Small Tasks, Big Results: The Key to Tackling Procrastination | Sarah Huo | TEDxCherryCreekHS

Summary

The speaker shares a personal experience with procrastination, particularly on both big and small tasks. They highlight how delaying even small tasks, like responding to emails or scheduling, can create mental exhaustion and stress. After researching solutions, they discovered that prioritizing the immediate completion of small tasks helps clear mental clutter and improve productivity. By treating small tasks with the same focus as large ones, people can reduce mental overload and achieve better performance, less stress, and more control over their lives.

Takeaways

• 🕒 Procrastination is common, especially with big tasks that seem far off, leading to last-minute rushes.
• 😰 Chronic procrastination and poor time management can lead to constant stress and fatigue.
• 🧠 Procrastination isn't just about big tasks; small, unaddressed tasks can pile up and drain mental energy.
• 📝 Simply setting deadlines for yourself might not always work if the process itself is flawed.
• ⚖️ The real challenge lies in not having a sustainable system for managing smaller tasks.
• 🤯 Our brains have limited working memory, often compared to a computer that slows down with too many open tabs.
• 🔢 Miller's Law suggests that humans can hold about seven (plus or minus two) objects in their working memory before it becomes overloaded.
• 🚀 Clearing small tasks quickly can optimize mental energy, allowing for better focus on larger projects.
• 📅 To manage small tasks effectively, handle them immediately or write them down if they can't be completed right away.
• 💪 Prioritizing and managing small tasks can reduce stress, improve energy, and give a sense of control over life.

Q & A

What is the main problem the speaker faces with productivity?

The main problem the speaker faces is procrastination, particularly with both large and small tasks, which leads to feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and exhausted.

Why does the speaker initially feel that 3 weeks is a long time to complete the assignment?

The speaker feels that 3 weeks is a long time because there is a tendency to underestimate the time it takes to complete tasks and to procrastinate, thinking they can start later.

How does the speaker's procrastination on small tasks impact their overall productivity?

Procrastination on small tasks causes the speaker to feel mentally drained and overwhelmed, as these tasks pile up and take up mental space, reducing energy and focus for larger tasks.

What realization does the speaker come to regarding how they manage tasks?

The speaker realizes that they don't have a proper system for handling small tasks, which causes them to procrastinate and feel mentally exhausted.

What is Miller's Law, and how does the speaker relate it to their productivity struggles?

Miller's Law refers to the idea that a person can only hold 7 plus or minus 2 objects in working memory. The speaker relates this to their productivity, suggesting that trying to hold too many tasks in mind leads to mental fog and slower performance.

What strategy does the speaker adopt to deal with small tasks more effectively?

The speaker adopts the strategy of addressing small tasks immediately, either completing them on the spot if they take a minute or two or writing them down to avoid mental overload.

Why does the speaker compare their brain to a computer?

The speaker compares their brain to a computer to illustrate that, like a computer with too many tabs open, trying to keep track of too many tasks slows down their mental processing and creates exhaustion.

How does completing small tasks immediately help in optimizing performance?

Completing small tasks immediately helps clear the speaker’s mind of unnecessary mental clutter, allowing them to focus more on larger tasks and improving overall productivity.

What mistake did the speaker make in their original plan to set deadlines for themselves?

The speaker’s mistake was focusing on setting deadlines for larger tasks but ignoring the small tasks, which caused a build-up of those smaller tasks and contributed to feelings of overwhelm.

What advice does the speaker give to procrastinators to take control of their productivity?

The speaker advises procrastinators to prioritize completing small tasks as soon as they arise, which clears their mental to-do list and reduces stress, leading to increased energy and focus.