Mastering Procrastination: A Journey To Intentional Living - by Martijn Schirp

COURSE

Mastering Procrastination: A Journey To Intentional Living

With Martijn Schirp

Mastering Procrastination: A Journey to Intentional Living is a comprehensive 4-hour audio course. It contains 7 theoretical lessons and 7 applied guided practices designed to help you break free from the cycle of procrastination and cultivate a more purposeful, productive life. This transformative journey goes beyond simple time-management techniques, delving deep into the psychological and emotional roots of procrastination. Throughout this course: —You'll gain a profound understanding of procrastination's true nature and its impact on your life —Learn to identify and regulate the emotions that drive procrastination —Develop practical strategies to overcome task aversion and "just get started" —Master the art of implementation intentions to bridge the gap between goals and actions —Cultivate self-compassion and resilience in the face of setbacks —Explore the interplay between personality, environment, and procrastination tendencies —Create a personalized, sustainable plan for long-term change Each lesson combines theoretical insights with practical exercises, guided meditations, and actionable steps. By the end of this course, you'll have a robust toolkit for emotional regulation, a deeper understanding of your motivations, and the ability to align your actions with your intentions. Whether you're struggling with work deadlines, personal projects, or life goals, this course will empower you to take control of your time and energy. —Become better at making clear, intentional choices —Develop the ability to resist immediate temptations for long-term benefits —Increase your capacity to persist in the face of challenges or setbacks —Nurture your internal drive to pursue goals —Improve your ability to maintain commitment to your chosen actions over time —Understand your desires, impulses and triggers, and thought patterns better —Be more present and intentional in your moment-to-moment choices Thank you for your time and commitment. I appreciate any thoughtful donation, offered within your means, to help sustain this work of service, deepening practice, and continued learning.


Meet your Teacher

As a seasoned mindfulness practitioner and cognitive behavioral coach with over 10 years of experience, I've dedicated my career to helping individuals overcome self-defeating behaviors and cultivate more fulfilling lives. My background combines extensive training in Buddhist psychology, modern neuroscience, and evidence-based therapeutic approaches. I have conducted numerous workshops and retreats focused on personal growth and emotional regulation. Having personally struggled with procrastination earlier in my life, I've not only overcome this challenge but have developed a thorough evidence based holistic approach to addressing it. This course is the culmination of years of research, practical application, and insights gained from working with hundreds of clients from diverse backgrounds. My teaching style blends ancient wisdom with cutting-edge psychological research, offering a compassionate yet pragmatic approach to personal transformation. I'm committed to making these life-changing techniques accessible to all, believing that everyone has the capacity to overcome procrastination and live a more intentional, purposeful life.

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14 Days

266 students

5.0 stars

17 min / day

Anxiety

English


Lesson 1

Lesson 1 — Introduction — What Will I Learn In This Course?

This introductory lesson provides an overview of the entire course on overcoming procrastination. You'll learn about the science behind procrastination, common myths and misconceptions, and the core psychological factors that drive procrastination behavior. We'll explore how procrastination impacts various areas of life and why it's so challenging to change. You'll gain a high-level understanding of the key strategies and techniques we'll cover in depth throughout the rest of the course.

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Lesson 2

Guided Practice Session 1 — Exploring Our Motivation And Intention

This guided practice session helps students connect with their core motivations for overcoming procrastination and set meaningful intentions for the course. Through reflective journaling and a guided visualization exercise, you'll explore your reasons for wanting to change, envision your ideal future self, and clarify your personal goals. The session aims to build intrinsic motivation by tapping into your values and aspirations, creating a strong foundation for the work ahead in overcoming procrastination habits.

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Lesson 3

Lesson 2 — What Is Procrastination?

This lesson provides a comprehensive exploration of procrastination, delving into its scientific definition and key characteristics. Students will learn to distinguish procrastination from other types of delays, understand its voluntary and irrational nature, and recognize how it relates to intended tasks and known negative consequences. The lesson traces the evolution of procrastination research, highlighting how our understanding has deepened from viewing it as a simple time management issue to a complex interplay of self-regulation, motivation, and emotion. By unpacking each element of the definition, students gain a nuanced understanding of what truly constitutes procrastination.

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Lesson 4

Guided Practice Session 2 — Mapping Our Own Internal Landscape 1

This guided practice session helps students apply their understanding of procrastination to their own lives. Through structured journaling exercises, you'll identify specific tasks you've been procrastinating on, explore the personal meaning behind these tasks, and consider the consequences of continued delay. The session aims to move from theoretical knowledge to practical self-awareness, helping you recognize your unique procrastination patterns. You'll learn to articulate your goals concretely, connect with your motivations, and visualize the impact of taking action versus procrastinating further.

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Lesson 5

Lesson 3 — Why Do We Procrastinate?

This lesson delves deep into the psychological mechanisms behind procrastination, revealing it as an emotion-focused coping strategy. Students will learn how procrastination serves as a form of short-term mood repair, often at the expense of long-term well-being. The lesson explores common triggers like fear of failure, perfectionism, and decision paralysis, and introduces the concept of "giving in to feel good." You'll gain insight into how poor affective forecasting and optimism bias contribute to the procrastination cycle. The lesson also draws parallels between procrastination and Buddhist concepts of samsara, offering a unique perspective on this common struggle.

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Lesson 6

Guided Practice Session 3 - Mapping Our Own Internal Landscape 2

This guided practice session deepens students' self-awareness by exploring the emotional landscape of their procrastination habits. Through a structured journaling exercise, you'll identify specific feelings and bodily sensations associated with tasks you tend to avoid. The session guides you to tune into subtle aversions, resistances, and discomforts that arise when contemplating important tasks. You'll learn to observe these emotions without judgment or analysis, creating a detailed map of your internal procrastination triggers. The practice concludes with a grounding meditation to integrate the insights gained.

