How to Beat Procrastination with the Seinfeld Strategy

Procrastination is the act of delaying or putting off tasks till the last minute. It is creating irrational delays which have a negative long-term effect. We tend to procrastinate all kinds of activities from grocery shopping to big projects. We do not realize that it leads to a major waste of time and ultimately, the quality of work decreases significantly.

It is a negative quality that can act as a barrier to your goals and motivations. It blocks you from making the right decisions and achieving what you can. This leads to negative emotions of disappointment and guilt as well. Thus, we need to deal with procrastination before it evolves into a habit. While procrastination can simply be poor time management skills, it can also point to some other psychological issues. Perhaps, it is because peer competition is too much to bear. Maybe, you feel overwhelmed and disappointed with your progress. There are many methods and tips to break through this habit, but the Seinfeld Strategy is an interesting one.

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What is the Seinfeld Strategy?

Developed by famous comedian Jerry Seinfeld, this technique is also known as the 'Don't Break the Chain' method to tackle procrastination. The concept is incredibly simple yet effective. To put it simply, dedicate a specific amount of time in your day to the desired activity. Every time you complete the activity successfully, put an X on the calendar to mark your progress. If you don't manage to go through with it someday, you lose out on the chain.

Naturally, this method isn't taking into account the vacation days or days when you aren't physically or mentally ready, however, it helps to develop habits. Interestingly, instead of focusing on completing the tasks, this technique focuses on the progress you make. This means that even if you spend a small amount of time doing what you had planned, it is a step towards your goal.

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How to use this method?

1. Set Goals: Figure out what your goals are. It's advisable to start small instead of aiming to achieve everything simultaneously. Your goals can be small daily life activities like cleaning your house or working on a personal project.

2. Set Time Limits: It is better to assign a specific amount of time to each of your goals. For example, assign two hours for studying each day.

3. Set Boundaries: As mentioned before, take into account the days you need to relax or days when you might be unwell. This method seeks to help and reward you, it shouldn't affect you negatively if you can't come through at times.

4. Get a Calendar:  Get yourself a calendar to start marking the days.

The Seinfeld Strategy also urges you to truly enjoy the process. When you see yourself working on yourself and towards your goals every day, you feel motivated and satisfied. Each step towards your goal takes you closer. Much of the strategy is based on whether you truly love what you are doing. If you are passionate about the projects you adopt, it would not feel like a chore.

In the beginning, deliberate practice is a good way to set off your habit. Deal with procrastination by putting in constant and frequent work each day, and reap the rewards!

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