Why do we like to emphasize "dismantling tasks"?

Tao Zongyi of the Yuan Dynasty wrote a book called "Records of Stopping Farming in Nancun". There is a story about "Han Hao Chong" in the book. It tells the story of "There is a bird in Mount Wutai, and its name is Han Hao Chong. Four It has legs, fleshy wings, and cannot fly, and its excrement is the five spirit fats. When the heat is high, the feathers are gorgeous, and it sings: "The Phoenix is ??not as good as me." When it is cold in the middle of winter, the feathers fall off, and it sings like a chick. : Muddle through. ”

The interpretation of this story by later generations is that the cold horn bird delays building its nest when the climate is warm, causing the feathers that are most proud of to fall off in the severe cold. Tell people about the negative impact of procrastination on work and life.

"Task Splitting Method"

We often see the "Task Splitting Method" in articles about methods to combat procrastination, or in articles about efficient learning and efficient execution. ".

Some people break down a task into three or four parts, which can be completed in order. Some people even break it down to every tiny action, such as turning on the computer - opening Word, etc. Strictly follow the dismantling process and do not open web pages to check email, etc.

The level of detail in the teardowns varies from person to person, but they all seem to work. After reading many books on procrastination, I believe that "breaking down tasks" is effective for the following three reasons:

First, it is easier to start:

There is such a joke on the Internet : Work will start again tonight. I started developing feelings in the evening. First I ate a plate of melon seeds, a chicken foot, three chocolate pies, and two cups of yogurt. Return to the room, shower and change clothes. Apply toner once and moisturizer twice. Spray some perfume into the room, make a pot of rose tea, and spend ten minutes sipping it. Open a blank word document. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and feel that the spiritual platform is empty and your mind is as calm as a mirror. Then, I fell asleep...

When faced with a task, we often procrastinate because we don't know how to start or where to start. We start organizing the desk, cleaning the room, etc. But if we disassemble the task, we can start from the small tasks that have been disassembled, and we will have a clearer understanding of whether what we are doing is part of the task. Everything is difficult at the beginning, but once you start, things will be easy once you have the status. It went on.

2. Mechanize task processing

(1) Some psychologists have found that procrastination is more serious among editors and writers because their tasks are more abstract and make The psychological pressure is greater. Therefore, when we deal with a task, we try to break it down and become more mechanical, and our resistance to it will be lower.

(2) If this is a task that you need to do repeatedly in your life, after making it a process, it will be smoother if you perform it again. This method is also the method of Zhihu big V "Zhan Falcon", which is called small systemization.

Third, there is feedback

When disassembling tasks, after completing each small task, it is equivalent to having one more feedback: "I have completed another part of the task." You will have a sense of solidity and accomplishment, and you will be more motivated to move forward.

Short story: In 1984, at the Tokyo International Marathon Invitational, the little-known runner Yamada Motoichi unexpectedly won the world championship. When a reporter asked him why he achieved such astonishing results, he said this: "Victory against opponents with wisdom." At that time, many people thought that this short player who accidentally ran in front was playing tricks. Marathon is a sport of physical strength and endurance. As long as you have good physical fitness and patience, you are expected to win. Explosive power and speed come second. It is indeed a bit reluctant to say that you can win with wisdom.

Two years later, Yamada won another championship at the Italian International Marathon Invitational. He gave the reporter the same answer. People find it incredible.

Ten years later, the mystery was finally solved. Yamada Motoichi said this in his autobiography: "Before every game, I have to take a bus and look at the game route carefully, and Draw the more eye-catching signs along the way, for example, the first sign is a bank, the second sign is a big tree, the third sign is a red house, and so on until the end of the race.

After the game started, I sprinted towards the first goal at a sprint speed of 100 meters. When I reached the first goal, I rushed towards the second goal at the same speed. The more than 40-kilometer race was broken down into several small goals and I finished it easily. At first, I didn’t understand this truth. I set my goal at the finish line at more than 40 kilometers. As a result, I was exhausted when I ran more than ten kilometers. I was frightened by the long distance ahead. Fell down. "

The method used by Yamada Motoichi is like dismantling a task. This method will allow him to receive continuous feedback and increase positive psychological cues. The completion of the task will no longer be so far away and therefore more difficult. Easy to complete.

Procrastination is a negative response to tasks. Procrastination is intended to combat anxiety, but procrastination will cause more anxiety. At the same time, it is also a waste of time. Overcome procrastination and make work less difficult