Blog of Susmit.

Most of us hit a wall with certain tasks. We mean to start, and we don't. This post covers why that happens and a simple technique that can help you start. Why we procrastinate Procrastination isn't always about laziness or incompetence. It can be a response to stress. Some tasks make us anxious, and putting them off gives the mind temporary relief. Seeing it that way makes it easier to stop blaming yourself. It's a way of avoiding something that feels stressful. What makes tasks stressful Tasks that feel negative, boring, or complicated can trigger that stress. If you can name what's making a task feel bad, you can deal with that directly, instead of just pushing yourself harder. The 5-second rule When you feel the urge to put something off, count down from 5 and start right away. The idea is that the countdown gets you moving before you have time to overthink and talk yourself out of it. Try it with a call you've been avoiding, a piece of writing, or a workout. Wh...

New habits are hard to start and hard to keep. Part of the reason is how the brain works. This post covers the brain's layers, the "monkey mind," and a few ways to build habits you enjoy. The brain in layers Picture the brain as an onion. The outer layers are its most recent development. They handle things like enjoying a joke or music, and they're involved in conscious decisions. The deeper layers drive more reflexive behavior. Try this: Picture those layers for a moment. Remember that your conscious choices and your automatic reactions come from different parts of the brain. Meet the "monkey mind" The basal ganglia helps run patterns and automatic responses. Think of grabbing a snack when you're bored, or scrolling social media without deciding to. These behaviors are deeply wired in, so they're hard to break unless you work on changing them on purpose. Try this: Notice your own reflexive behaviors and the moments when they take over. That awarenes...