Best way to avoid procrastination?

[h3rm3s]

Hello everyone!

 

I really like programming, and I have a pretty ambitious project that I'm working on. But I don't make a lot of progress, or at least not in my opinion. That's because I procrastinate so much! A lot of the time, I don't even start programming, I just write down the concept, but I don't actually write the code. It's not that it's too hard, or too complex, it's just procrastination. After half an hour, I'm in 'the zone' and I really love programming, but starting to program is the problem I think.

 

I'm an INTP, and according to a random PDF I found, procrastinating is one of the things typical for this personality type: "By definition Perceivers procrastinate activities that require sustained mental effort. But once caught

up in such an activity, they can engage in it for several hours if nothing disturbs their focus." (http://www.oddlydevelopedtypes.com/files/The Secret Lives of INTPs.pdf)

 

Do you guys have any advice on how to get over this, or how to deal with this? Thanks!

(me writing creating this thread is also me avoiding to start programming )

[meenmeen1103]

Turn off internet

[MValuableP]

Give yourself a treat, but you'll only receive it after you've done the programming?

[Energycore]

4 minutes ago, h3rm3s said:

Hello everyone!

 

I really like programming, and I have a pretty ambitious project that I'm working on. But I don't make a lot of progress, or at least not in my opinion. That's because I procrastinate so much! A lot of the time, I don't even start programming, I just write down the concept, but I don't actually write the code. It's not that it's too hard, or too complex, it's just procrastination. After half an hour, I'm in 'the zone' and I really love programming, but starting to program is the problem I think.

 

I'm an INTP, and according to a random PDF I found, procrastinating is one of the things typical for this personality type: "By definition Perceivers procrastinate activities that require sustained mental effort. But once caught

up in such an activity, they can engage in it for several hours if nothing disturbs their focus." (http://www.oddlydevelopedtypes.com/files/The Secret Lives of INTPs.pdf)

 

Do you guys have any advice on how to get over this, or how to deal with this? Thanks!

(me writing creating this thread is also me avoiding to start programming )

Seems like your problem is akin to trying to fall asleep quick. First thing to do is keep calm, don't get stressed out. And you wouldn't want distractions when you wanna sleep: make it hard for you to access the stuff that distracts you like this forum

 

And then just sit there writing anything you can, even if it's nonsense, until you're in the zone.

[vorticalbox]

oh I'm exactly the same I find it hard to focus on takes I seem as boring but can spend 5 hours typing out code to solve a problem. The trick is to just get going.

 

I highly enjoy problem solving and the reward it bring from solving said problem so once I start I can very quickly lose track of time.

 

yesterday I was coding for someone on these forums next thing I know 5 hours has gone and I'm super hungry .

 

Also avoid sugar and that sort of foods they give quick energy and then you tank that really hurts productivity.

[Nuluvius]

An increasing level of procrastination can be a sign of impending burnout. If this is the case then a complete cessation of the activity for a short period of time to focus on something else can be helpful.

[BuckGup]

Realize you are going to die and that is day is less then 18,000 away

[Railgun]

this is how

[LegendKillerRG]

 

[corrado33]

You're a programmer. Find something that will REALLY annoy you. Be it a forced memory leak, a virus installed, etc.

 

Make a program that automatically does said annoying thing if you've been on X or Y website too long.

 

Make it so you can't change the program without a password, and make the password random (from this site http://passwordsgenerator.net/ so you can't access it.

 

The "nicer" way to do it would be to make a program that gradually slows your computer down as you spend more time online or in a game. When you leave the game, the computer will gradually get faster. (So you can't just quit the game then go right back into it.)

 

Just have a program compute Pi to many many digits when you're doing something you shouldn't be.

 

[vorticalbox]

49 minutes ago, corrado33 said:

You're a programmer. Find something that will REALLY annoy you. Be it a forced memory leak, a virus installed, etc.

 

Make a program that automatically does said annoying thing if you've been on X or Y website too long.

 

Make it so you can't change the program without a password, and make the password random (from this site http://passwordsgenerator.net/ so you can't access it.

 

The "nicer" way to do it would be to make a program that gradually slows your computer down as you spend more time online or in a game. When you leave the game, the computer will gradually get faster. (So you can't just quit the game then go right back into it.)

