教你摆脱拖延症:拖延症与焦虑的恩恩怨怨

Isn't it amazing how energetically we clean our closets or organize the movie collection when a dreaded project is looming? Especially when that project feels abstract and difficult…I battle with this type of procrastination a LOT. And after much trial and error, I've found a simple system that works for me.

很奇怪为什么要到万不得已关头，我们才会充满战斗力地整理壁橱或收藏的电影。尤其是在困难麻烦的事情逼近之时。我曾一度与拖延症抗衡。功夫不负有心人，最终我找到了一个既有效又简单的方式。

If, like me, you tend to put things off or can't seem to stick with it once you start, then I am confident it will help you too. Here it is:

如果你像我一样容易拖延，或者对已开头的事物无法持之以恒。那么我坚信这个方式同样能帮助你。请看下面：

There are two critical parts to procrastination. One is difficulty getting started on something you need to do. The other is not sticking to something you started (and getting distracted by more exciting or easier things).

拖延症主要有两种表现形式。一种是很难开始需要做的事情。另一种是无法坚持已经开始了的事情（中途会被其他精彩或轻松的事物分散注意）。

Today, I'm going to tell you how to beat the second one.

今天，我就要告诉你怎样克服第二种。

So let's say you have just started a new diet, or an important work project. Most people are able to see it as a series of small steps that have to be done one day at a time to get to the successful end point.

举个例子，你现在正在节食，或者在做一个重要的项目。大多数人都会分成很多个步骤，然后在每一天里慢慢完成这些步骤，最后成功达到目的。

But if you are a chronic procrastinator, you will have trouble seeing the process, and instead you see only the final product (the super thin, six pack physique; or the perfectly done work project that impresses your boss and his boss). This is a big problem, kind of like seeing the forest and forgetting the trees.

但如果你是个慢性拖延症患者，你就很难看到这个过程，相反你只看得见最终的成果（瘦身成功，还有六块腹肌；或者完成了一个让老板或大老板刮目相看的项目）。这就麻烦了，就像一个人只看得见一大片森林，却看不见每一棵树一样。

What happens when you can only imagine the perfect final product?

当你只在乎完美的成品时会怎样呢？

You are unable to imagine the steps it would take to get there and thus feel anxious and overwhelmed. It's like being told to get to the moon and all you have for help is a mental picture of you standing on the moon.

那你就无法构思出成功所需要的步骤，继而变得焦虑和不知所措。这就好比要你去登月，但你脑中有的仅仅是站在月球上的场景。