It Is a Lack of Energy Not a Lack of Time That Hurts Side Projects

I have been trying for long time to work on side projects beside my job. But after the 9–5, I would be exhausted and it becomes very easy to say yes to some passive activity instead of an engaging positive activity, like writing or learning a new skill.

Then, I realized that it is a lack of energy, not a lack of time, that is causing the procrastination. In other words, we delay doing what we need to do when we are exhausted, physically, mentally, or both.

This procrastination, then, produces frustration that adds a mental load, and next time we are confronted with an activity that requires some mental energy, it will be hard not to procrastinate, hence, a vicious circle.

Once I understood the sources of my procrastination, realizing that it is a temporary not a permanent thing, and the problem is an energy more than a time, I started to do these habits that might help you as well increase your energy, or at least not drain it.

Small consistent steps is better than big non-lasting jumps

Every now and then, we gather enough motivation to start working on our side activities, but then we get over excited and we want to reach our goals as fast as possible, this common behavior adds pressure, which by turn adds mental load and causes us to prematurely quit because of the early burn out.

A better way is a sustainable and enjoyable method, with incremental steps relevant to your level of motivation and skill, then you will always be in the zone. In the same way, when we go to the gym we start training with the 5 Kg before the 10 kg, and with the 10 kg before the 15 Kg, etc. That is because we understand how our muscles work, it turns out that discipline is a muscle as well.

Set goals

“If You Fail to Plan, You Are Planning to Fail” — Benjamin Franklin

There is a big difference between “wanting to read a book/week” and “wanting to read”. The first one, if achieved, will result in 52 books being read in one year, where the second could be achieved by reading just one book, which is fine if that is what we wanted.

Without a plan, procrastination becomes easy because technically we are not breaking any rules. Setting goals works as having a map to follow, with the bigger picture in mind from the beginning.

Exercise

Our bodies are not evolved to sit on a chair for most of the day. Our muscles like to be used. Endorphins is a magical, free, and healthy drugs. When you go for a run before your work or during the lunch break, your body will be clapping for you for the rest of the day. You will feel better physically and mentally.

One other advantage of exercising being that it is a good practice for your mental strength. We understand what it means to push ourselves when it comes to physical exercise because we have been doing if for thousands of years, but the same push can be applied to mental exercises, but it is harder to grasp that.

It will also highlight the effect of some bad habits like cigarettes or unhealthy eating habits.

You are what you eat (and drink)

It is too much to ask our brain to focus on a task if it is busy in a heavy digestion process after a delicious junk meal. Our energy is limited and it is up to us to decide how this energy is going to be distributed between digestion, writing , thinking, etc.

Same applies to soda and cigarettes, which are enjoyable for seconds or minutes, but then will drain your energy for the rest of day.

In the same way that unhealthy food works against us (except of course for the time we are eating it, it is delicious), healthy food can be a good energy booster.

In a fight with procrastinate, it is better to arrive ready (physically and mentally). We might still need extra time, but meanwhile we will get more of the time we already have.