 

Just have a program compute Pi to many many digits when you're doing something you shouldn't be.

 

 

So much overkill if you don't enjoy programming then you should probably not be coding as @Nuluvius said take a break and do something else and some back to it. 

[corrado33]

13 minutes ago, vorticalbox said:

So much overkill if you don't enjoy programming then you should probably not be coding as @Nuluvius said take a break and do something else and some back to it. 

Fine. There are always parental controls on every new operating system in the last decade or so.

 

Use those.

[tarfeef101]

On 12/16/2016 at 6:34 PM, h3rm3s said:

Hello everyone!

 

I really like programming, and I have a pretty ambitious project that I'm working on. But I don't make a lot of progress, or at least not in my opinion. That's because I procrastinate so much! A lot of the time, I don't even start programming, I just write down the concept, but I don't actually write the code. It's not that it's too hard, or too complex, it's just procrastination. After half an hour, I'm in 'the zone' and I really love programming, but starting to program is the problem I think.

 

I'm an INTP, and according to a random PDF I found, procrastinating is one of the things typical for this personality type: "By definition Perceivers procrastinate activities that require sustained mental effort. But once caught

up in such an activity, they can engage in it for several hours if nothing disturbs their focus." (http://www.oddlydevelopedtypes.com/files/The Secret Lives of INTPs.pdf)

 

Do you guys have any advice on how to get over this, or how to deal with this? Thanks!

(me writing creating this thread is also me avoiding to start programming )

Work with others. I work best when others have a dependency on me. For example, in school I am a nightmare. I rarely do assignments, or show up for lectures. But, when at work, or even in group prrojects I always show up, and get my stuff done on time. Knowing others are counting on me is motivating.

[Nuluvius]

2 hours ago, tarfeef101 said:

For example, in school I am a nightmare. I rarely do assignments, or show up for lectures.

Yup you sound exactly like one of those little shits that I had to carry through university... great mindset... you'll go far kid. Not.

[tarfeef101]

3 hours ago, Nuluvius said:

Yup you sound exactly like one of those little shits that I had to carry through university... great mindset... you'll go far kid. Not.

Wow, someone had a bad experience back in the day. Don't be so accusational about things you know not. I have never been anything other than an asset to all the groups I've been in throughout my life (perhaps with the exception of elementary school drama...). Just because I don't need lectures or assignments to learn something doesn't mean I don't learn them at all. When someone else is counting on me, I deliver. Every time. More often than not, I have to assist them. So before you start calling me a little shit, why don't you become a little more mature, and actually gather some facts before hurling insults. Sound fair? I think so.

 

3 hours ago, Erik Sieghart said:

To be fair, I didn't either. The only difference is that I got good grades.

Nobody said I don't. Trick is exams are worth the most (by far), and you can't really put those off

[THFourteen]

On ‎20‎/‎12‎/‎2016 at 2:12 PM, Nuluvius said:

Yup you sound exactly like one of those little shits that I had to carry through university... great mindset... you'll go far kid. Not.

Lol

 

university is SO far removed from real life. i did fuck all work at university, but that was almost 15 years ago now. 18 (actually i was 17 when i started) year old kids are nowhere near the person they'll end up being when they are 30.

[Nuluvius]

22 minutes ago, THFourteen said:

Lol

 

university is SO far removed from real life. i did fuck all work at university, but that was almost 15 years ago now. 18 (actually i was 17 when i started) year old kids are nowhere near the person they'll end up being when they are 30.

You are looking at it from the perspective of a child... When I went to university I was an adult and I had already spent a decade working in various shitholes - it made me appreciate the value of being there.

 

Moreover I had virtually nothing in common with the trash that was in attendance at the time - they were children from my perspective.

[Darkangel86]

Have a separate development machine that doesn't have an internet connection and is not capable of gaming. If you must have an internet connection for your development work then restrict access to everything except the sites you need to that development machine at the router level. Don't bring your phone with you into your office, leave it in your car or somewhere else (work office or home office). Set goals for yourself, as in, break down the project and set daily and weekly goals. I'd go as far as to penalize yourself for not achieving the goals on time, by not going out that night or something you deem significant.

 

Procrastination is a real problem with developers now a days, I see it everyday with folks I work with and hire. However, I can tell you that it is mostly induced by external factors like your cellphone, social media, messages, etc. We're SO connected to everything and unfortunately it takes over sometimes. Practice making work-time (development time) holy, as in, uninterruptible (just like sleep). It's mostly self control.

