Overcoming Procrastination

84% of students procrastinate. Not because they’re lazy because something deeper’s off (and fixable). A 2024 study of 290 med students found two big predictors: -Low academic self-efficacy -Poor emotion regulation Self-efficacy = your belief that you can succeed. When belief drops, procrastination spikes. Doubt → delay. Emotion regulation = managing tough feelings. Struggles with impulse control, self-awareness, or mood clarity →much higher odds of putting work off. The correlations were strong: -Self-efficacy vs. procrastination: r = −0.65 -Emotion dysregulation vs. procrastination: r = +0.70 Translation Confidence fights procrastination. Emotional chaos fuels it. Both off? You’re toast. Common emotional blockers -Low emotional clarity -Fear of failure -Mood-based avoidance -Impulse-driven distractions What actually helps Beating procrastination ≠ better to-do lists. It means: -Training emotion regulation (label feelings, reset, refocus) -Rebuilding self-efficacy (small wins, specific goals, feedback) One actionable idea Teach emotion regulation like a skill, not a byproduct of maturity Brief, recurring practice in classrooms and advising. Procrastination is often emotion management in disguise. What mindset shift or tiny habit will you try this week?

Work-life balance isn't a 'one-size-fits-all' approach. It’s not about squeezing personal time into the cracks of a 9-to-5. It’s about designing a day that serves both your professional and personal needs. Some people thrive in the mornings ↳ Tackling their hardest tasks before noon. Others find their creativity peaks later in the day ↳ Working in shorter bursts with plenty of personal breaks. And that’s perfectly OK - there’s no right way to balance. The question isn’t, “How can I fit into a pre-existing schedule?” but rather, “How can I make a schedule fit me?” Here’s a thought experiment: ↳ What hours are you most productive? ↳ When do you feel your energy dip? ↳ How can you structure your time to work with your natural rhythms instead of against them? Take ownership of your time. Work-life balance isn’t about having equal parts of work and personal time. Some days you might work longer, some days shorter - it's the balance across your life that matters, not just in a single day. Remember, balance is personal, and there’s freedom in designing it the way you want. P.S. What does your ideal day look like? Image Credit: BetterUp

My book on productivity became an NYT Bestseller. But I procrastinated on writing it for 6 months. I'd see "write book" on my calendar and just.. not do it. My brain would serve up every excuse. "Maybe I should re-organise my notes" "I'm not feeling creative right now" "I need to do more research first" Then I learnt about activation energy. In chemistry, any reaction needs some energy to start. Once you put that energy in, it continues on its own. Procrastination is the same. The problem isn't the task itself. It's our fear of how the task will make us feel. So I got a 5-minute hourglass (£3 on Amazon). And set a rule for myself. Just do the thing for 5 minutes. When the sand runs out, you can stop. 90% of the time, the hourglass would finish, I'd be in flow, and I'd keep going. By lowering the bar, I bypassed the emotional barrier. 3 ways to make this even more powerful: 1️⃣ Make it stupid simple ↳ Not "write chapter 3" but "write 200 words" ↳ Not "get fit" but "5-minute walk" 2️⃣ Reduce friction by 50% ↳ Writing? Write the first sentence the night before ↳ Phone addiction? Use the "One Sec" app (adds a 3-second delay before opening social media) 3️⃣ Attach to something you already do ↳ After morning coffee → 5 minutes of writing ↳ After brushing teeth → 5-minute tidy Most procrastination is about emotional regulation. Not laziness. I’ve pulled 24 experiments from my book to help you work with more energy and beat procrastination 👉 https://lnkd.in/e_N5PT4d

