It’s a familiar feeling. That sense of dread and resistance around tasks that you know you’re supposed to get done, yet every fiber of your being is telling you not to. It might feel like you have a toddler living inside of you, having its own little tantrum. At times like these, even the most mundane chores like washing the dishes or doing the laundry seem like welcomed respites compared to the tasks you “should” be doing.
In fact, I’m putting off something this very minute, hopping on my laptop to write this article instead of finishing a bigger project that’s been on my calendar!
Call it procrastination, call it buffering, it’s a state of being we are all too familiar with. As humans, our natural instincts are to keep us safe, seek pleasure, and avoid pain. So, it’s no surprise that any activity that involves any of these characteristics and requires that we move out of our comfort zone will trigger resistance, at least initially.
The good news is that we’re also hardwired to accomplish great things, conquer new territories, and explore the unknown. One area of motivation research sheds light on why we are eager to complete some activities while others remain at the bottom of our planning lists. According to self-determination theory and studies conducted by psychologists Harry Harlow, Edward Deci, and then later expounded upon by author Daniel Pink and others, we can be motivated by both external and internal factors but it’s the internal ones that will keep us engaged over the long run. In fact, some studies suggest that external rewards, such as a good grade at the end of a semester, an allowance after finishing chores, or a performance bonus at work, may motivate someone in the short term but are in fact often counter-productive to sustainable, lasting motivation.
So, what does work to keep us motivated over the long-term?
According to the research, three factors help promote lasting motivation. We call them the AMR’s of Motivation:
AUTONOMY – This is the feeling of choice and that we have some sense of control over what we are doing. For tasks to be motivating, we need to drop the “should” from our vernacular and identify the areas where we have decision-making ability and personal choice.
MASTERY – This is the feeling of achievement and that we are not only competent but can also improve upon our skills and abilities. If we don’t feel like we’re good at something – or can be good at something – it’s hard to find excitement around it. Importantly, as much as we can, we need to find the intrinsic desire to improve vs. improving only in order to receive an external reward. Those who can find fun and be motivated by “learning for the sake of learning” will be most likely to accomplish their immediate and future goals.
RELATEDNESS– This is the feeling of connection, belonging, and purpose. When we feel part of something larger than ourselves, we are more likely to have more drive to complete our tasks. Our shift as a society to remote/hybrid work is an interesting present-day case study. On the one hand, it’s possible that this increases autonomy but may decrease an employee’s sense of purpose and connection to the larger organization.
Of course, why we do what we do – and don’t do other things – is much more complicated and nuanced than simply the presence of these three factors. There are myriad of psychological, sociological, situational, etc. components that could be at play.
But it’s worthwhile to take another look at your to-do list. Experiment with orienting your tasks around internal “AMRs” and see if it helps to reduce that dreaded yet familiar feeling of procrastination.
And, admittedly, now that I’ve successfully complete this article and no longer have an excuse to buffer myself, I might just have to take a dose of my own medicine and tackle those AMR’s right alongside of you!