 

Best of luck!

[Nuluvius]

7 minutes ago, Darkangel86 said:

Have a separate development machine that doesn't have an internet connection and is not capable of gaming. If you must have an internet connection for your development work then restrict access to everything except the sites you need to that development machine at the router level. Don't bring your phone with you into your office, leave it in your car or somewhere else (work office or home office). Set goals for yourself, as in, break down the project and set daily and weekly goals. I'd go as far as to penalize yourself for not achieving the goals on time, by not going out that night or something you deem significant.

 

Procrastination is a real problem with developers now a days, I see it everyday with folks I work with and hire. However, I can tell you that it is mostly induced by external factors like your cellphone, social media, messages, etc. We're SO connected to everything and unfortunately it takes over sometimes. Practice making work-time (development time) holy, as in, uninterruptible (just like sleep). It's mostly self control.

 

Best of luck!

Meanwhile back in the real world...

 

Essentially that methodology is draconian and will not work once you have children.

[Darkangel86]

1 minute ago, Nuluvius said:

Meanwhile back in the real world...

 

Essentially that methodology is draconian and will not work once you have children.

That's why I said "work time" is holy. Just like sleep time. It needs to be far away from the outside world, including children (if possible and as much as possible). Since we programmers are not necessarily on a job site and are not pressured by our work environment, we tend to mix everything with our job. Family, social media, games, etc. Since everything is on the computer within reach and anything goes, what's a quick Facebook scroll? Or a quick check on LinusTechTips forum? The inability to draw limitations is the main issue that leads to procrastination and distraction from my experience.

 

Cutting off everything at once will be very hard for many, it can be done gradually though, I think a good place to start would be to start respecting and treating programming time as "work time" and not mix it with other activities like social media, reading, YouTube etc.

Also work in bursts, you don't have to work 15+ hours! If you can get solid 5 hours straight of coding, in my eyes, that's way better than 15+ hours of "pretending to code" but really you've only typed 2 hours worth of code and was distracted for the remainder of that time. Isolation from external forces helps with concentration, not just for coding but for any job in general IMO.

[Nuluvius]

51 minutes ago, Darkangel86 said:

That's why I said "work time" is holy. Just like sleep time. It needs to be far away from the outside world, including children (if possible and as much as possible). Since we programmers are not necessarily on a job site and are not pressured by our work environment, we tend to mix everything with our job. Family, social media, games, etc. Since everything is on the computer within reach and anything goes, what's a quick Facebook scroll? Or a quick check on LinusTechTips forum? The inability to draw limitations is the main issue that leads to procrastination and distraction from my experience.

I disagree completely. One of the primary reasons that I chose to become a Software Engineer was for the easy life that went with it; I can choose my own hours, where I work, how I work and I can indeed fit my work around my family and my health concerns. There's a quota of progress to be made and of course a date to do it by but it is up to me how and when I meet it - my terms that I have earned the right to dictate.

 

I choose to work hard because it is fun for me to do so not because I have to and therefore must fight against the boredom and monotony of it. Anytime that I feel inclined towards procrastination I remind myself of how it could be, indeed how it used to be for me before I embarked upon this journey, and what I would still like to accomplish before I am done and that is all that I need to stay focused.

 

In any event having one's phone to hand is less about blurring the borders and more about a necessity in case there's ever an issue at preschool/school. It would be a different matter if one parent were a stay at home but we are not (I've never believed in that anyway), we are both in the software field full time.

51 minutes ago, Darkangel86 said:

Also work in bursts, you don't have to work 15+ hours! If you can get solid 5 hours straight of coding, in my eyes, that's way better than 15+ hours of "pretending to code" but really you've only typed 2 hours worth of code and was distracted for the remainder of that time.

I do agree with this part but would however have to say that it feels a bit contradictory in relation to the kind of draconian working environment that you seem to be suggesting.

51 minutes ago, Darkangel86 said:

Isolation from external forces helps with concentration, not just for coding but for any job in general IMO.

I have worked in the kind of environments that you are describing and for me they are synonymous with blue collar hellholes; the sort where creativity and individuality are discouraged and even outright crushed.