Discipline isn't about feeling good. It's about showing up when you don't. As founders, we glorify the hustle. But here's the truth about discipline: ↳ It's not waiting for motivation. ↳ It's not asking permission from your feelings. It's the quiet force that moves you forward when: • Your team needs you (but your inbox feels overwhelming) • Your business needs decisions (but uncertainty clouds your mind) • Your vision needs work (but Netflix beckons) Here's what most founders miss: Discipline isn't your enemy. ↳ It's your shield. It protects: → Your vision from daily chaos → Your commitments from momentary doubts → Your growth from comfortable excuses But here's the plot twist: ↳ You can be disciplined AND kind to yourself. How? 1/ Honor the resistance ↳ Feel the discomfort ↳ Acknowledge it's normal ↳ Move forward anyway 2/ Build recovery into your rhythm ↳ Discipline includes rest ↳ Schedule your breaks ↳ Make peace non-negotiable 3/ Celebrate small wins ↳ Progress over perfection ↳ Today's effort counts ↳ Growth is gradual Because true discipline isn't about being harsh. ↳ It's about being consistent. ↳ Even when it feels uncomfortable. ↳ Especially when it feels uncomfortable. What uncomfortable thing will you do today that your future self will thank you for?

I interviewed 50 CEOs about time management. None of them use to-do lists Because that’s not what actually works. We know the cost of time management that fails. ↳ You work long hours, yet your list keeps growing. ↳ You miss family time. Your health takes a backseat. ↳ And deep down, you still feel like you haven’t arrived. Top leaders do it differently. They don’t just manage time, they master it. Here are 15 time mastery habits they use that you can apply to stay ahead without staying late: 1. Pomodoro Technique ↳ Set a 25-minute timer and focus on just one task ↳ Take a 5-minute break after each round ↳ After 4 rounds, step away for 15–30 minutes to reset 2. Eisenhower Matrix ↳ Separate tasks into urgent vs. important ↳ Do what’s urgent and important right away ↳ Delegate, defer, or drop the rest 3. ABCDE Method ↳ Tag tasks A to E based on priority ↳ ‘A’ tasks drive your goals - do them first ↳ ‘D’ and ‘E’ tasks? Delegate or delete 4. 80/20 Pareto Method ↳ Identify the few tasks that create the biggest impact ↳ Focus 80% of your time on that top 20% ↳ Cut the rest without guilt 5. 3-3-3 Method ↳ Block 3 hours for your most focused work ↳ Complete 3 quick wins to build momentum ↳ Handle 3 small upkeep tasks to stay on track 6. 2-Minute Rule ↳ If something takes less than 2 minutes, do it now ↳ Bigger tasks? Schedule or delegate ↳ Keeps your mental and digital clutter low 7. Eat the Frog ↳ Do your hardest task first thing in the morning ↳ It sets the tone for a productive day 8. Getting Things Done (GTD) ↳ Get every task out of your head and onto paper ↳ Organize them by next actions ↳ Review regularly and take focused steps forward 9. Kanban Board ↳ Use three columns: To Do, Doing, Done ↳ Move tasks across as you make progress ↳ Visual clarity = less overwhelm 10. Task Batching ↳ Group similar tasks (like emails or calls) ↳ Do them in one focused block ↳ Saves energy by reducing context-switching 11. Warren Buffett 5/25 Rule ↳ List your top 25 goals or tasks ↳ Circle the 5 that matter most ↳ Say no to the other 20 until those 5 are done 12. Time Blocking ↳ Block specific time for important tasks ↳ Treat it like a non-negotiable meeting 13. 1-3-5 Method ↳ Plan 1 big, 3 medium, and 5 small tasks for the day ↳ Keeps your workload realistic and motivating 14. MSCW Method ↳ Sort tasks into: Must, Should, Could, Won’t ↳ Prioritize the Musts during peak focus time ↳ Everything else can wait or be delegated 15. Pickle Jar Method ↳ Start with the big, meaningful tasks first ↳ Fit in smaller ones around them ↳ Make space for what truly matters You don't need all 15. You need the 2-3 that resonate with your biggest struggles. Which one speaks to you? Drop the number in the comments, I'd love to know. ♻ Repost to help your network trade burnout for focus. ➕ Follow me (Meera Remani) for tools that fuel your growth. Image courtesy and post inspiration: Justin Mecham.

