Laziness is a trait that every personality type deals with in one aspect or another.
And, especially for the perfectionistic INFJ,
brains are actually wired to keep as lazy as means of self-protection. However, living
life on the safe side can hold the INFJ back from living the life they really want to live.
Welcome or welcome back Psych-o! Today we’re talking about the 10
tips that INFJs can use to truly curb their laziness and procrastination.
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Alright, let’s jump right into it starting with..
Number 1: The 10 minute alarm
One of the simplest ways really anyone can break out of laziness and get themselves up and doing a
task is to set a 10 minute alarm before starting it. Especially for the INFJ who loves to plan
and organize; having a designated time frame makes the task much less dreadful and puts it
into perspective for how simple and not time consuming the task actually is. For example,
if you need to clean the kitchen, set a 10 minute alarm before you start
and tell yourself that you can stop cleaning after the alarm goes off.
More times than not, you will continue to complete the task after the 10 minute mark, and you will
even do it with a subconscious thought that you went over and above your original expectations,
which makes the task seem more rewarding and not as dreadful the next time you do it.
According to psychologist and procrastination expert Timothy Pychl,
this concept is essentially you making a deal with yourself to make it easier to begin the task
and make you less inclined to quit. Afterall, the hardest part of completing any task for an INFJ
is just getting started in the first place. Number 2: Do it for your future self
INFJs always make decisions based on how their future self would feel about them.
They can quickly connect the dots to get an idea of how their decisions will later affect them.
But when it comes to completing simpler, mundane tasks, procrastination can definitely take over.
While we all like the feeling of having favors done for us, and INFJ in particular
thrive on the rewarding feeling of doing favors for others,
why can they not take this and use it to their laziness-curbing advantage?
Complete the task today for the grateful feeling of having it done for yourself tomorrow.
Laziness gets worse the further behind we are on our duties or tasks. If it’s a filthy kitchen,
loads of dirty laundry, groceries to buy, and dinner to be made, the accumulated dread will
instantly make an INFJ more inclined to not do any of the tasks; it’s a vicious cycle.
Instead, INFJs can complete tasks one at a time for the sole reason
of not leaving it for your later self to do. You know, of all people, how happy you would
be if you woke up to see that all of your most procrastinated tasks were completed.
You can also use this hack by leaving yourself the easiest tasks for the morning at home or work,
to make starting your day not as dreadful. Easier said than done? Try this next trick..
Number 3: Powerful playlists
Music has a profound effect on an INFJs mood, and the human brain as a whole.
With a direct correlation to emotional receptors, different genres affect us differently.
Blues make us feel down, rock n’ roll can make us feel alive, and sappy songs can make us feel
warm and fuzzy. Using this music-mood connection, INFJs can hack their brain using outer stimulation
through their favorite upbeat tunes. By thinking of those songs that make you want to turn up the
radio and maybe even play the air guitar or try your latest twerking skills in the mirror,
you can begin using them to your advantage. What music gets your heart pumping? What
music do you like to exercise? Sure you may be singing along to an old burnt CD from college,
you’ll be effortlessly completing all your tasks in the process.
Number 4: Change your work environment
INFJs are not only affected by outer stimulation like music, but actually surrounding noises,
lighting, and moods in general. Since laziness and comfort are primal instincts, and usually
feed into one another, the best way for an INFJ to break out of that comfort is to change their work
environment. This especially goes for the INFJs that find themselves working from home or spending
more time indoors in general..a change of space is crucial for this introverts productivity and
focus. In fact, for this sensitive type, even the slightest change in the sensation of a room can
cause them to lose focus. Experimenting and paying attention to things like room lighting, screen
dimness, background sounds, and different work environments entirely can make all the difference.
Number 5: Freshen up
If you’re an INFJ, you know the exact feeling. The days you wake up and just can’t seem to
get up and get your day started. Well, the best thing for an INFJ to do when they get
the slightest feeling of this dress, is to freshen up! Have a shower, splash your face,
style your hair, do your makeup, do whatever it takes to make you feel like yourself again.
This could even be just a simple change out of those stained sweatpants and into your favorite
pair of jeans or tying your hair back and putting on a layer of lipstick or a spritz of cologne.
Fashion Psychologist Karen Pine says that when we put on an item of clothing, it’s not uncommon for
the person to adopt the characteristics associated with that garment. People’s relaxed weekend wear
gives people a different psychological feeling than their professional business attire.
Number 6: Pinpoint your most dreadful tasks
Most INFJs run on to-do lists, either mentally or physically,
there's always some sort of plan of execution. And luckily, some people with this type have
gotten so good that they actually can make room for a little procrastination.
Instead of surrendering to that devil on their shoulder, INFJs can instead pinpoint the tasks
that they have mentally deemed as the most dreadful. Mentally evaluating the tasks that are
to be completed allow an INFJ to individualize and compartmentalize them in their minds,
making them easier to process and seem not as daunting. Instead of seeing the ‘things
to get done’ list as one big ball of dreadful tasks they don’t want to do, it’s easier to
realize that it’s just a multitude of simple tasks categorised into one big lazy mess.
Number 7: Persistent Thoughts Should Be The First To Go
For the INFJ who spends so much time running through their mental to-do list, some tasks
don’t even need to be written down because they are constantly on their mind 24/7. These tasks
are so unfulfilling or daunting that they stay persistent on their minds from sunup to sun down.
Eventually resulting in the INFJ spending a considerable amount of time thinking about
it in comparison to the small amount of time it would take them to get it done.
Not only are these pesky thoughts annoying and distracting, but they can be so draining that they
end up holding INFJs back from completing their other every-day tasks that usually aren’t so bad.
Number 8: The 2 minute rule
The 2 minute rule: If it takes less than 2 minutes, just do it. Author of ‘Get Things
Done’ David Allen uses this in terms of emailing and other non-urgent everyday tasks. He says that
when he gets an email, he decides whether or not it will take him 2 minutes or less,
if it will, he will deal with it right then. And if not,
it will become a task of it’s own to complete later to avoid being distracted.
This rule can also be used in other, everyday tasks like washing your breakfast plates or
getting gas. We tend to put these tasks under a negative light making them less appealing
than they really are, when really we could complete them without even thinking about it.
Number 9: The calendar chain
This productivity tool was actually first introduced by Jerry Seinfeild,
who, in practise of becoming a better comedian, decided to write content consistently,
every single day. Every day that he completed his writing,
he would mark that day on his calendar with a big X, and after weeks of doing this, he had one long
‘chain’ of X’s. Now, his only task to stay on track to his goal, is to never break the chain.
The simple act of seeing all the hard work you’ve done in the past results in a much
more rewarding and obligated view of the task. You feel inclined to work on your goal everyday,
even just a little bit, in order to mark your X and not break your work streak.
Afterall, the secret to the success and self improvement that an INFJ
longs for is consistent, daily action, which is exactly what this calendar chain is best for.
Alright Psychos, that wraps up today’s video. So, do you already implement any of these laziness
hacks in your life? Let us know in the comments below! Also, don’t forget to leave us a like,
share this video with your friends and also subscribe to our channel for more psycho videos!