 

In conclusion I cannot help but wonder if the difference in our perspectives is as a result of being at two very different places......

51 minutes ago, Darkangel86 said:

Cutting off everything at once will be very hard for many, it can be done gradually though, I think a good place to start would be to start respecting and treating programming time as "work time" and not mix it with other activities like social media, reading, YouTube etc.

I do hope that's not a statement of an evangelistic crusade that you have embarked upon... it would trouble me... As I'd probably have to step on you if I ever met you 

[Darkangel86]

2 hours ago, Nuluvius said:

I disagree completely. One of the primary reasons that I chose to become a Software Engineer was for the easy life that went with it; I can choose my own hours, where I work, how I work and I can indeed fit my work around my family and my health concerns.

Good for you, that's all nice and dandy, you're driven and not suffering from procrastination like the OP...

 

2 hours ago, Nuluvius said:

In any event having one's phone to hand is less about blurring the borders and more about a necessity in case there's ever an issue at preschool/school. It would be a different matter if one parent were a stay at home but we are not (I've never believed in that anyway), we are both in the software field full time.

That's fine, you can have a desk (work) phone that people can contact you on for emergencies... Again none of this matters if you are motivated and not easily distracted like the OP... We can argue all day about self-discipline when it comes to having your smartphone around work, we all know that most humans are easily distracted and I've seen it in engineers throughout the years, especially the newer generations. They must have their Facebook time! Heck some of our project managers actually ration out "bullshit" time on some projects that are handled by the younger crowd just because they know they're easily and heavily distracted.

 

2 hours ago, Nuluvius said:

I have worked in the kind of environments that you are describing and for me they are synonymous with blue collar hellholes; the sort where creativity and individuality are discouraged and even outright crushed.

 

In conclusion I cannot help but wonder if the difference in our perspectives is as a result of being at two very different places......

I wasn't even describing an actual workplace, I was describing ways the OP can improve their attention span and avoid procrastination at a personal level. And no, we're not at "two very different places", I've been a software and embedded system's engineer for more than a decade, my location and hours are not restricted, I am not isolated, I work with a group or on the go and I can be remote at any given time (I travel the world while working all year long). My suggestions above were mere advise for the OP to get over procrastination (since their current state is obviously not working out for them). You can judge and draw conclusions all you want, doesn't mean you know anything about my place of work and/or work-ethic.

 

2 hours ago, Nuluvius said:

I do hope that's not a statement of an evangelistic crusade that you have embarked upon... it would trouble me... As I'd probably have to step on you if I ever met you 

I don't even know what the heck this means. Step on me? You must be mixed up. Yes, the basic suggestion of stepping away from distracting activities while working might help someone who suffers from severe procrastination, I'm not sure what exactly warrants such a random and nonsense statement.

[Nuluvius]

8 hours ago, Darkangel86 said:

Good for you, that's all nice and dandy, you're driven and not suffering from procrastination like the OP...

Ah you would say that I'm driven but then what does that really mean for the OP?

8 hours ago, Darkangel86 said:

Heck some of our project managers actually ration out "bullshit" time on some projects that are handled by the younger crowd just because they know they're easily and heavily distracted.

Extra time for being new sure, not for pissing around... if that were to be the case, at least in the businesses that I've been involved with, those individuals would find themselves rapidly ejected. We have a special term for that and it's very simply: 'being fucking shit'.

8 hours ago, Darkangel86 said:

I don't even know what the heck this means. Step on me? You must be mixed up. Yes, the basic suggestion of stepping away from distracting activities while working might help someone who suffers from severe procrastination, I'm not sure what exactly warrants such a random and nonsense statement.

I was trying to have some fun with you but it obviously went over your head.

Essentially based on the sound of your doctrine I was wondering if you were proclaiming that you were on a mission to try to force reforms within the industry.

8 hours ago, Darkangel86 said:

And no, we're not at "two very different places"

You can choose to intemperate that any way you like, hence why I left it fairly ambiguous. It was interesting however that you chose to take it more as a statement about career level though. I was more considering that perhaps your views had been shaped by simply being involved in work that may have been inherently more monotonous thus comming across procrastination much easier.

8 hours ago, Darkangel86 said:

You can judge and draw conclusions all you want, doesn't mean you know anything about my place of work and/or work-ethic.

