https://lestallion.com/collections/journal-notebook-for-overcoming-procrastination
Procrastination haunts even the most talented among us. Take my cousin Mark—brilliant software developer who'd get stuck for days in planning mode, paralyzed by perfectionism before writing a single line of code. Sound familiar?
Contrary to popular belief, procrastination isn't about laziness. Our deep dive reveals it's rooted in psychological barriers: fear of failure, perfectionism, feeling overwhelmed, and the anxiety these create. When we understand these underlying causes, we can begin addressing them at their source rather than merely fighting symptoms.
This is where structured journaling becomes transformative. Writing transforms abstract worries into concrete challenges we can tackle. As one of our guests beautifully described it, "It's like shining a light on the monsters under the bed. Once you see them clearly, they often aren't as scary as you thought."
We explore how Lestallion journals specifically design features to combat procrastination—from premium paper that makes writing pleasurable to built-in organization systems that turn scattered thoughts into productivity archives. These aren't just aesthetic choices but practical tools supporting consistent use and reflection.
The most powerful aspect might be emotional processing. When Lisa, a marketing professional, used journaling to explore why she always delayed writing monthly reports, she discovered a deep fear of criticism driving her avoidance. By acknowledging these feelings on paper, she created distance from them, breaking their control over her behavior.
Implementing this approach is straightforward: break overwhelming tasks into bite-sized pieces (even just 15 minutes!), track small wins to build momentum, create accountability systems, and use journaling prompts to explore your emotional relationship with challenging tasks.
Want to transform your relationship with productivity? Consider whether journaling might be your key to unlocking potential by confronting those uncomfortable feelings that drive procrastination, one entry at a time.
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https://www.buzzsprout.com/2071281/episodes/16941088-journaling-for-emotional-well-being-transforming-habits-with-writing-for-emotional-well-being
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LeStallion offers premium PU leather journal notebooks for writing, dedicated to all those who are pursuing their dreams and goals, or nurturing their personal development and mental health.
For More Info on LeStallion, check out:
https://lestallion.com/
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Okay, so we're back for another deep dive, and today
we're going to dig intosomething I think we've all
wrestled with at some pointProcrastination we all do it.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
But how do we actually start getting a handle
on it?
I mean, really Like we've beenlooking into some fascinating
ideas and approaches, and onethat really caught my eye is the
whole philosophy behindLestallion journals.
You know how they'respecifically structured to help
people break free fromprocrastination, Right?
Not just you know nicenotebooks.
(00:31):
They really seem to havethought about how the design can
actually help tackle thisproblem.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Yeah, and that's what's really interesting about
them.
It's not just about theaesthetics.
You know, you can get aLestallion in all sorts of
styles.
Oh yeah, Like they've got thesoft covers, like that orange
wall one with the ash gray blackcover.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Oh, that's a good one .
Speaker 2 (00:49):
It is, or you know.
If you want something warmer,there's the Garano and Coco
Brown.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
And then they have the more like durable hard
covers, like the black fauxleather, the classic brown, oh,
those are nice.
Yeah, but the point is it's notjust about looking good, it's
about how those features areactually designed to help you
overcome procrastination.
Like they've really thoughtabout why we put things off.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Absolutely.
And it makes me think about mycousin.
You know, mark, he's abrilliant software developer,
really talented guy.
But you give him a new projectand he would just get stuck in
this like planning stage.
You know you spend days justlike thinking about it.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
But not actually writing any code, because the
task just felt so huge, it wasalmost paralyzing.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
I can see that.
So before we even get into likethe how to's.
What are we even really talkingabout when we say
procrastination, Right?
Well, at its core,procrastination really is about
deliberately delaying importanttasks.
Often, we swap them out foractivities that are more fun or
less urgent right, but the keyhere is that it's not just about
bad time management.
You know, it's deeper than that.
(01:53):
It can turn into this likeself-defeating cycle and it can
have a big impact not just onhow productive we are, but also
how we feel about ourselves andwhat we achieve.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Absolutely, and that's why I think this idea of
like focusing on breaking thecycle is so important.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Oh, it's crucial.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Because it's not about like just giving ourselves
a pep talk and you know, whiteknuckling it, no, no, no, it's
not about willpower.