Taking breaks is part of the job. If you plough straight from task to task, stress builds and focus drops. I'm often guilty of this. I get absorbed by a challenge or an opportunity, dive in and find that three hours have passed before I know it. Microsoft ran EEG tests on people in back-to-back 30-minute meetings. measuring what happens in their brains. They found that short pauses prevented stress from accumulating, boosted engagement, and smoothed the stressful “gear-change” between meetings. In other words, breathers help you do better work. Here are three ways I make breaks count: 1. The pre-task pause Before a tricky task, I go out and take a five-minute walk - even if it's pouring! - then start. Beginning with a breath of fresh air calms the transition and stops me white-knuckling through the first half hour. 2. The one-song reset I turn up the volume on a three-minute track (currently something by Post Malone) stand up, stretch my wrists, look at something out of the window very far away. Then I refill my glass with cold water, and sit back down as the song ends. The music is my timer, so there’s no alarm faff - and I always come back on cue. 3. The park-it technique I end a deep-work stint by writing two lines on the notepad by my keyboard: “what I did” and “what I’ll do next”. Then I step away. Writing down the next step eases my fear of losing momentum, so I can pick it up again the next day. If, like me, you get absorbed and let hours disappear, try one of these this week. What’s your most reliable reset?

DISCIPLINE protects your 3 most precious resources: Your Time, your Energy, and your Attention. You start the day with good intentions. But by noon, your attention gets pulled into ten different directions - and your priorities get buried under notifications, meetings, and mental fatigue. By the end of the day, you feel scattered, behind, and quietly disappointed - not because you didn’t work hard, but because you didn’t work on what matters most. The good news: you can change this. Not with willpower, but with small, repeatable habits and conscious choices. Here are 7 practical ways you can turn discipline into your super-power: ✅ 1. Define Your Why As Nir Eyal says in Indistractable: "If you don’t know what you want, everything becomes a distraction." ✨ Start with this question: What am I actually working toward - and why does it matter? ✅ 2. Timebox What You Value Discipline isn’t about controlling every minute - it’s about aligning your calendar with your values. Block time for your top-most priorities: deep work, relationships, work-outs. ✨ If it’s not on your calendar, it’s not a priority. ✅ 3. Master Internal Triggers Most distractions start with discomfort - stress, boredom, self-doubt. ✨ When an urge hits, pause and ask: “What am I trying to avoid right now?” Then do a 2-minute reset: take a short walk, stretch, breathe deeply. Self-awareness helps dissolve the cycle before it takes over. ✅ 4. Master External Triggers Contain the noise - don’t eliminate joy. ✨ Create a “scroll slot” each day: 15 minutes of guilt-free scrolling with a timer. ✨ Move distracting apps off your home screen to reduce mindless habits. ✅ 5. Protect Your Energy Discipline isn’t just time management - it’s energy hygiene. ✨ Know your peak hours and reserve them for deep, high-value work. ✨ Watch out for energy drainers - back-to-back meetings, constantly checking email/messages, context-switching etc. ✅ 6. Anchor to Identity It’s easier to follow through when your actions align with who you believe you are. ✨ Say: “I’m the kind of person who protects their attention.” Identity makes discipline sustainable. ✅ 7. Celebrate Progress Discipline grows with positive reinforcement. Acknowledge even the smallest win - It trains your brain to enjoy the process. ✨ Every time you do what you said you would, name it: “I kept a promise to myself.” Begin with one small promise today. That's how you build self-trust and the kind of discipline that lasts. What conscious choice will you make today to build discipline? I talk more about conscious choices that guide your attention toward your purpose in my book The Conscious Choice (available for pre-order). 🔁 Repost to help others build the muscle of discipline. 🔔 Follow Bhavna Toor for more on conscious habits.

