[INTP] INTP's: What strategies do you employ to "get stuff done"?

[PeaceBaby]

As an INFP, I have to go get the Te club out and whack myself a few times with it to motivate myself to get stuff accomplished. I make 'to do' lists, I try to bribe myself etc etc.

So, I am curious what you all do to try to motivate yourselves when there are infinitely more interesting things to do than errands, chores, homework, projects or other stuff that just "needs" to get done, especially under a deadline.

How do you help yourself get stuff done? (Do you get stuff done? )

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

Ti isn't any help for getting stuff done, I can tell you that. Usually I "get stuff done" when it reaches the point where I have to take immediate action on things, or else I suffer consequences, unfortunately.

 

[Mal12345]

Work, rest, work, rest...

Or...

I bore myself with one activity so much that it forces me to move on to the work I should be doing.

 

[Such Irony]

Think about what would happen if I did nothing at all. I'd be a homeless bum. That usually gets me into action.

 

[Mal12345]

Think about what would happen if I did nothing at all. I'd be a homeless bum. That usually gets me into action.

Hmm, yes. I wouldn't be a homeless bum, but there would be negative consequences that I often have to remind myself about.

 

[rhinosaur]

The hardest part for me is just getting started. Once I take the first step, it's easy to get into the rhythm of doing.

Eliminating distractions helps. Sometimes I turn off the internet if I don't need it. Sometimes I change scenery-- libraries are usually very productive places for me. Obviously that will only work for something like writing, though.

Also, like Such Irony mentioned, some reflection and assessment of one's motives can be very helpful.

Lastly, writing stuff down seems to catalyze action. I'm a fan of simple to-do lists.

 

[Rasofy]

Ti isn't any help for getting stuff done, I can tell you that. Usually I "get stuff done" when it reaches the point where I have to take immediate action on things, or else I suffer consequences, unfortunately.

 

[Rasofy]

What helps me:

Music - sometimes it will be a bit distracting, but once you get into the task, you will basically ignore it.

Having a lot of leisure, to the point of getting bored (if you would rather be doing something else, your productivity will be compromised)

Anxiety/stress control - I suggest yoga and moderate cardio.

 

[En Gallop]

As an INFP, I have to go get the Te club out and whack myself a few times with it to motivate myself to get stuff accomplished. I make 'to do' lists, I try to bribe myself etc etc.

So, I am curious what you all do to try to motivate yourselves when there are infinitely more interesting things to do than errands, chores, homework, projects or other stuff that just "needs" to get done, especially under a deadline.

How do you help yourself get stuff done? (Do you get stuff done? )

Lol I struggle so much with this! I usually just persuade myself that thinking about what I'm going to do is the same as actually working.

I don't really do any chores or help anyone, so that's one area I never need to worry about. Deadlines are a useful thing, I think, and force me to get started at the latest possible moment haha (also the reason I'm late for EVERYTHING).

But really, I'm not worried enough about teachers, so it isn't even that big a motivator handing things in late haha. I think the only thing that works for me every time, is that I'm working on something that fascinates me. Otherwise, forget it haha.

 

[Ism]

"Do this or you're screwed."

Alternatively:

"Do this or you'll fail yourself."

It's kind of all or nothing, with me.

 

[Stigmata]

The hardest part for me is just getting started. Once I take the first step, it's easy to get into the rhythm of doing..

Exactly this.

I often find myself over or underestimating the task as means of justifying procrastination -- "It'll only take a few minutes, so it's not that big of a deal" or "It's going to take days to do this and I don't feel like dealing with it yet"

Most times, once I get started I notice I move through things quite easily. As dumb as it sounds, I find I work my best when my back is completely against the wall.

 

[Southern Kross]

How do you help yourself get stuff done? (Do you get stuff done? )

 

[Redbone]

Self-flagellation. Works every time.

 

[Fluffywolf]

I empty my mind and start moving my limbs. Seems the best way for me. Possibly the only way that works without fail.

If I can do the things that need to be done in my own effecient and fast way, I've no problems carrying them through once I've started them.

However, If I need to do something I don't really want to do and I also need to do it in a way that I don't really want to do it (my ENFJ father tends to be the source of these tasks), it can really frustrate me to no end. Thus I tend to avoid them as much as possible or at least find a way to do it in a way I want to do it. This sometimes does lead to some passive aggresiveness, but it always works out in the end because as luck would have it. My ways do seem to work out well, even if they clash with my fathers 'traditional' way of doing things.

Ultimately, I do get stuff done if it really needs to get done. There's no real issue there.

Stuff that don't need to get done however... Yeah..

 

[Eruca]

I could make a timeline of my approaches to difficult/academic work.

Primary school
Vague attention. Read lots. Unable to learn times tables despite concerted effort by my father. No strategy for completing work.

High School/6th form
Window gazing. Occasional burst of interest (and thus, effort) in single project or subject. Constantly forget homework and sometimes forget to go to classes. Enforced revision sessions by my father give rise to my first learning strategy. Current, and only, strategy is to listen to music while reading in an effort to maintain stimulation. Have no strategy to prevent frequent mind wandering and listlessness. Bad grades.

