Three Breaths Technique for Getting Past the Urge to Procrastinate
Photo by Max van den Oetelaar on Unsplash
We’re well into summer now, which for me means two things:
The sun rises earlier, so I’m naturally up earlier and have more time in my day (to write)
I have a zillion other things calling me away from writing: Road trips! Hikes! Morning walks while it’s cool! Art exhibits and music jams!
Which is to say, although in some ways I have more time and more energy, I also have more opportunities to procrastinate. My routine is different. There’s more to do that pulls me out of the house.
Maybe these things are true for you, too. Or maybe that project you were so fired up to start at the beginning of summer (or in January) is feeling a little stale now. Maybe you’re stuck in the muddled middle, or the tenth revision.
In other words, there are two urges to procrastinate:
One comes from getting pulled away from your writing by external factors (deciding you’d rather go to the beach; having to run the kids to summer programs)
The other comes from your own reluctance to engage with your work. You’re bored with it, afraid it sucks, whatever. You know you should be writing, but you can’t quite bring yourself to do it.
Both of these things happen to every writer I know. You either have an iron-clad rule to sit down and pump out a particular number of words every day (or spend a specific amount of time writing), or you don’t. Most of us don’t. Especially when your time is limited and you want to do ALL THE THINGS, it can be hard to think of writing as a non-negotiable.
I’ve written before about how if you can get yourself to commit to just five minutes, you can usually get past any resistance you have. But how to get yourself to the chair for those five minutes?
The answer lies in classic mindfulness.
Become aware that it is your committed time to write.
Become aware of your feelings around writing in that moment. Are you excited? Nervous? Dreading it? Don’t judge, just notice.
Ground yourself. Become aware of your feet on the floor. Rub two fingers together.
Notice the excuses that come up about why you can’t possibly write today. Let them float into your mind, then release them. They are just thoughts. Let them sail through your mind like clouds in the sky.
Take three deep breaths. Reaffirm your commitment to writing. WHY do you want to write – in general, or this piece in particular?
Notice any excuses or negative thoughts or emotions that try to talk you out of it. Remind yourself how good you will feel once you have written, knowing you’ve kept the commitment to yourself.
Realize you have a choice, in this moment. Make your choice, mindfully,
What is your choice? Hopefully, by bringing the mind-chatter to the forefront and taking three slow deep breaths, you realize what messages you are telling yourself about your writing.
“I can do it tomorrow. I have x, y, z to do today.”
“I don’t want to sit down because I don’t know what to write.”
“I’m so bored with this novel. What can I do to bring the excitement back?”
And so on. Our minds are endlessly inventive at coming up with excuses. Sometimes I wish my mind was half as good at inventing writing scenarios as it is in inventing excuses not to write!
Getting in touch with the real reason we are tempted to procrastinate – and the emotions driving it – is a powerful step to neutralizing it. Only once we’re aware of the messages can we find ways to counteract them. Pausing and taking three breaths, grounding ourselves in awareness, cracks us open just enough to let the light in.
We know when we’re lying to ourselves, and it doesn’t feel good. If you try the Three Breaths Technique and still decide not to write, own it! There may indeed be a valid reason why you can’t spend even five minutes on it today.
But If you tell yourself you’ll write tomorrow... and you know based on experience that’s unlikely to happen (you’ll have a whole fresh batch of excuses tomorrow) think again.
Ask yourself if you really NEED a break, or if you need to just commit to five minutes wrestling with whatever writing demon is coming up for you? Again, own it. Take that break if you need it. Revel in it, knowing that’s it’s a choice and not a cop-out.
Remember too that if you planned to do an hour and only get a half hour, or even less, that’s better than nothing. Don’t assume that you need to have a magic amount of time or words to make it worthwhile. Any progress is good progress!
And most important, you are training your mind to ignore the urge to procrastinate. If procrastination is a habit, you can learn to break that habit – to literally create new neural pathways in your brain. The stimulus is simple:
It’s time to write! (Maybe set an alarm to remind yourself)
Take three breaths to remind yourself why you made this commitment.
Start writing.
