Yo WFUN Nation!

The other day, I caught myself doing something weird habang naka-upo sa office ko.

Instead of working on an urgent goal, nandun lang ako, doom-scrolling mindlessly into the void on my phone.

Who cares though, right? It's a classic procrastination move, and we've all done that before.

Magugulat ka na lang, 2 hours have gone by na pala. 2 hours forever lost to us.

But here's the strange part - I started talking to myself in the third person:

"O, ano na naman tong ginagawa mo Shoden? Bakit naka-scroll ka na naman siya sa FB instead of finishing what you said you would finish?"

(For some reason, taglish din yung judgy-self ko haha)

Parang irate and judgy reporter lang kung mag-narrate ng sariling buhay hehe.

Weird, no? But you know what's weirder? It actually worked.

Seeing myself from this "outside perspective" made me realize how ridiculous I looked - a grown man choosing to waste time on social media while his dreams and goals were just on the other side of procrastination.

This, guysh, is what psychologists call "self-distancing" - and it's a powerful technique to beat procrastination. Not to be mistaken for social distancing ha.

It’s from a book I read over the holidays called "Emotional Agility" by Susan David. It centers around the ability to view one's experiences from a third-person perspective, which can help in managing emotions and reducing stress. 

Essentially, you’re trying to study your actions and judge them (somewhat) impartially. 

Think about it - when your friend tells you they're procrastinating, ang dali lang magbigay ng advice diba?

"Just do it na kasi!"

"Break it down into smaller tasks!"

"Set a timer and focus for 25 minutes!"

Pero when WE'RE the ones procrastinating? Biglang ang hirap sundin ng same advice! 

Here's the awesome thing about self-distancing: Instead of being stuck in your own head, you step back and look at yourself like you're watching a friend.

Try this exercise:

Instead of thinking "Why can't I start working?"

Ask yourself: "Why can't start working?"

Parang may psychological distance na nagagawa when you use your name instead of "I" or "ako."

I've been experimenting with this before even when I learned the official term, and grabe ang difference!

When I catch myself procrastinating, I imagine I'm writing an email to someone in our email list about MY behavior:

"Dear , tingnan mo to si Shoden o, nag-promise na naman na 'later' ang start ng email nya para satin. Pero eto anong petsa na, wala pa din. Ano kaya advice niyo sa kanya?" 

Yes, I’m aware I sound like a lunatic haha. BUT… Instantly, I also now see how illogical my excuses are. 

Kasi when you're giving advice to others, you're naturally more objective and rational. You see the situation more clearly without all the emotional baggage.

So the next time you catch yourself procrastinating, try this:

1. Step back mentally

2. Use your name instead of "I"

3. Ask what advice you'd give to a friend in your situation

4. Actually follow that advice (this is the hard part hehe)

Minsan kailangan lang talaga natin i-judge ang sarili natin - pero in a constructive way!

What about you? Have you tried talking to yourself in the third person? (Promise hindi ka baliw if you do this haha)

Judgingly Yours,

Shoden "The Self-Distancer" San

P.S. Speaking of procrastination, kung may pending tasks ka, this is your sign to close FB/TK and get back to work! (Unless mga emails ko yung nakabukas in front of you - those are essential reading! haha 😂)

Reply ka naman if you've done something similar!

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