I’ve shared these 6 research-backed strategies with several friends wanting to avoid procrastination (at work and home), and they work every time: 1. Create a "Not-To-Do" List Most people focus entirely on what they need to accomplish. But research shows they should be equally focused on what they shouldn't be doing. Write down three things not to do alongside three things to do. If someone needs to clean their garage, their not-to-do list might include: • No Netflix  • Not putzing around in the kitchen  • Don’t check email/social before 10 a.m. Clarity on what to avoid creates mental space to focus on what actually matters. — 2. Make Public Commitments Studies show that public accountability increases follow-through. You can announce your goals on social media or to friends. For example: "I'm cleaning my garage this weekend and posting before/after photos on Monday. If anyone sees me scrolling Facebook, tell me to get back to work!" Public accountability creates just enough social pressure/accountability to push through resistance moments. — 3. Set Up Smart Barriers Shape your environment to make procrastination harder and progress easier. Digital barriers: • Create separate computer users (one for work, one for play) • Uninstall distracting apps from the work profile • Remove social media bookmarks • Install parental controls on their own devices Helpful shortcuts: • Set important apps to open automatically when they start their computer • Remove distracting apps from their phone's home screen • Keep only essential tools easily accessible — 4. Use the 5-Minute Starter Research shows that the hardest part of any task is simply starting. So I trick myself into it. I open the doc and write one sentence. I pull one box out of the garage. Once I start, momentum does the rest. That initial 5 minutes eliminates the mental barrier of "where do I even start?" — 5. Stop at the Peak (Never Finish Sections) Never end work at a natural stopping point. For example, I’m currently writing my next book and I never stop at the end of a section. I stop mid-sentence. The next day, I pick up exactly where I left off. There’s no inertia, no overthinking. (BTW my next book will ALSO start with a “C” can you guess what it will be?!?) — 6. Dream Big (Think Abstract) When bills pile up or clutter builds, it’s easy to stay overwhelmed. So I pause and visualize how I’ll feel after. A clean closet. An empty inbox. That emotional payoff actually helps push me through. These 6 simple shifts make it easier to follow through without relying on willpower.

What truly separates high achievers from the rest? It’s not talent. Not luck. Not even intelligence. It’s self-control and discipline; the invisible forces behind success. Think about it: You promised yourself you’d wake up early… but hit snooze. You planned to eat clean… but gave in to late-night cravings. You made a to-do list… but scrolled endlessly instead. We’ve all been there. The gap between knowing and doing is where careers, confidence, and growth often get stuck. The stronger your self-control, the more unstoppable your progress becomes. If this resonates with you, pause for a second and reflect: Where in your life do you want stronger discipline right now—career, health, or confidence? Follow these daily practices to build self-control & willpower in your success journey. 1. Start small, stay consistent: Choose one non-negotiable habit (like reading 10 mins or walking daily). 2. Plan tomorrow today: Write 3 priorities before you end your day—reduces decision fatigue. 3. Mindful pauses: 2 minutes of deep breathing when tempted to give up or procrastinate. 4. Create friction: Remove distractions (keep phone away, block sites) so willpower isn’t constantly tested. 5. Fuel your body: Sleep, hydration, and nutrition directly affect self-control. Drop a comment with one small habit you’ll commit to this week. And if you’d like personalized guidance on building authentic confidence & discipline, DM me on LinkedIn. I’d love to support your journey. #SelfControl #Discipline #DailyPractices #CareerGrowth

Beginnings are filled with optimism. Whether it's the start of a new month or a new week, new beginnings motivate us to set bold goals and resolve to achieve them.    Yet, research reveals that only 8% of adults achieve their goals. That’s a staggering 92% failure rate!   Despite our best intentions, we sabotage progress and fail to achieve our goals when we rely solely on motivation. When the excitement of a new beginning fades, motivation wanes too. The secret to achieving goals is DISCIPLINE. It's the determination to do what it takes even when (and especially when) you don't feel like it. Here are 5 powerful ways to stay committed to your goal:   🌟 KNOW YOUR WHY Create a vision worth fighting for and identify the emotional reasons why your goal is important to you. Feeling a deep connection to your WHY helps you overcome moments of low motivation and willpower.    🌟 DEFINE YOUR FOCUS Break down your big goal into manageable, actionable steps with specific milestones. Eliminate distractions and avoid overwhelm by focusing only on ONE thing at a time.    🌟 DESIGN FOR CONSISTENCY Establish daily or weekly actions that align with your goal. Reduce the mental effort required to stay committed by allocating time on your calendar for these actions. 🌟 REINFORCE IDENTITY Every action you take reinforces your self-belief and identity. When you break your promises, you reinforce self-belief in your current limitations. When you keep your promises, you step into a powerful new identity. 🌟 PUSH YOUR LIMITS You don't know what you can do until you push your limits. Discipline is a muscle that gets stronger when exercised regularly. Raise your standards and do hard things daily. Motivation is fleeting. Discipline is freedom.  Don't let the CURRENT YOU steal from the FUTURE YOU! #leadership #careers #success Image Credit: neuronvisuals.com