Wanna be more disciplined and procrastinate less? Just let it go!

Sitting at my desk, I open my laptop and attentively review the list of tasks I need to complete today. Got it, can start the job! I reach for my phone, open Instagram and start mindlessly scrolling through the feed.

As soon as I return from virtual reality to my desk and the list of tasks, I feel the intuitive desire to return to the colorful pictures and funny videos again. I find myself unmotivated even by the prospect of looming deadlines and an upcoming sleepless night at work.

So, what’s the problem with me?

I always thought it was a focus issue, a procrastination problem, or something similar.

As it turns out, the mere fact that I try too diligently to focus is the real culprit. Maybe that’s why I can’t do it at all.

Why does trying too hard ruin everything?

Remember the time when you’d studied to swim?

When you were anxiously trying to stay on the surface, tensing your entire body, the water seemed to absorb you, causing you to sink. In such moments, the teacher usually advises you to relax. At first, it seems the most absurd thing to do: you think that as soon as you stop resisting the water, you will drown. However, the opposite thing happens. When you relax and begin to make smooth movements, you start to float on water without using swimming techniques.

This seemingly illogical phenomenon has a simple explanation. First, when your muscles are tense, they are much heavier, and the body literally curls up, making it incapable of performing any measured movements. Second, in a state of anxiety, breathing becomes shallow and uneven. After some time, the body begins to lack oxygen (our main fuel), and you start feeling physically bad. When we relax, we do not lose control of ourselves, like it seems for the first seconds. It has become so easy to control our movements that it is almost imperceptible. Additionally, the breath increases as the body gains more energy and strength.

We can apply this phenomenon not only to swimming but to all our activities. English writer and philosopher Aldous Huxley described it as the Law of Reversed Effort.

The Law of Reversed Effort or Backwards Law

The concept of the Law of Reversed Effort, or Backwards Law, suggests that the harder we try with our conscious will to do something, the less we will succeed.

With too much effort, we often end up creating more stress, tension and anxiety. This is actually what disrupts our focus and creates resistance to the action we are trying to take. No focus, no progress. When we just relax, the actions we tend to take occur naturally and very easily. Our minds fill with ideas, our eyes focus on our laptops, and sleep follows naturally. Aldous Huxley wrote about it:

“Proficiency and the results of proficiency come only to those who have learned the paradoxical art of doing and not doing, or combining relaxation with activity, of letting go as a person in order that the immanent and transcendent unknown quantity may take hold.”

Why does this happen?

There’s a spiritual or holistic way of viewing the “law of reversed effort.” It’s the Thaoism idea of “Wu Wei,” or a fluent state.

The Fluent State

Wu wei is the idea of effortless action, where we act in harmony with the natural flow of life rather than forcing it. Or, on the contrary, resisting it.

Taoism teaches us to ‘flow like water’, adapting to our situation rather than forcing ourselves onto a specific outcome.

Usually we cannot create a routine or discipline ourselves because we imagine a broad picture or a result we’re trying to achieve. As a result, the sheer volume of work or the length of the path overwhelms us.

In my case, I listed the 10 big articles I should edit and revise for my clients. I aim to finish them all by the end of the day. I strive to concentrate on completing each task. It’s only Monday. I have similar plans for the next five days.

Every time I consider the volume of work I need to complete in the upcoming days, I feel a sense of overwhelm and even fear. When faced with such overwhelming tasks, people typically respond in one of two ways. First option: they procrastinate to start such a long journey. Secondly, they give up midway, believing the task is too challenging to accomplish. Even if some of them persevere, the journey is likely to be filled with stress.

The main idea behind “Wu Wei” is to stop thinking about doing 10 articles five times a week.

Instead, it offers to make a commitment to revise one single article. Once you’ve completed it, forget about it. Then, focus on the next one. Each time, reiterate the commitment, disregarding the stack of completed articles and those still pending.

When we let go of the big picture and instead focus on being one with the process happening now, we save ourselves copious amounts of stress and expectation.

One more advantage of this method: it makes it easier to overcome failures. In a classic approach to productivity, we tend to panish ourselves for procrastination.

Once I’ve spent half an hour on social media, I begin to contemplate the amount of work I could accomplish during this period, or simply consider what kind of idle time I’m wasting. Thus, it causes more stress and a less favorable atmosphere for focusing on the job. Furthermore, I could have better utilized this reflection time for actual work. In the case of “Wu Wei,” what already happened doesn’t have much weight. You just move on and start over again.

Simply put, Wu Wei is a practice that calls for a return to patience and simple repetition. Isn’t it the core of a discipline?

Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi popularized the concept of flow, describing it as a state of complete absorption in an activity. In this state, time seems to stand still, and the activity becomes intrinsically rewarding.

Any conscious effort in addition to a flow state causes us to hesitate. That’s why, when we become consciously aware that we’re in such a state and begin intellectualizing and trying to control it, we lose that state.

How to implement “The Flow State” in real life

• Focus on what you enjoy in a process.

When we strive for discipline in certain fields, we typically concentrate on the reasons why we should do the task or why it will benefit us. The last question that typically crosses our minds is, “Why is it cool to do this?” Taoists believe this is the key to entering the flow state.

When we’re engaged in something we love, time flies, and the task feels effortless.

• Practice acceptance

All kinds of judgments are the worst enemies of the flow state. When you find yourself procrastinating, acknowledge the feeling without judgment. Take a moment to breathe and refocus on the task at hand. Accept your current state without trying to force change. Embrace the workflow as it is, and simply move forward.

Studies have shown that mindfulness techniques like acceptance can lower stress and enhance focus.

• Quit fear of failure

The constant “What if…” question can also be overwhelming. What if the client won’t like it? What if it won’t be as excellent as the previous one? Usually, numerous other thoughts swirl around in our minds, diverting our attention. To enter the flow state, leave those thoughts behind. Focus on doing the best you can right here, right now.

Research proves that people who focus on the process rather than the outcome have higher engagement in their tasks.

• Set realistic goals

We already know that the main thing that overwhelms us is the sheer amount of work. So, it’s crucial to break down our goals into smaller, manageable steps. This reduces stress and makes it easier to stay on track.

This approach makes the task feel more achievable and less daunting.

In sum, the journey to discipline doesn’t have to be a struggle. By focusing on what you enjoy, practicing acceptance, quitting the fear of failure, and setting realistic goals, you can enter the flow state and transform your approach to work and life.