It's about figuring out whywe're even avoiding the task in
the first place.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Right.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
And that's where I think this whole idea of a
structured journal comes in.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Right.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Especially like what Lestallion's doing.
They're basically saying, hey,this is a dedicated space to
really examine how you manageyour time, you know, set goals
that actually mean something andcome up with strategies to be
more productive.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Yeah, and that's the beauty of a journal, right?
Because it becomes this like adedicated place for
self-reflection.
And when you think about, like,the psychology behind
procrastination, it's not justoh, I'm being lazy, it's often
much deeper than that.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Oh, for sure.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Like a lot of the research we've looked at, points
to a few key things.
Okay, that fear of failure,that inner critic that's always
pushing for perfection.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
The feeling of being just completely overwhelmed by a
task, totally.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
And the stress and anxiety that all comes with it.
Oh yeah, you know those arereal psychological barriers that
we need to deal with.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Yeah, it's so true.
Like my cousin Mark, he wouldget so stuck because he felt
like the first version ofwhatever code he wrote had to be
absolutely perfect, oh wow.
So that pressure to get itright immediately would stop him
from even starting.
Yeah, he'd freeze up.
He'd be doing all this researchtrying to like anticipate every
(03:31):
single problem before he evenwrote one line.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
So how do we actually use journaling to help us break
through those kinds of blocks?
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Yeah, that's a great question.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
I mean, how does it actually help?
Because writing stuff downisn't like magic right, I know,
but it can feel like itsometimes.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
You know what I think is really insightful about this
whole approach.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
It's how, when we write our thoughts, our fears
and our goals down in a journal,they become less abstract, they
become more real.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Oh, that's a good point.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
It's like you're taking all those jumbled
anxieties, all those to-dos thatare swirling around in your
head, and you're putting themdown on paper in a way that you
can actually see and process,and just the simple act of doing
that can really reduce thatfeeling of being overwhelmed.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
It's like you're taking all those tangled wires
in your brain.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
And you're laying them out neatly on a table so
you can actually see where theknots are and start untangling
them.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Right.
And speaking of untanglingthose knots, a lot of what we've
been looking at reallyemphasizes the power of to-do
lists.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Oh, for sure.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
But not just any to-do list.
It's about actually writingdown your tasks, prioritizing
them thoughtfully and this iskey breaking down those huge,
overwhelming tasks into muchsmaller steps.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Smaller bite-sized pieces.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Exactly Because those smaller steps feel way less
intimidating.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
And this is where I think the design of something
like a listallion journal reallyshines.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Oh, tell me about it.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Like those smooth ivory colored pages, they're not
just there to look fancy.
They actually make the writingexperience more enjoyable.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Yeah, and that's important because if you enjoy
writing in it, you're morelikely to use it consistently.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
Right, it becomes less of a chore.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
And then there are those 7.5 millimeter wide lines
and those dashed lined pages.
They provide structure withoutfeeling too rigid.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
You've got plenty of space to write down those
detailed tasks and break themdown into those actionable steps
we talked about.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
It's all about setting yourself up for success.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Exactly, and let's not forget that built-in table
of contents.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Oh, that's one of my favorite features.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
It's brilliant.
It turns your journal into areal resource.
You can track your progressover time, go back and see what
worked and what didn't.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
And it makes it so much easier to find specific
entries later on.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Absolutely.
It transforms the journal froma place to just jot things down
to a real archive of yourproductivity journey.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Yeah, it's so true Like I had a colleague, Anna.
She was amazing at jugglinglike a million projects at once.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
And she always had this notebook where she would
not only write down her to-dos.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
But she would also like reflect on her progress.
Any roadblocks she hit, thatkind of thing.
I love that and I just imaginehow much more effective that
would have been if she'd had alistallion journal.
You know that clear layout andthe index.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
She could have easily referred back to past
strategies and insights.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Absolutely, and that ability to see your progress and
learn from your experiences.
It's incredibly motivating.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
So we've talked about lists, right, but how does
consistently using a journalhelp us break out of the
procrastination cycle itself,like, beyond, just writing down
tasks?
Speaker 2 (06:38):
That's where self-awareness comes in.