Intermittent/work period
Enter independent period. Motivate application to jobs and the follow through by listening to music and mentally assuring myself. Would psyche myself into a fervor for especially difficult or intimidating tasks. Eventual employment increases self confidence and, with it, ability to get stuff done. Unable to create effective academic work strategy and flunk attempted at-home study course.

College
Get into access to higher education course at college. Early motivation for completion of essays and classwork is given by desire to "do myself justice" and be someone of achievement in the eyes of others. Paradigm shift in my relation to others causes later motivation to be based on a desire to put myself in a position from which I can improve the world, people's lives or create "the good". Motivation is consistently high both qualitatively and quantitatively. Strategies are entirely based around maintaining my beliefs in personal worth, and "the good". Work is of very high quality.

University
Enter red-brick university. Initial success but eventual degradation of belief system, and, with it, self-worth make no work strategy effective. Grades drop to average over the year one later and year two earlier periods. Motivated by external pressures not to be seen as a failure. Identify new personal issue.

Intercalation (break) from University
Take a year long break to deal with new personal issue.

Return to University (current)
Issue, to some extent, made benign. Happier and have high self-esteem but with no personal mission. Motivated by a desire to improve myself. Motivation quantitatively fairly high but qualitatively fairly low.

I guess I blab about my motivation and life circumstances in a thread about strategies we use to get things done because, as far as I'm concerned, my ability to achieve things is entirely dependent on my motivational fuel. My mind and emotions are too stubborn for tricks.

 

[entropie]

"Do this or you're screwed."

Alternatively:

"Do this or you'll fail yourself."

It's kind of all or nothing, with me.

sounds hopeless

 

[entropie]

I could make a timeline of my approaches to difficult/academic work.

Primary school
Vague attention. Read lots. Unable to learn times tables despite concerted effort by my father. No strategy for completing work.

High School/6th form
Window gazing. Occasional burst of interest (and thus, effort) in single project or subject. Constantly forget homework and sometimes forget to go to classes. Enforced revision sessions by my father give rise to my first learning strategy. Current, and only, strategy is to listen to music while reading in an effort to maintain stimulation. Have no strategy to prevent frequent mind wandering and listlessness. Bad grades.

Intermittent/work period
Enter independent period. Motivate application to jobs and the follow through by listening to music and mentally assuring myself. Would psyche myself into a fervor for especially difficult or intimidating tasks. Eventual employment increases self confidence and, with it, ability to get stuff done. Unable to create effective academic work strategy and flunk attempted at-home study course.

College
Get into access to higher education course at college. Early motivation for completion of essays and classwork is given by desire to "do myself justice" and be someone of achievement in the eyes of others. Paradigm shift in my relation to others causes later motivation to be based on a desire to put myself in a position from which I can improve the world, people's lives or create "the good". Motivation is consistently high both qualitatively and quantitatively. Strategies are entirely based around maintaining my beliefs in personal worth, and "the good". Work is of very high quality.

University
Enter red-brick university. Initial success but eventual degradation of belief system, and, with it, self-worth make no work strategy effective. Grades drop to average over the year one later and year two earlier periods. Motivated by external pressures not to be seen as a failure. Identify new personal issue.

Intercalation (break) from University
Take a year long break to deal with new personal issue.

Return to University (current)
Issue, to some extent, made benign. Happier and have high self-esteem but with no personal mission. Motivated by a desire to improve myself. Motivation quantitatively fairly high but qualitatively fairly low.

I guess I blab about my motivation and life circumstances in a thread about strategies we use to get things done because, as far as I'm concerned, my ability to achieve things is entirely dependent on my motivational fuel. My mind and emotions are too stubborn for tricks.

That sounds pretty infp to me, especially "entering red-brick university". So much humor I couldnt entrust to an intp

 

[Eruca]

That sounds pretty infp to me, especially "entering red-brick university". So much humor I couldnt entrust to an intp

Em...I meant no joke with the red-brick university comment.

My F/T balance is tentative, I'm only just T, but I think that makes all the difference. If you've read some of my other posts it might be easier to imagine Ti as my primary function. Believe me, I've gone down the thinking I'm an INFP road. I'm not, however, I'm just an INTP with some emotional awareness and emotional issues.

 

[entropie]

Em...I meant no joke with the red-brick university comment.

My F/T balance is tentative, I'm only just T, but I think that makes all the difference. If you've read some of my other posts it might be easier to imagine Ti as my primary function. Believe me, I've gone down the thinking I'm an INFP road. I'm not, however, I'm just an INTP with some emotional awareness and emotional issues.

Ah. when you get older an more relaxed we all go down the F way. I am so close to being an enfp, only a few more years and I'll have reached the state of inner Zen.

 

[Oeufa]

I have no tricks. Beating myself up doesn't work. Threatening myself with homelessness doesn't work. Trying to prove myself to others/myself doesn't work either.

I seem to do, or not do, and my motivations and desires don't appear to have any affect on my actual output (or lack thereof) whatsoever.