So many talks on my Insight Timer profile because I am a former procrastinator about procrastination but also focusing on the inner critic and perfectionism.
So if you are like,
Oh I really like this,
You can follow me on Insight Timer.
I also have a 10 day course here on Insight Timer to beat procrastination and what we will do today,
I will actually go more into depth in that 10 day course.
It's in Dutch and in English.
And again that's because I am a former procrastinator myself.
And you know when I did my PhD it really got the best of me and I don't take this lightly.
I was suffering from it emotionally,
Mentally,
Physically and spiritually.
And that's why I started to combine my love for mindfulness and back it up with research.
So everything I share today is backed up with research studies or based on my own experience.
And that is why I appreciate donations because I really put in the effort and I also want to share this with more people and hopefully help more people.
So with your donations I am able to do that and keep making these live events.
And we are now sharing in the chat,
At least I invited you to share what it is with your procrastination that you struggle with.
And Linda shared decluttering and remodeling.
And this could be,
You know,
I mostly struggle with procrastination in writing for example.
But it's really important to see that oh maybe it's also actually my relationships or you know starting those difficult conversations with people.
Yeah is the rest hearing me perfect because of the question of Katrina?
Yeah yeah and sometimes people think oh procrastination is for lazy people and perfectionism is actually good but the two are so linked together so thank you Cathy for bringing that up.
But what we are going to do today,
This is a practice,
This won't be a quick fix.
It isn't like you watched this one time and you are cured.
If it is please let me know.
But thank you for saying that you hear me correctly Anastasia.
For you it is in writing,
I know that one.
Oh and that's a pity right?
If we stop ourselves we are actually stopping ourselves and bringing in wisdom and creativity in the world.
I know that one as well Lisa,
Dealing with finances.
And anything that has any conflict included,
Very well.
Good awareness.
And what I want to do today is first get grounded and then do a little bit of an emotional check-in and then check what the costs are and the benefits of our procrastinating behavior.
Sometimes we think I know,
I know.
But sometimes it is really good to see yourself in the visualization and the motivation and then work towards our intention setting and motivation.
So that's what I want to do.
Grounding,
Emotional check-in and sort of a visualization which will help and end with self-compassion.
And why do I do this like this?
Because I'm also going to ask you after this practice today and maybe this week to pay attention to what voice is talking to you when or once you start with your procrastinating behavior.
And also what is your motivation?
With now with the thing you are struggling with.
For example with writing on Nastasia or Lisa with finances.
Who is talking back to you?
What is your motivation to do that?
And if it's like I just want to finish writing or I just want to finish my finances because I must,
That can also be a sign of an inner critic or a critical parent voice.
And we obviously don't want to listen to that voice.
We really like to listen to intrinsic motivation coming from a compassionate adult healthy voice.
So I also invite you to think of what is actually my motivation to stop this procrastinating behavior?
You know I really would like to feel happy when I'm done with my finances or hey I really want to share my writing with other people to express my creativity.
So if it comes with a sentence of I would like or it would be lovely to,
It's more often that we will do the task we are actually procrastinating on.
But that can be already quite difficult if we don't do the other steps,
If we don't ground,
If we don't know what our emotions are.
And the emotional check in is also important because for me,
I don't know about you,
But for me when I start my day and my anxiety is higher than a seven,
I won't get started.
I will procrastinate,
I won't do it.
But I know that now with practice.
That's why this is a practice.
And I know I need to regulate my emotions before I can get started.
And then you think yeah but I'm too busy.
Well with procrastination you're not getting any work done.
So yeah.
Well who here is ready to do a practice with me?
We will practice them all at once.
All the things I advised.
And yeah again research also starts backing it up right that it's more emotional regulation problem than actually it has something to do with time management.
Time management can help and I do a lot in that.
But if it's a problem to get started,
Time management won't help you.
Then it's really emotions and motivation.
And thank you for the hearts and gratitude.
Thank you.
Yeah are you ready?
Let's slow everything down.
I'm being really high speed.
Maybe you are as well.
And let's get started.
And let's slow everything down.
You might want to close your eyes for this one.
Your hands open in your lap.
And you sit with a straight spine.
Feet touching the floor.
You can take a deep breath in through the nose and slowly through pursed lips out through the mouth.
Breathe in.
And let that go.
One more dramatic in breath.
And let that go.
Return to your natural breath.
And can you feel the top of your head?
And feel your face.
Maybe there is a frown or your jaws are not relaxed.
And drop your tongue.
And you can relax your neck and shoulders and really feel them for a moment.
And feel your arms and your hands on your lap.
Maybe they are tense.
You can feel your chest.
Are you breathing high from your chest?
It's okay.
Or are you taking deep breaths from your stomach?
And just pay attention if there is some tension here as well.
And let's go downwards and feel how you are seated in the chair.
And feel your legs.
Maybe they feel cold or tense.
And feel your feet touching the floor and try to make contact with the earth beneath you.
You can maybe move around your feet a little bit.
And feel that pressure.
Well done.
Now let's go inwards a little bit more.
What emotions am I feeling?
Can you state them out loud?
For example,
I feel anxiety and I give it a 7.
On a scale from 1 to 10.
I feel happiness and that's a 6.
Take a deep breath in and let that go.
And I'm going to ask you to visualize looking at yourself when you are procrastinating.
Maybe you are sitting behind your desk and not writing.
Maybe you are walking around the house and not decluttering.
And really look at yourself and your face.
Try to have a good look at you.
And identify the cost of procrastination and see what it has you thinking and feeling about yourself.