The journal becomes a tool forreally digging into your
procrastination habits, likewhat kind of tasks do you always
avoid and how do you feel whenyou think about doing those
tasks?
Is it anxiety, stress, boredomor something else?
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Yeah, and once you identify those triggers.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Oh, that's when things start to shift.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Right, because you can start to challenge those
negative thought patterns.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
It's like you're finding the faulty wiring in a
circuit breaker.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Once you know where the problem is, you can start to
fix it.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Exactly yeah.
And then there's the whole ideaof smart goals.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
Oh yes, specific, measurable, achievable, relevant
and time bound.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Right.
It's much more effective to sayI'm going to go for a 30-minute
walk three times this weekstarting Monday at 7 am.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Right Than it is to just vaguely think oh I should
exercise more.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
That level of specificity makes a huge
difference and journaling reallyencourages that kind of
specific goal setting.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
It does.
And again, think aboutLestallion journals.
They use that thick 120 GSMpaper.
It's durable, it's high quality.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
Yeah, those journals are made to last.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
They are and that encourages consistent use.
You know, when you have ajournal that feels good and is
built to last, you're morelikely to reach for it every day
and write down those goals andplans.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
And there's plenty of space on those pages to really
break down those big goals intomanageable chunks.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Right.
It's all about creating adedicated space, a space you
enjoy for this work.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
Yeah, Rather than trying to squeeze it into the
margins of an already BB life.
You touched on this before, butI'm curious can you say a bit
more about how writing down andreflecting on our feelings can
actually help us deal with thosenegative emotions that are so
often tied to the tasks we'reputting off?
Speaker 2 (08:17):
It's fascinating really Writing can be such a
powerful way to process emotions.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Oh, for sure.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
When you put those anxieties, those fears of
failure, those feelings of beingcompletely overwhelmed down on
paper, you're taking them out ofyour head and you're looking at
them from a bit of a distance,and that can actually reduce the
intensity of those emotions.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
It's like you're taking something that felt huge
and scary.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
And you're making it smaller and more manageable.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
Exactly.
It's like you're shining alight on the monsters under the
bed.
Once you see them, clearly theyoften aren't as scary as you
thought they were.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
That's such a great analogy.
So we've talked about thetheory, but can you give an
example of what this mightactually look like in real life?
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Sure, let's say we have a marketing professional
We'll call her Lisa who alwaysputs off writing her monthly
reports.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
I think we all know Elisa.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Probably the deadline would get closer and closer and
she'd get so stressed and endup rushing to finish everything
at the last minute.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Oh, that last minute panic.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
It's the worst.
So Lisa decides to start usinga Lestallion journal to figure
out what's going on.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
And what she discovers through journaling is
that she has this deep fear ofher manager criticizing her
reports.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Oh, that fear of judgment.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
Yeah, it can be so paralyzing.
It really can, and even thoughshe hadn't really admitted it to
herself, that fear was the mainreason she was avoiding the
task.
Wow.
So Lisa starts using herjournal to break down the report
writing process into smallersteps, like outlining one day,
drafting the intro the next, andso on.
But more importantly, she alsostarts writing about her fears,
about the potential criticism,and by acknowledging those
(09:51):
feelings, putting them down onpaper, she starts to separate
herself from them a little bitso she's not letting those fears
control her as much exactly andover time.
Not only does she get moreefficient at writing her reports
, but her confidence in her workactually starts to grow too.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
That's a great example of how self-reflection
can lead to real positive change.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
And it shows how this isn't just about like
productivity hacks.
It's about addressing thosedeeper psychological factors
that drive our behavior.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
And the stuff we've been looking at really
underscores the link betweenprocrastination and those mental
blocks right.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Oh, absolutely yeah.
It's so important to rememberthat procrastination is rarely
about being lazy.
It's often tied to thosepsychological factors we've been
talking about the fear offailure, the pursuit of
perfection, those negativeemotions we often don't even
acknowledge Right, and thejournal becomes this safe space,
this nonjudgmental space toexplore why you're avoiding
(10:47):
certain tasks.
Is it because they feel toocomplicated?
Do you feel like you don't havethe skills or the information?
Are you just not inspired, orare you just overwhelmed by the
sheer size of the thing?
