mentioned in the video make a lot of sense. Breaking a task into smaller parts can make it feel more manageable and less overwhelming. Journaling about why a task is stressing us out can help us identify and address underlying concerns. And removing distractions can help us stay focused on the task at hand. But perhaps most importantly, we need to be kind and compassionate to ourselves, rather than beating ourselves up for procrastinating. By acknowledging our tendencies to procrastinate and making a plan to do better next time, we can start to break the cycle and feel more in control of our lives.

[@vibh20]

But i had became a procrastinator expert that even though i want to read this comment I'm skipping it😭🤚

[@XI_VII]

@@vibh20 almost all procrastinator know what's wrong with themselves, yet they still procrastinate... like me XD Before even watching the video, I knew exactly what I needed to do to improve myself and stop procrastinating, but I just couldn't motivate myself to be productive and do something else instead of watching a video whose content I already know.

[@amplifiedblue]

@@XI_VII I'm feeling the same right now.

[@vibh20]

@@XI_VII exactly! Us bro us, It's just that we had become soo lazy nd not only us but this whole generation, coz of the comfort of getting things done so easily through technology, nd now delaying things has become our routine💔 coz we don't want to endure pain of doing the task.

[@franklidgad]

@@XI_VII So since your post here 3 months ago have you managed to stop procrastinating? And if so how did you start? For me it's been going on way to long (like years) and I can't seem to find the motivation anymore for the things (for which the list is a mile long) that I should be doing but instead find things that are time extreme time wasters.... like social media, TV and YT videos that are not productive... at all. Just the thought of starting anything (on the list) puts me in an extreme anxiety state. I know the clock is ticking and time will eventually run out (for all of us) but I just can't seem to get to that point to make myself do anything. Not only has the wind been taken out of my sails, the sails are gone now too sad to say. Breaking down the task and journaling are things I have tried but they didn't accomplish anything to say the least. My age and back pains have become a major factor too now so it makes it even worse. I am almost at the end my rope and hanging by a thread. Oh to be back in my 20's and know what I know now.

[@_snow.]

1:20 : my body is trying to protect me from my exams Me : aww *meanwhile my future fading away*

[@user-tj9fl9ex9y]

A key solution is you should hold your confident to calm down and do not freak out when you are buckling down what you are supposed to do and always see the situation through your eyes positively as much as you can😊

[@Jaszleemin]

this suprisingly works all the time, i cram my assignments!

[@sparkymularkey6970]

My perfectionism is definitely a major contributing factor of my procrastination. I feel like I've gotten a lot better about addressing this, and it's made a big difference.

[@deepag6916]

Yeah same..

[@FinOsin9]

damn dude, since im in between of all, i totally get what you are saying here.

[@neelroy2918]

I think I would have called it rigid since I faces\facing this.

[@bobbyserrano5908]

There is no such thing as perfection

[@YAMAZAK1]

High standards are problematic, make us avoid to do something that can "prove" we are not so good. Risk of failure; avoid self frustration

[@boonechristianson]

I’d just like to point out how the symptoms of “laziness” and depression happen to be exactly the same, but one is seen as a character flaw. I wouldn’t want people who procrastinate while in a depressed state think they are lazy just because they feel apathy toward the thing they are supposed to be doing. Apathy is a result of caring too much for too long, which floods the system and cuts off the emotional response buts leaves people feeling empty.

[@arcie3716]

Thanks for giving me content to watch while I’m procrastinating🙏

[@kiefc_]

This video makes me want to cry because I'm facing huge struggles in academics and life because of procrastination, and this video resonates with me incredibly strongly. Thank you for this.

[@olive444]

exactly, i teared up by the end of it, i just felt so understood by this 5 minute video

[@helloeveryone2997]

Keep going!

[@enterchannelname3213]

Wholesome and all but still doesn't change the fact that the quote in the beginning of this video is said by a member of the Watterson family. A family that loves to procrastinate, (if you watched the show) and something that i find incredibly ironic.

[@jerefied]

@@enterchannelname3213 K

[@stephenshaner4091]

I feel so vindicated because whenever I say I have trouble with procrastination everyone's first response is that I just need to schedule everything and stick to it, but that really just makes me more stressed out and depressed when I deviate from it even slightly, whereas I feel like If I did the journaling suggestion I would've been able to cope much better, and I'm gonna try to use it in the future

[@nerveinz6453]

Perfectionism is the roots of procrastination, self-trust is the bark and the cure is two words. "Start, now!"

[@user-xs2bj2pn7p]

exactly the same.

[@ShinyTalkieWalkie]

Well, thank you. I haven't tried journalling about why a task is difficult, or breaking it down to smaller tasks on purpose, but when I've done it randomly, these coping strategies have helped. I'll do them on purpose now.

[@sentientshrubbery]

You gave Tango the BEST expressions in this! I watched it so many times and my eye was always drawn to him

[@nhandt64]

This exactly is the video I've been looking for. I always in a repeated cycle of procrastinate that I don't even notice. I thought I was lazy all the time, yet I did a lot on easy things that I love the most. Thus, the video broke down all of anxiety on my mind and showed me I'm not lazy all, I just need to slow down, plan the tasks properly and take them easily.

[@katya_velour785]

Me too, for real.

[@magicalmercy]

As a person with ADHD, procrastination isn’t the only thing that gets in the way of me doing things. Executive dysfunction sucks. I’m not just avoiding a task, it’s that I can’t start it at all. When faced with something I have to do, I just get stuck in place sometimes, not even able to do more minor tasks. I basically have to force myself to do things sometimes, and it feels like pushing a huge boulder. I’m working on it though, and my loved ones are very supportive and willing to help me find a place to start.

[@Cute___E]

Ugh, god, you are not alone in this, I struggle with this on a near daily basis

[@rukiangel3347]

Same thing, I ask myself what's wrong with me? I definitely need help but Idk how to ask it. I just can't even process day to day life

[@dragonfell5078]

I'm right there with you pal, currently trying very hard to do my assignments with executive dysfunction and procrastination

[@schemesthefox1255]

Yep, I'm in the same boat. It takes a lot of effort just to do simple things for me.

[@dosomestuff1949]

idk if i have the same thing as u, but i find myself screaming at the top my lungs trying to push my mind to get stuff done

[@B_lusch]

I want to show this to people around me who don't understand procrastination. It's hard for people to grasp who don't struggle with it. I procrastinate because of anxiety, and fear about being unable to accomplish the work to my standard and in a timely manner. This video is really amazing, because far too many people see procrastinators as lazy, when it's actually just anxiety because we "care too much".