As impulsivity affect our brain

Procrastination can be compared with the signal Wi-Fi, which is so weak that even a simple website on your device will be loaded for ages. The metaphor is simple: you will be a long time to hang, unable to start any of the more or less important tasks.

Painfully familiar situation, right? In addition, few people know how to find the right way out of it. Here's the rub: you seem to be subconsciously ready to undertake focused and thoughtful execution of an important matter, but you can not say 'no' to a bunch of minor distractions.

procrastination manifested in many different ways, but they share one thing: we are infinitely postpone unpleasant things until later because of its impulsive habit of doing only those things that we like or require minimal effort, and not those who do necessary.

Many people diverted to domestic affairs such as cleaning the bathroom or washing dishes, other clock leaf ribbon in Facebook, and all of this instead take on the urgent and important matter. Particularly egregious procrastinators put off all because of a well-founded fear of not cope with the task.

Every time you open a tab with Facebook, rather than to focus on work or be alone with big unsolved problem procrastinator knows that ultimately the task will bring him only favor. But nevertheless she perseveres to postpone everything until later. The reason for this behavior is how our brain handles impulsivity.

As impulsivity affect our brain

Thanks to movies and television, we are accustomed to thinking of impulsive people like unpredictable and prone to unjustified risks. These qualities are, of course, may be signs of impulsiveness, but the truth lies in a completely different.

Under impulsivity tend to realize an immediate reaction on the person's own desires. That is, when you something suddenly strikes to the head, you immediately do it without thinking about the consequences and the long-term prospects.

Behavioral psychologists Martial Van der Linden (Martial Van der Linden) and Mathieu D'Akremon (Mathieu d'Acremont) in its study there are four main features impulsivity.

• UrgencyMan feels the need to perform the task right now.
• unwittingly: People act without thinking or planning ahead.
• lack of perseveranceMan quickly disappointed in the long-term task.
• Search thrillsMan chooses which tasks to perform, based on what emotions it would bring him.

All the people in some degree impulsive, some to a greater degree, others less. The only difference is that someone better control their own desires. People who are characterized by increased impulsivity, are experiencing great problems with the internal motivation.

They can easily let the matter take its course, the work during the week, only in order to do something that will bring them instant positive emotions. New impetus arising only that, will have a higher priority than a week ago the task. In this case, neither of which the planning and speech can not be, it only matters what you want to do right now.

Impulsiveness is considered a symptom of a large number of neurological disorders. For example, such as attention deficit disorder (ADHD) Or substance abuse. The person with ADHD is very easily distracted by things on things like useless chatter or the passage of the next level uncomplicated online games only because he it seems much more important and satisfying its current desires.

For the person who has the problem of the abuse of toxic substances, the desire to get another dose of the drug is much greater than the fear of long-term negative consequences of which he, of course, knows, but nevertheless does not cease abuse. In such cases, the immediate impulse to dominate the rest.

As impulsivity affect your performance

Do not think that any impulsive act should automatically be classified as poor. The problem occurs only when you can not keep control of its response to the pulses. For example, consider the following scenario.

In this story, some external stimulus or impulse that causes a person to break away from business as much as four times. He cited four times to the fact that instead of work you are doing something more enjoyable and easy. Vibrate phone, amusing picture in tape, interesting link and stupid comment did their job - they distract you from your work and for some reason turned out to be more important.

You know yourself, when you read this story modeled? If you can not hit the brakes and say to yourself "I do not have time to engage so useless nonsense! ", then it is likely that impulsivity soon kill your performance.

The worst part is that all this has a snowball effect: if you are from the very beginning ignored the notification message, the next three distractions would not arise at all. A need was only mute or ignore the notification.

To keep his impulsiveness under control, it is essential to develop the ability to time to pull myself together, when you start to get distracted. You will most likely have the ability to meet deadlines (deadlines - proof), and you are able to concentrate very well. The only skill you need to learn - is the ability to ignore or postpone the response to the immediate impulses that seem more important than it actually is.

What can you do about it

Impulsivity is largely dependent on your personality. Managing impulsivity is largely similar to the management anger. Angry sometimes absolutely necessary, but if you lose control, the consequences can be quite dire.

Same story with impulsivity. To it should be treated as one of the features of your character, which you must learn to manage. There are several ways to do this.

Do the exercises on mindfulness

Be careful - it means to be the most focused on a particular case at the moment. This means that you realize exactly what you are doing, what they think and what the consequences and the results it will bring. Care will automatically suggest that you keep a tight rein on his thoughts, not allowing momentum to dictate its terms.

People who are unable to resist his impulsiveness, face a number of problems due to the fact that they are easily distracted. Fortunately, attention - it is a quality that can be trained. If you do have problems with impulsivity, it is the first time such training will seem a real torture, but they are really worth.

Care - it's not just quality, it teaches your brain to focus.

If you can not concentrate on the long-term goal, the practice will help you. mindfulness can be train with special applications, exercises, or even doing housework.

Yes, at first it would be difficult, but nothing happens by itself, so I just do not stop. Keep practicing, and after a certain period of time your brain will get used to not respond to momentary impulses.

Learn weaknesses, and make plans according to them

All people have their own weaknesses that can easily distract us from work. Good knowledge of one's triggers can greatly help you in suppressing the instantaneous impulses.

If we again go back to the example with notifications on your phone, you can find a simple and elegant solution to the problem. At the time of the day and move your phone in airplane mode, or at least set up a notification so that they do not distract you from the work process.

Allow time for productive distractions

Excessive impulsivity assure you that if you do not do something right now, then do not do will never. You can cheat a little feeling to allocate space for itself workaround. When you really want something to distract, do not tell yourself once unequivocal "no", just promise that you will do it a little later.

Any procrastinator with experience know that it is easier to postpone something for a while, than to ignore completely.

Highlight a specific time when you will be given all at once accumulated things that could distract you, and do them all at once. Then you will work quietly on their current tasks, knowing that the time will come for the pleasant things.

Talk to an expert about your problems

Yes, seriously, there is nothing to be ashamed of. If you find that the situation got out of control and you can not concentrate on anything for longer than a minute, you should consult a specialist.

You can argue that the lack of focus - it is not so important and more far-fetched than a real problem, but no, it is quite serious. The appeal for help is nothing to be ashamed of.

The specialist may prescribe medication if the problem is really big, in other cases, it can give you some useful exercises to train memory and attention. If you will diligently comply with them, after a few weeks of practice your brain will learn to better cope with impulsivity.

Understanding the basic impulses that make us distracted and put off things for later, can help you learn to concentrate on long-term objectives.

It would be great if we could just sit at the table and yell, "Do not get distracted! Concentrate! "To force yourself to work better. However, this method is unlikely to deliver us from random thoughts. Rather than focus all their efforts on getting the thoughts flowed in one direction, first try simply do not give distractions disturb you.