Speaker 1 (10:58):
It's like giving yourself permission to really
dig into those feelings.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
It is, and the key is to look for those recurring
patterns.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Yeah, if you notice that you're always
procrastinating on tasks thatpush you outside your comfort
zone, that's probably a signthat there's some fear or
anxiety there that needs to beaddressed.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Exactly.
The journal becomes like apersonal data log, helping you
spot those patterns and thosetriggers.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
And once you see the pattern, you can start to come
up with solutions.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
You can reframe your approach to those tasks Start to
take control and awell-designed journal like a
listallion it can reallyencourage that ongoing
self-exploration and patternrecognition.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
So it becomes part of your routine it does.
It's not about finding a quickfix Right.
It's about going on a journeyof self-discovery and constantly
adjusting.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Exactly so for anyone listening who's thinking, okay,
this all makes sense.
I'm definitely a procrastinator.
What are some things I canstart doing today, like how do I
actually use a journal to helpme?
Speaker 1 (11:55):
Yeah, what are some actionable steps?
Speaker 2 (11:57):
Well, the first thing is to set clear and realistic
daily goals, Instead of justsaying I'm going to work on the
project, choose one specificachievable task for that day.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
So break it down.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
Exactly Break those huge, overwhelming tasks into
the smallest possible steps.
Bite-sized pieces, bite-sizedpieces.
Even just committing to workingon something for 15 minutes,
yeah, that can be enough to getyou started.
Get over that initial hurdleand use journaling prompts to
explore your feelings and yourmotivations.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
Okay, like what kinds of prompts?
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Ask yourself things like what am I specifically
avoiding about this task, orwhat would make this task feel
less daunting?
Speaker 1 (12:36):
Oh, that's interesting.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
Those kinds of questions can lead to some
surprising insights.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
So sometimes the biggest challenge is just
knowing where to start.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
Often it is.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
What else can people do?
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Track your progress, no matter how small the win is.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
Did you finally make that phone call?
You were dreading.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Did you finish one tiny piece of a massive project?
Speaker 1 (12:56):
Uh-huh.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Write it down, acknowledge that accomplishment.
It helps you build momentum andit reinforces those positive
behaviors.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
Like giving yourself credit for the small wins.
It is.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
And finally, consider creating some kind of
accountability system.
Okay, it could be as simple assharing your daily goals with a
friend or a colleague, or justwriting them down clearly in
your journal as a commitment toyourself.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
Oh, that's a good idea.
That sense of accountabilitycan really help.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
It can.
Knowing that someone else isaware of your intentions, it can
give you that extra push tostay on track.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
And, you know, Lestallion seems to have really
thought about how to make theirjournals easy to use
consistently.
Oh, they have they have thatback pocket for storing notes.
The soft cover with the premiumfaux leather.
It looks good and it feels niceto hold.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Right, it makes you want to use it.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
And even something as simple as having numbered pages
.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Oh yeah, it makes it, want to use it and even
something as simple as havingnumbered pages.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Oh yeah, it makes it so much easier to refer back to
specific entries.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
Absolutely, All those little details they add up.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
They make the journal a more integrated part of your
life.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
They do.
Speaker 1 (13:59):
So it's about removing those little obstacles
that can prevent us fromsticking with it.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
Exactly.
So let's zoom out a little.
What are the long-term benefitsof making this kind of
journaling a regular practice?
Speaker 1 (14:11):
Yeah, like what can people expect to see if they
commit to this?
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Well, you can see a real increase in your overall
productivity, a greater sense ofwell-being and control and a
real improvement in your mentalhealth.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
So it's not just about getting things done, it's
about feeling better overall.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
It is because when you're consistently reflecting
on your patterns and addressingthose triggers for
procrastination, you become moreself-aware, you become more
organized and more effective.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
Both in your work and in your life in general.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Exactly.
And we can't forget about thereduction in stress and anxiety.
Oh yeah, that's huge.
Journaling can be such ahealthy outlet for emotional
processing.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
It's like you're getting all those worries out of
your head and onto the page.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
It is.