You know,
Maybe you are angry with yourself,
Disappointed.
What has it make you think about your future?
And really list now all the costs of your procrastinating behavior.
Now can you think of something what will motivate you to deal with your procrastinating behavior?
And coming from a compassionate voice like I would like to or it would be lovely too.
For example it would be lovely to start each day 10 minutes working on my finances just to get started.
Or it would be great if I start with one paragraph.
And can you now have another look at yourself and see the benefits when you act in a timely fashion,
When you make a change.
And can you look at your face and what is happening to your face?
Maybe you look happier,
Relaxed.
And can you visualize all the good things that will happen when you stop procrastinating?
And can you place your hands on your heart or give yourself a hug,
Whatever you prefer and state out loud with me.
I am doing my best.
I am working on my intention.
I am working on my procrastinating behavior.
I am not a procrastinator,
I show procrastinating behavior.
More people struggle with procrastinating behavior.
72 other meditators are here with me.
I am not alone.
I am doing my best.
And thank yourself for taking this time apart.
Show some gratitude to you and the 76 other meditators here.
And one more time.
How are you feeling right now?
Have the emotions changed from the beginning of this session?
Take another deep breath in and you can let it all go.
Open your eyes if you haven't done so already.
You can move around a little bit and come back.
How was that experience?
We have actually done quite a lot in just a 10 minutes practice.
Not even 10 minutes.
We've done a quick body scan.
Grounding.
Looks a little bit on our breath and did an emotional check in.
This might be quite difficult,
It does take practice.
And did you indeed notice what your emotions were and whether or not they were sky high?
Because this can be an indication that you will indeed fall into the trap of procrastinating behavior.
Then we did a quick visualization.
I'm listing the costs of procrastination but I don't just want to focus only on the costs.
We know them by now.
But sometimes it's great to be aware by seeing yourself and how you struggle.
And then the trick is to focus on your intention.
I would love to.
It would be lovely if I would do this,
If I would do that and not comment from an inner critical voice.
And then focus on what are the benefits if I stop with procrastination.
And then indeed also visualizing that and stepping hopefully in those emotions as well.
Because then you will also attract that by the way.
Thank you Linda indeed.
And also thank you for the donation.
Looking at your face.
Excellent.
Because this is why you're doing it.
You're doing this for yourself.
And to end we did a compassion exercise which is really important with procrastinating behavior.
Research keeps showing that self compassion even if you procrastinate will help you in the long run to stop that procrastinating behavior.
And some gratitude at the end.
And that's what we've done in 8 minutes.
So what was your experience?
Please share in the chat.
I noticed that sometimes I get the messages a little bit later.
For example when Lisa and Nanda were talking and T.
So my apologies.
And Amy indeed.
You're not putting in enough effort.
Don't I know that one?
If you really are like I really want to work more on this in a critic I have more on my insight timer profile.
Also with visualization.
Which also has helped me.
And if you struggle with the intention setting which you've just done.
Maybe it's an idea to you know set an intention to work on the worst thing you hate.
They always say start with the most difficult task.
And even if it's just 5 or 10 minutes just to get you started.
Because also research shows by the time we have started it's not that bad actually.
Remind me when I'm doing my taxes because I always think oh no it will be horrible.
But literally it can be sometimes like 10 minutes.
Thank you as well V for the donation.
Because again you know I do my research and I also base this on my own experience.
But I really want to help you.
I really really want to help you.
I've also done one other thing in the practice and that is procrastinating behavior.
You are not a procrastinator.
If we start labeling ourselves it becomes this self fulfilling prophecy and words matter.
So try to tell yourself and when you talk that it's procrastinating behavior.
You are not a procrastinator.
Sorry Anastasia for reminding you.
But yeah don't we all hate it.
I also saw yes Lisa Nanda you also posted something interesting.
You like to put a timer on.
I always give advice of break it down in you know half hour task.
But also set the timer when you stop working.
Because I did not do this and I always saw this big list and I was like oh no I have to do so much I will be working till late at night.
But if I really say no I'm going to stop at 5.
30 then at least I have an ending.
And what we don't like is what people don't want to hear.
They always when I have clients because I also help people with my own company with this and they always want well not they always but most of them are like okay I am a mom I'm going to school and I work how can I combine everything and be even more productive and do more and more and more.
And sometimes I'm like we can't do it all with the to do list.
Things gotta go you should pick one top project.
And I have to remind myself even now when I'm having an energy of half a person I can't do everything in a day but I have to pick my priorities.
Yes indeed the inside timer that's excellent.
I also have like 25 minute audio tracks here which then end so then I know I also make them for myself so that I know okay now I go on to the next task.
Yeah yeah and also take breaks I needed to learn that as well T.
I needed to learn to take breaks.
But it will help and stopping yourself will actually give you more energy throughout the day like I would be like already my battery would be drained by 12 p.
M.
Because yeah I didn't take breaks.
So yes I have more on my inside timer profile have a look or have a listen rather have a listen and I really appreciate you being here.
I see more people entering now but unfortunately this is the end of this session.
But with the help of your donations I can do more and I also like to make these practices brief which is not for everyone quick and easy because I believe it shouldn't be like you have to do a meditation for an hour to be as productive.
For some people it works but it doesn't work for me.
Yeah Lisa unfortunately this is not a quick fix today this is a practice and but it will get better I will guarantee that and breaks are important.
Thank you all time is up and hopefully see you next time and thank you for the arts and gratitude bye have a lovely day and hopefully see you soon.
