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There are some good theories regarding delayed gratification and behavioral modifications you might find useful. First, how good you are a choosing to wait to
by tikiman163 6y ago
There are some good theories regarding delayed gratification and behavioral modifications you might find useful.
First, how good you are a choosing to wait to receive a reward later has a strong bearing on how difficult of a problem you can solve, because working on a problem is what feels rewarding, solving the problem is. To that end there are certain habits you can pick up that greatly help with modifying your behavior, and provide a sense of success before the overall problem is solved.
The first thing I recommend is to make your own lists of short tasks that need to be completed. This in itself can be satisfying because writing the list is effectively your first finished task.
Next, after completing a few tasks you need to reward yourself with something you enjoy. It shouldn't take much time to do, but it should be something you won't get easily board of. Continue rewarding yourself after a set number of tasks. Generally, you should be getting a reward about once an hour to start out, not more. After a few days, maybe a week, increase the number of tasks you must complete for a reward. Continue increasing the number of tasks per reward every few days. If you find yourself losing motivation, then decrease the number of tasks required.
Just a few tips, the reward should be something that you can do quickly and that you can resist doing while you're still working. The reward should be mildly habit forming, but not addictive. Also, if it's food related you might want to make it small enough that it won't make you fat. A favorite candy can be a good choice so long as you can make the rewards small but still satisfying. It also shouldn't be something complicated or distracting to other people. If it's too complicated that can kill your own productivity. It also helps if you take a short break like 5 minutes per reward or at least take short breaks a few times a day even without a reward.