And when you invest in a highquality journal like a
listallion.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
With its thick acid free paper that's designed to
last and that built in table ofcontents so you can easily go
back and review your thoughtsand goals, you're really
investing in yourself.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
You're investing in your own growth.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
You are, it becomes a record of your journey.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
So it sounds like a dedicated journal, especially
one that's designed withprocrastination in mind, like
the ones from the Stallion, canbe an incredibly powerful tool.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
I think so.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
It gives you structure, it gives you space to
reflect and it gives you atangible way to track your
progress as you tackle thischallenge.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
And remember those features we've talked about the
quality of the paper, the layout, the organization.
Those aren't just randomdetails.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
No, they're not.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
They're there to support you, to help you
understand your ownprocrastination habits and build
better, more productive ones.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
So for everyone listening, think about what
we've discussed today.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
Could journaling be the key to helping you finally
unlock your potential?
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Could it help you feel happier and more fulfilled.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
Because if procrastination is often about
avoiding uncomfortable feelings,maybe the act of facing those
feelings directly in a journalis the key to breaking free.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Maybe confronting those feelings head on, one
entry at a time, is what willfinally unlock everything you're
capable of.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
It's definitely something to think about.
Okay, so we're back for another deep dive, and today
we're going to dig intosomething I think we've all
wrestled with at some pointProcrastination we all do it.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
But how do we actually start getting a handle
on it?
I mean, really Like we've beenlooking into some fascinating
ideas and approaches, and onethat really caught my eye is the
whole philosophy behindLestallion journals.
You know how they'respecifically structured to help
people break free fromprocrastination, Right?
Not just you know nicenotebooks.
(00:31):
They really seem to havethought about how the design can
actually help tackle thisproblem.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Yeah, and that's what's really interesting about
them.
It's not just about theaesthetics.
You know, you can get aLestallion in all sorts of
styles.
Oh yeah, Like they've got thesoft covers, like that orange
wall one with the ash gray blackcover.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Oh, that's a good one .
Speaker 2 (00:49):
It is, or you know.
If you want something warmer,there's the Garano and Coco
Brown.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
And then they have the more like durable hard
covers, like the black fauxleather, the classic brown, oh,
those are nice.
Yeah, but the point is it's notjust about looking good, it's
about how those features areactually designed to help you
overcome procrastination.
Like they've really thoughtabout why we put things off.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Absolutely.
And it makes me think about mycousin.
You know, mark, he's abrilliant software developer,
really talented guy.
But you give him a new projectand he would just get stuck in
this like planning stage.
You know you spend days justlike thinking about it.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
But not actually writing any code, because the
task just felt so huge, it wasalmost paralyzing.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
I can see that.
So before we even get into likethe how to's.
What are we even really talkingabout when we say
procrastination, Right?
Well, at its core,procrastination really is about
deliberately delaying importanttasks.
Often, we swap them out foractivities that are more fun or
less urgent right, but the keyhere is that it's not just about
bad time management.
You know, it's deeper than that.
(01:53):
It can turn into this likeself-defeating cycle and it can
have a big impact not just onhow productive we are, but also
how we feel about ourselves andwhat we achieve.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Absolutely, and that's why I think this idea of
like focusing on breaking thecycle is so important.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Oh, it's crucial.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Because it's not about like just giving ourselves
a pep talk and you know, whiteknuckling it, no, no, no, it's
not about willpower.
It's about figuring out whywe're even avoiding the task in
the first place.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Right.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
And that's where I think this whole idea of a
structured journal comes in.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Right.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Especially like what Lestallion's doing.
They're basically saying, hey,this is a dedicated space to
really examine how you manageyour time, you know, set goals
that actually mean something andcome up with strategies to be
more productive.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Yeah, and that's the beauty of a journal, right?
Because it becomes this like adedicated place for
self-reflection.
And when you think about, like,the psychology behind
procrastination, it's not justoh, I'm being lazy, it's often
much deeper than that.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Oh, for sure.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Like a lot of the research we've looked at, points
to a few key things.
Okay, that fear of failure,that inner critic that's always
pushing for perfection.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
The feeling of being just completely overwhelmed by a
task, totally.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
And the stress and anxiety that all comes with it.
Oh yeah, you know those arereal psychological barriers that
we need to deal with.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Yeah, it's so true.
Like my cousin Mark, he wouldget so stuck because he felt
like the first version ofwhatever code he wrote had to be
absolutely perfect, oh wow.
