英語美文朗讀 第545期 How to overcome procrastination(如何克服拖延癥)

When we procrastinate, we are actively choosing to postpone or put off doing a particular task. And it's a common thing! Whether it's in our business, homework, housework or exercise, we are all guilty of putting off things we KNOW we need to do.

 

當(dāng)我們拖延的時候，我們就是在推遲一個任務(wù)。這樣做，是我們自己的選擇。這是一個很普遍的現(xiàn)象，無論是面對工作，作業(yè)，家務(wù)，還是運動，在故意推遲一些我們該做的事時，我們都會感到愧疚。

 

We know that we all do it. So WHY do we procrastinate?

我們知道，大家都有拖延癥。那么，我們?yōu)槭裁磿涎幽兀?/p>

 

The main reason we procrastinate is that our brains are always seeking to gain pleasure and avoid pain. When we procrastinate, our brain is literally telling us to avoid doing the thing we need to do, because it's less fun. In a way, the brain is sort of like, a little child, wanting to stay out and play when it's time to go home and have dinner.

我們有拖延癥，最主要的原因，就是，我們的大腦總是想辦法找樂子，并且想避免痛苦。我們拖延的時候，其實，大腦就是在告訴我們，不要去做那些我們該做的事，因為這沒意思。從某種程度上說，大腦，就像個小孩子，到了應(yīng)該回家吃飯的時候，它還想待在外面玩。

 

If you want to overcome procrastination once and for all, try these four simple steps I am about to share with you.

接下來，我要向你分享一些簡單的步驟。如果你想徹底克服拖延癥，請你試一試吧。

 

1. Self-parenting. As mentioned before, the procrastinating brain is sort of like a small child wanting to avoid the boring stuff in life, and just enjoy the fun or easy stuff. But if a child is behaving in a way that is opposing to their needs, we don't yell at them and tell them they are bad. We need to find a way to reason with them.

第一，自己教育自己。正如前面所說，有拖延癥的大腦，就像一個小孩，它不想做無聊的事情，而是想享受樂趣，或者做一些簡單的事。但是，如果一個小孩做的事，跟他的實際需要不一致，我們不會朝他大吼大叫，不會告訴他，你是個壞小孩。我們需要做的，是想辦法，去跟他講道理。

 

You need to treat yourself in the same way. Is there something that you are missing that you need? Perhaps you are tired because you haven't been giving yourself any time off from work or responsibilities.

你也應(yīng)該這樣對待自己。想一下，你是否，正在錯過一些你需要的東西？也許，你感到很累，是因為你一直顧著自己的工作，顧著自己的責(zé)任，而忘記了留出時間，讓自己好好休息。

 

Maybe your procrastination is a sign you need to take a break. Maybe you just need to reconnect with your purpose, your reason why you must do this. Maybe you just need to remind yourself the positives and the negatives that will come if you do not complete this task. Attend to these needs and you may find that your productivity goes up naturally.

也許，你的拖延，意味著，你需要休息。也許，你只是需要再回顧一下自己的目標，想一下為什么自己一定要做這件事。也許，你只是需要提醒自己，要是你不完成這個任務(wù)，會有什么后果。滿足自己的需求，然后，你可能會發(fā)現(xiàn)，你的效率自然而然地就提高了。

 

2. Set small goals. In order to overcome procrastination, we need to manage overwhelm. For many of us, if our goals are too big, we won't even start them! Because of this, it is important to make sure we set small, achievable goals and to make ourselves accountable for achieving them

第二，設(shè)立小目標。為了克服拖延，我們需要避免讓自己壓力過大。對于我們很多人而言，如果我們的目標太大了，我們根本就不會采取行動！因此，我們給自己定的目標，一定要小一點，要能夠?qū)崿F(xiàn)，這樣，我們才做得到實現(xiàn)它們。

 

If you ever find yourself in overwhelm, think of the saying, how do climb the staircase to success? One step at a time. Break down your task into small chunks, many small actions that you can take that will lead to completion of your goal.

如果你覺得自己壓力很大，快撐不住了，想一下這句話，你，要如何攀爬階梯，走向成功？答案是，每次只走一步。把你的任務(wù)，細分成很小的部分，讓你去做小小的行動，久而久之累積起來，它們能帶你完成你的目標。

 

Write them all down on a piece of paper in order of importance. And cross them out when you have them completed. The small reward of crossing of the task will bring a sense of achievement and will make it more likely you will follow through with the rest of the tasks.

把它們寫下來吧，寫在一張紙上，按照重要性排序。當(dāng)你完成所有小的任務(wù)時，把它們一個個劃掉。任務(wù)完成后，把整個任務(wù)劃掉，這會給你帶來成就感，讓你有動力去完成剩下的任務(wù)，你就更有可能實現(xiàn)你的目標。

 

3. Make it fun. Another way to overcome procrastination is to make sure that we are including the desire for pleasure in our plans to complete the task at hand. If you are avoiding the work, find a way to include some play in the task.

第三，讓事情變得有趣。另外一種克服拖延癥的方法，就是，對于任務(wù)計劃，我們一定要讓自己渴望去完成它們，讓自己覺得它們很有趣。如果你不想做一件事，想辦法讓它變得好玩。

 

Put on music while you clean the house. Burn a nice candle and enjoy the scent while you study. How you achieve it isn't important. It's simply important that you make it pleasurable.

打掃屋子的時候，放點音樂。學(xué)習(xí)的時候，點一支蠟燭，享受這美好的香氣。你怎么做這件事，不重要。重要的是，你要讓這件事變成一件令人享受的事。

 

4. Set up a reward system. As well as making the task itself more pleasurable, it's a good idea to also add in a reward system for when you get the job done. This can be something as simple as a cup of tea, or a 20-minute break.

第四，建立獎勵機制。除了使任務(wù)變得愉悅這個方法之外，你也可以加入一點小獎勵，獎給完成任務(wù)的自己，這是一個不錯的注意。這個獎勵，很簡單，可以是一杯茶，或者20分鐘的休息時間。

 

Again, the reward itself is not important. It's giving the brain a guarantee of pleasure once the task is done.

同樣地，獎勵本身并不重要，重要的是，任務(wù)完成的時候，我們一定要讓大腦感受到快樂。

 

We all experience the struggle of procrastination from time to time, but with these simple steps, you will find yourself becoming much more productive.

克服拖延癥，很痛苦，我們時常要經(jīng)歷這個過程。但是，跟著這些簡單的步驟去做，你會發(fā)現(xiàn)，自己變得更高效了。