We’ve all been there – you start the day with a to-do list as long as your arm, full of good intentions to put in the work, make progress, and self-actualize. But by the end of the day, you’re left feeling like you’ve been standing in the same place for hours, with nothing to show for it. That’s right, it’s time to talk about procrastination.
Procrastination is the bane of character development, and it can be a real pain when it comes to leveling up your life. But don’t worry, there’s hope! Taking a few small steps can overcome procrastination and progress your quests like never before.
First things first, you need to set yourself some achievable goals. These should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). This will give you a clear direction to follow, and make it easier to track your progress. What can you do on easy mode in half a year?
Next, break down your goals into smaller, more manageable tasks. This will make it easier to focus on one thing at a time, and prevent you from feeling overwhelmed by the bigger picture. The key is to make it so easy you won’t fail. Kill 5 skeletons. Bring an item to your aunt. Think of it like leveling up in an RPG game – you need to earn XP and level up your skills gradually, in order to become the ultimate hero.
Now it’s time to get started! And here’s where the fun of the game loop begins. To overcome procrastination, you need to make your new skill or task into a habit. This is where the concept of “atomic habits” comes in. By breaking down your new skill into small, manageable actions, you can make it easier to form a habit. This is the key to overcoming procrastination and leveling up your life. Make the initial task small and doable and DO IT – do it right now.
But what if you’re still struggling with procrastination? Fear not, there’s a solution. Introducing the “Two-Minute Rule” – simply start your task, and commit to doing it for just two minutes. Once you get started, you’ll often find that you’re able to keep going, and before you know it, you’ll have made significant progress.
Want to exercise – get down and do 5 pushups. Want to meditate? Close your eyes and focus on your breath for two minutes. Excellent! First exps are coming in, I can already see the progress bar filling up. Next - do it again tomorrow.
You should also track your progress. Make a “character sheet”, put it somewhere you can see it and every time you DO THE THING make a visible mark in there. Over time, you can visibly observe the increase.
The path to mastery is just that – precision (you have to do the thing properly) and repetition (you have to do the thing a lot).
And last but not least, don’t forget to celebrate your progress along the way! Whether it’s a simple pat on the back, or a virtual high-five from your guildmates, recognizing your achievements will help keep you motivated and on track to level up your life. Reward yourself for every quest you complete.
Overcoming procrastination and leveling up your life is all about taking small, manageable steps, breaking down your goals into achievable tasks, forming habits, and celebrating your progress along the way. With these tips, you’ll be well on your way to becoming the hero of your own life. So grab your sword, put on your armor, and let’s get started!
What's your take on habitica?
I tried it once but updating it is tedious
I think social reinforcement is the strongest thing for this
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.habitrpg.android.habitica