So that pressure to get itright immediately would stop him
from even starting.
Yeah, he'd freeze up.
He'd be doing all this researchtrying to like anticipate every
(03:31):
single problem before he evenwrote one line.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
So how do we actually use journaling to help us break
through those kinds of blocks?
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Yeah, that's a great question.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
I mean, how does it actually help?
Because writing stuff downisn't like magic right, I know,
but it can feel like itsometimes.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
You know what I think is really insightful about this
whole approach.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
It's how, when we write our thoughts, our fears
and our goals down in a journal,they become less abstract, they
become more real.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Oh, that's a good point.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
It's like you're taking all those jumbled
anxieties, all those to-dos thatare swirling around in your
head, and you're putting themdown on paper in a way that you
can actually see and process,and just the simple act of doing
that can really reduce thatfeeling of being overwhelmed.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
It's like you're taking all those tangled wires
in your brain.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
And you're laying them out neatly on a table so
you can actually see where theknots are and start untangling
them.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Right.
And speaking of untanglingthose knots, a lot of what we've
been looking at reallyemphasizes the power of to-do
lists.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Oh, for sure.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
But not just any to-do list.
It's about actually writingdown your tasks, prioritizing
them thoughtfully and this iskey breaking down those huge,
overwhelming tasks into muchsmaller steps.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Smaller bite-sized pieces.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Exactly Because those smaller steps feel way less
intimidating.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
And this is where I think the design of something
like a listallion journal reallyshines.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Oh, tell me about it.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Like those smooth ivory colored pages, they're not
just there to look fancy.
They actually make the writingexperience more enjoyable.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Yeah, and that's important because if you enjoy
writing in it, you're morelikely to use it consistently.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
Right, it becomes less of a chore.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
And then there are those 7.5 millimeter wide lines
and those dashed lined pages.
They provide structure withoutfeeling too rigid.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
You've got plenty of space to write down those
detailed tasks and break themdown into those actionable steps
we talked about.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
It's all about setting yourself up for success.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Exactly, and let's not forget that built-in table
of contents.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Oh, that's one of my favorite features.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
It's brilliant.
It turns your journal into areal resource.
You can track your progressover time, go back and see what
worked and what didn't.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
And it makes it so much easier to find specific
entries later on.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Absolutely.
It transforms the journal froma place to just jot things down
to a real archive of yourproductivity journey.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Yeah, it's so true Like I had a colleague, Anna.
She was amazing at jugglinglike a million projects at once.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Oh, wow.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
And she always had this notebook where she would
not only write down her to-dos.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
But she would also like reflect on her progress.
Any roadblocks she hit, thatkind of thing.
I love that and I just imaginehow much more effective that
would have been if she'd had alistallion journal.
You know that clear layout andthe index.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
She could have easily referred back to past
strategies and insights.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Absolutely, and that ability to see your progress and
learn from your experiences.
It's incredibly motivating.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
So we've talked about lists, right, but how does
consistently using a journalhelp us break out of the
procrastination cycle itself,like, beyond, just writing down
tasks?
Speaker 2 (06:38):
That's where self-awareness comes in.
The journal becomes a tool forreally digging into your
procrastination habits, likewhat kind of tasks do you always
avoid and how do you feel whenyou think about doing those
tasks?
Is it anxiety, stress, boredomor something else?
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Yeah, and once you identify those triggers.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Oh, that's when things start to shift.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Right, because you can start to challenge those
negative thought patterns.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
It's like you're finding the faulty wiring in a
circuit breaker.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Once you know where the problem is, you can start to
fix it.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Exactly yeah.
And then there's the whole ideaof smart goals.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
Oh yes, specific, measurable, achievable, relevant
and time bound.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Right.
It's much more effective to sayI'm going to go for a 30-minute
walk three times this weekstarting Monday at 7 am.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Right Than it is to just vaguely think oh I should
exercise more.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
That level of specificity makes a huge
difference and journaling reallyencourages that kind of
specific goal setting.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
It does.
And again, think aboutLestallion journals.
They use that thick 120 GSMpaper.
It's durable, it's high quality.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
Yeah, those journals are made to last.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
They are and that encourages consistent use.