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Lesson 7

Lesson 4 - What Can We Do To Overcome Procrastination?

This lesson explores practical strategies for overcoming procrastination. Students will learn about the proactive pathway of facing challenges head-on instead of avoiding them. Key topics include reframing emotions and goals, starting small to build momentum, developing self-honesty, and understanding that feelings often follow behavior. The lesson emphasizes taking action as the solution to procrastination, even when facing difficult emotions. By applying the strategies in this lesson, students can expect to experience decreased stress and anxiety around procrastinated tasks. They will likely see improvements in productivity, self-confidence, and overall life satisfaction as they learn to align their actions with their goals and values. The lesson aims to empower students to build resilience in facing challenges and expand their capacity to tolerate discomfort.

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Lesson 8

Guided Practice Session 4 - Mapping Our Own Internal Landscape 3

In this guided practice session, students will explore their internal landscape related to procrastination, focusing on self-talk, thought patterns, beliefs, and justifications associated with delayed tasks. The lesson guides participants through a reflective process of identifying and examining the thoughts and beliefs that arise when contemplating procrastinated tasks. Students will learn to recognize rationalization patterns and how these contribute to procrastination behaviors. The session concludes with a mindfulness exercise to connect with one's body sensations and deeper motivations.

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Lesson 9

Lesson 5 - Procrastination Cheat-Code - Intending To Implement Implementation Intentions

This lesson introduces students to the concept of implementation intentions as a powerful strategy for overcoming procrastination. Students will learn how to create specific "if-then" plans that detail when, where, and how they intend to carry out particular actions or behaviors. The lesson covers the benefits of implementation intentions, including reduced decision-making burden, automated goal-directed behaviors, and improved obstacle anticipation. Students will explore various examples of implementation intentions for different scenarios related to procrastination, including getting started on tasks, maintaining focus, and handling setbacks.

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Lesson 10

Guided Practice Session 5 - Implementing Implementation Intentions

This guided practice session focuses on applying the concept of implementation intentions to students' personal procrastination challenges. Students will learn how to create specific, actionable "if-then" plans tailored to their individual tasks, emotions, and potential obstacles. The lesson guides participants through the process of crafting implementation intentions for starting tasks, maintaining focus, handling distractions, and addressing self-criticism. Students will practice mental time travel to anticipate future challenges and pre-plan their responses, strengthening their ability to follow through on intentions despite emotional resistance.

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Lesson 11

Lesson 6 - A Healthy Community Of Selves

Lesson 6 explores the concept of viewing ourselves as a community of selves with different parts, and how strengthening our connection to our future self can help overcome procrastination. The lesson covers the importance of self-continuity, delaying gratification, and making decisions that benefit our future self. It discusses connecting with how we want to feel at the end of each day, practicing self-forgiveness, and cultivating self-compassion. The lesson also examines the drawbacks of perfectionism and the value of being committed to our deeper values and purpose.

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Lesson 12

Guided Practice Session 6 - The Image Of Ourselves On The Path

This guided practice session focuses on increasing self-continuity and deepening understanding of how our feelings arise from different perspectives. Through guided meditation and reflection, students will explore their connection to past and future selves, examine their values and aspirations, and develop a positive vision for personal growth. The session aims to strengthen resolve for a more committed and meaningful life by helping students connect with their motivations and inspirations.

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Lesson 13

Lesson 7 - The Interplay Of Personality And Environment

This final lesson focuses on how personality traits and environmental factors influence procrastination. Students will learn about the Big Five personality traits (OCEAN) and their relationship to procrastination tendencies. The lesson emphasizes that while personality and situation play a role, the core issue of procrastination lies in our reaction to uncomfortable emotions and thoughts. Students will gain insights into tailoring procrastination interventions based on their unique personality profile and circumstances.

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Lesson 14

Guided Practice Session 7 - Keeping The Intent To Act Intact

This final action step provides a comprehensive review of the entire course on overcoming procrastination. Students will revisit key concepts like emotional regulation, the pro-active pathway, implementation intentions, and self-compassion. The lesson emphasizes the importance of consistent practice and offers guidance on how to maintain progress over time. Students will learn to recognize procrastination triggers, reframe tasks positively, and develop personalized strategies for staying committed to their goals. The lesson also addresses how to handle setbacks and the importance of self-forgiveness in the journey of overcoming procrastination.

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5.0 (17)

Recent Reviews

Dhow

February 11, 2026

This course was so helpful. I found that these insights have finally made a crack in my deep-seated habit of procrastination. So far I've listened to it twice and intend to re-listen to it immediately. I strongly recommend this course to anyone who is frustrated with their own avoidance of things that need doing.

Laura

December 20, 2025

Great course! I learned a lot about my emotions around procrastination and techniques to work through them. I also learned to forgive myself while still pushing through. Thank you for this course! It has already helped me get started on intimidating tasks. Laura

Priya

December 2, 2025

Well paced

Carol

October 14, 2025

This course was so helpful and encouraging made me realize there are a lot of things about myself. I want to change and to recognizing how to change is possible.

Philippa

January 18, 2025

This is such an important course for me and has really helped me understand the why of procrastination, what lies behind. I really found the implementation interventions very helpful. Thank you so very much for offering this course. Namaste 🪷🙏

Mel

January 1, 2025

This course is excellent and i highly recommend it. I hadn't realised how much my issues were connected to procrastination prior to the course, particularly putting off being with unpleasant feelings. It has a wealth of content and I got a lot of insights from it and have been able to start on tasks which I'd been putting off for some time. Thank you 🙏

Hans

November 5, 2024

Just simply amazing. Thank you so much Martijn for sharing your wisdom! 🙏💚🪷☀️

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