Future Me
When I was too tired to study, I sometimes chose to procrastinate and let Future Me do it: I bet she could do a better job because she definitely had more energy and time than I did. But as the saying goes––there ain’t no such thing as a free lunch. Future Me paid for my procrastination by working overloaded: She felt stressed by all the deadlines and had to give up things she enjoyed. I paid for my procrastination because she threw negative emotions back at me: I felt anxious and ashamed. Moreover, I sometimes chose to deal with these negative feelings by immersing myself in instant gratification, ending up with more procrastination. I thought I would never be friends with Future Me because I was mean to her. Procrastination was always a barrier in our relationship.
The two-minute rule helped cure my procrastination. In his book, Atomic Habits, James Clear says to do the task you need to do for two minutes, and if you still hate doing it after two minutes, stop. Before trying the two-minute rule, I thought it might make my procrastination worse, giving me an excuse to stop after just two minutes. However, it really worked for me! One day, my homework was to summarize several research papers. I didn’t feel like doing it because I thought it would be hard, so I naturally wanted to let Future Me take over that task because she would “have more time to work on it.” But then I remembered the two-minute rule and decided to try it. During those first two minutes, I found I actually enjoyed the topic and would like to spend more time on it. It turned out that I studied for two solid hours and got the assignment finished. My procrastination was cured!
Now, whenever I feel like procrastinating, I force myself to try things for two minutes. Once I start working, I usually find the tasks to be easier and more enjoyable than I imagined. This has really motivated me to keep using the two-minute rule. Now I finish most tasks way ahead of the deadlines, allowing Future Me to do the things she wants. I also feel more powerful because I live a productive life and have fewer negative emotions. Not only did the two-minute rule cure my procrastination, it also helped me build a healthier relationship with Future Me.
Yuhan Bi has been a member of the Interactive Measurement Group since the summer of 2021. She majors in psychology and social work. During her time in the lab, she has served as a Poster Team Leader and the Lab Hours Coordinator. After graduation, she hopes to further her education. Her goal is to help people optimize their relationships and mental well-being.