You know, when you have ajournal that feels good and is
built to last, you're morelikely to reach for it every day
and write down those goals andplans.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
And there's plenty of space on those pages to really
break down those big goals intomanageable chunks.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Right.
It's all about creating adedicated space, a space you
enjoy for this work.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
Yeah, Rather than trying to squeeze it into the
margins of an already BB life.
You touched on this before, butI'm curious can you say a bit
more about how writing down andreflecting on our feelings can
actually help us deal with thosenegative emotions that are so
often tied to the tasks we'reputting off?
Speaker 2 (08:17):
It's fascinating really Writing can be such a
powerful way to process emotions.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Oh, for sure.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
When you put those anxieties, those fears of
failure, those feelings of beingcompletely overwhelmed down on
paper, you're taking them out ofyour head and you're looking at
them from a bit of a distance,and that can actually reduce the
intensity of those emotions.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
It's like you're taking something that felt huge
and scary.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
And you're making it smaller and more manageable.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
Exactly.
It's like you're shining alight on the monsters under the
bed.
Once you see them, clearly theyoften aren't as scary as you
thought they were.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
That's such a great analogy.
So we've talked about thetheory, but can you give an
example of what this mightactually look like in real life?
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Sure, let's say we have a marketing professional
We'll call her Lisa who alwaysputs off writing her monthly
reports.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
I think we all know Elisa.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Probably the deadline would get closer and closer and
she'd get so stressed and endup rushing to finish everything
at the last minute.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Oh, that last minute panic.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
It's the worst.
So Lisa decides to start usinga Lestallion journal to figure
out what's going on.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
And what she discovers through journaling is
that she has this deep fear ofher manager criticizing her
reports.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Oh, that fear of judgment.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
Yeah, it can be so paralyzing.
It really can, and even thoughshe hadn't really admitted it to
herself, that fear was the mainreason she was avoiding the
task.
Wow.
So Lisa starts using herjournal to break down the report
writing process into smallersteps, like outlining one day,
drafting the intro the next, andso on.
But more importantly, she alsostarts writing about her fears,
about the potential criticism,and by acknowledging those
(09:51):
feelings, putting them down onpaper, she starts to separate
herself from them a little bitso she's not letting those fears
control her as much exactly andover time.
Not only does she get moreefficient at writing her reports
, but her confidence in her workactually starts to grow too.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
That's a great example of how self-reflection
can lead to real positive change.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
And it shows how this isn't just about like
productivity hacks.
It's about addressing thosedeeper psychological factors
that drive our behavior.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
And the stuff we've been looking at really
underscores the link betweenprocrastination and those mental
blocks right.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Oh, absolutely yeah.
It's so important to rememberthat procrastination is rarely
about being lazy.
It's often tied to thosepsychological factors we've been
talking about the fear offailure, the pursuit of
perfection, those negativeemotions we often don't even
acknowledge Right, and thejournal becomes this safe space,
this nonjudgmental space toexplore why you're avoiding
(10:47):
certain tasks.
Is it because they feel toocomplicated?
Do you feel like you don't havethe skills or the information?
Are you just not inspired, orare you just overwhelmed by the
sheer size of the thing?
Speaker 1 (10:58):
It's like giving yourself permission to really
dig into those feelings.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
It is, and the key is to look for those recurring
patterns.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Yeah, if you notice that you're always
procrastinating on tasks thatpush you outside your comfort
zone, that's probably a signthat there's some fear or
anxiety there that needs to beaddressed.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Exactly.
The journal becomes like apersonal data log, helping you
spot those patterns and thosetriggers.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
And once you see the pattern, you can start to come
up with solutions.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
You can reframe your approach to those tasks Start to
take control and awell-designed journal like a
listallion it can reallyencourage that ongoing
self-exploration and patternrecognition.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
So it becomes part of your routine it does.
It's not about finding a quickfix Right.
It's about going on a journeyof self-discovery and constantly
adjusting.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Exactly so for anyone listening who's thinking, okay,
this all makes sense.
I'm definitely a procrastinator.
What are some things I canstart doing today, like how do I
actually use a journal to helpme?
Speaker 1 (11:55):
Yeah, what are some actionable steps?