We can go down this route if you really want to then: That's the beauty of the internet; we can say anything we like about ourselves. I shall be looking forward to finding out the validity of your self proclamations should you decide to stick around and add to discussions...

[Darkangel86]

6 hours ago, Nuluvius said:

Ah you would say that I'm driven but then what does that really mean for the OP?

Exactly ... That's why I was trying to give OP methods to change their habits! Not just tell them how awesome and flexible programming is, that does them no good.

 

6 hours ago, Nuluvius said:

Extra time for being new sure, not for pissing around... if that were to be the case, at least in the businesses that I've been involved with, those individuals would find themselves rapidly ejected. We have a special term for that and it's very simply: 'being fucking shit'.

Yes that is true, they are also called "little shits" here, but it's hard to fire a bunch of people, they get weeded out throughout the years for sure. They also call them "the Facebook generation", yes that's a term for the younger crowd who can't get off their phones to save their lives, even at work.

 

6 hours ago, Nuluvius said:

Essentially based on the sound of your doctrine I was wondering if you were proclaiming that you were on a mission to try to force reforms within the industry.

If this was some kind of joke, I didn't get it and it wasn't really funny. Sounded more like an insult to me TBH, but whatever, we'll just let it go I don't really have the patience to argue over that.

 

6 hours ago, Nuluvius said:

You can choose to intemperate that any way you like, hence why I left it fairly ambiguous.

If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck bud... It was interpreted the way it was written. I don't know what else you can mean by "place" in that context. Career? City of residence? Country?

 

6 hours ago, Nuluvius said:

we can say anything we like about ourselves. I shall be looking forward to finding out the validity of your self proclamations should you decide to stick around and add to discussions.

Why would I seek your validation for anything let alone any proclamations? I simply said that whatever you think of my "place" and my "practices" is your opinion and doesn't hold true to reality whatsoever, I don't see wrong in that!

[Nuluvius]

1 hour ago, Darkangel86 said:

Exactly ... That's why I was trying to give OP methods to change their habits! Not just tell them how awesome and flexible programming is, that does them no good.

If those habits have indeed evolved then one has to question the fundamentals of why that is don't you think? Trying to suggest coping mechanisms and strategies seems like a bandied fix for the symptoms of the deeper rooted problem to me.

 

Moreover talking about the flexibility that the field provides was in response to the draconian regime that you suggested. I disagreed with it as I find that the suggestion of that kind of environment and the propagation of it to be an affront to creativity and indeed moral. If I'd wanted to embellish the awesomeness of the industry I'd have gone onto how much money one can rake in from it 

1 hour ago, Darkangel86 said:

Yes that is true, they are also called "little shits" here, but it's hard to fire a bunch of people, they get weeded out throughout the years for sure. They also call them "the Facebook generation", yes that's a term for the younger crowd who can't get off their phones to save their lives, even at work.

If it's cancer then cut it out no? Lest it eats more and more into one's profits. Of course that's difficult in a large organisation so perhaps one should instead be looking at the fundamentals once again: Why is it happening and what can be done from a business perspective to at least meet the solution half way; certainly if it were me then I'd begin to suspect that an issue were present in my business if this were a consistent problem - brings me back to my point about places:

1 hour ago, Darkangel86 said:

If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck bud... It was interpreted the way it was written. I don't know what else you can mean by "place" in that context. Career? City of residence? Country?

Not really, it was as simple as I'd said; field of the industry. The fact that you had instead chosen to see it as a conceited overture is not my problem. I could choose to view that as just another example of an obnoxious forum kid trying to spew bile around...

1 hour ago, Darkangel86 said:

If this was some kind of joke, I didn't get it and it wasn't really funny. Sounded more like an insult to me TBH, but whatever, we'll just let it go I don't really have the patience to argue over that.

You are beginning to remind me of one of those people that looks at the end of one's finger when they try to point something out for them... 

1 hour ago, Darkangel86 said:

Why would I seek your validation for anything let alone any proclamations? I simply said that whatever you think of my "place" and my "practices" is your opinion and doesn't hold true to reality whatsoever, I don't see wrong in that!

I was saying that I was looking forward to discussing various subjects such as engineering theory, principals, practices, methodologies, architecture and all things related with you; since you claimed over a decades worth of experience that is.