Speaker 2 (11:57):
Well, the first thing is to set clear and realistic
daily goals, Instead of justsaying I'm going to work on the
project, choose one specificachievable task for that day.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
So break it down.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
Exactly Break those huge, overwhelming tasks into
the smallest possible steps.
Bite-sized pieces, bite-sizedpieces.
Even just committing to workingon something for 15 minutes,
yeah, that can be enough to getyou started.
Get over that initial hurdleand use journaling prompts to
explore your feelings and yourmotivations.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
Okay, like what kinds of prompts?
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Ask yourself things like what am I specifically
avoiding about this task, orwhat would make this task feel
less daunting?
Speaker 1 (12:36):
Oh, that's interesting.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
Those kinds of questions can lead to some
surprising insights.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
So sometimes the biggest challenge is just
knowing where to start.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
Often it is.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
What else can people do?
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Track your progress, no matter how small the win is.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
Did you finally make that phone call?
You were dreading.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Did you finish one tiny piece of a massive project?
Speaker 1 (12:56):
Uh-huh.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Write it down, acknowledge that accomplishment.
It helps you build momentum andit reinforces those positive
behaviors.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
Like giving yourself credit for the small wins.
It is.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
And finally, consider creating some kind of
accountability system.
Okay, it could be as simple assharing your daily goals with a
friend or a colleague, or justwriting them down clearly in
your journal as a commitment toyourself.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
Oh, that's a good idea.
That sense of accountabilitycan really help.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
It can.
Knowing that someone else isaware of your intentions, it can
give you that extra push tostay on track.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
And, you know, Lestallion seems to have really
thought about how to make theirjournals easy to use
consistently.
Oh, they have they have thatback pocket for storing notes.
The soft cover with the premiumfaux leather.
It looks good and it feels niceto hold.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Right, it makes you want to use it.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
And even something as simple as having numbered pages
.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Oh yeah, it makes it, want to use it and even
something as simple as havingnumbered pages.
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Oh yeah, it makes it so much easier to refer back to
specific entries.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
Absolutely, All those little details they add up.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
They make the journal a more integrated part of your
life.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
They do.
Speaker 1 (13:59):
So it's about removing those little obstacles
that can prevent us fromsticking with it.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
Exactly.
So let's zoom out a little.
What are the long-term benefitsof making this kind of
journaling a regular practice?
Speaker 1 (14:11):
Yeah, like what can people expect to see if they
commit to this?
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Well, you can see a real increase in your overall
productivity, a greater sense ofwell-being and control and a
real improvement in your mentalhealth.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
So it's not just about getting things done, it's
about feeling better overall.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
It is because when you're consistently reflecting
on your patterns and addressingthose triggers for
procrastination, you become moreself-aware, you become more
organized and more effective.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
Both in your work and in your life in general.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Exactly.
And we can't forget about thereduction in stress and anxiety.
Oh yeah, that's huge.
Journaling can be such ahealthy outlet for emotional
processing.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
It's like you're getting all those worries out of
your head and onto the page.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
It is.
And when you invest in a highquality journal like a
listallion.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
With its thick acid free paper that's designed to
last and that built in table ofcontents so you can easily go
back and review your thoughtsand goals, you're really
investing in yourself.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
You're investing in your own growth.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
You are, it becomes a record of your journey.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
So it sounds like a dedicated journal, especially
one that's designed withprocrastination in mind, like
the ones from the Stallion, canbe an incredibly powerful tool.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
I think so.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
It gives you structure, it gives you space to
reflect and it gives you atangible way to track your
progress as you tackle thischallenge.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
And remember those features we've talked about the
quality of the paper, the layout, the organization.
Those aren't just randomdetails.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
No, they're not.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
They're there to support you, to help you
understand your ownprocrastination habits and build
better, more productive ones.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
So for everyone listening, think about what
we've discussed today.
Speaker 2 (15:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
Could journaling be the key to helping you finally
unlock your potential?
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Could it help you feel happier and more fulfilled.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
Because if procrastination is often about
avoiding uncomfortable feelings,maybe the act of facing those
feelings directly in a journalis the key to breaking free.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Maybe confronting those feelings head on, one
entry at a time, is what willfinally unlock everything you're
capable of.
Speaker 1 (16:14):
It's definitely something to think about.
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