Unhelpful Rules & Assumptions: Select

Today’s tasks

• Select Unhelpful Rules & Assumptions

Press the button below to find a list of the most common unhelpful rules & assumptions. Then click the plus button next to each rule or assumption that applies to you.

Add Rules & Assumptions To Your List

Select your most common rules & assumptions. Click the “+” button to add to your list.

Need To Be In Charge

I’m a weak person If I’m not 100% in charge of what I have to do; I shouldn’t have to do things because someone else says so; I shouldn’t have to do things I don’t want to; Things should be done my way; I must be in charge at all times.

Pleasure Seeking: If I don’t do fun stuff, I’ll become boring; Pleasure here & now should be all that matters; Life should be fun at all times; Fun should always come first; Life is too short to be doing boring or hard things;

Fear of Failure or Disapproval: Others will think badly and critically of my work if I make it public; I’ll fail if I try; I can’t have others think poorly of me; I must do things perfectly.

Fear of Uncertainty: I’m better off not doing anything, rather than risk it going bad; If I take action – something bad will happen; I can’t stand not knowing the outcome; I should be prepared for the worst; I must have certainty of what will happen.

Low Self-Confidence: If I know I won’t be able to do it, then I shouldn’t even bother; I’m not good enough and, therefore, I shouldn’t try things; If I try things, then my inadequacies will be exposed; I’m too inadequate so I can’t get things done; I can’t do things because I’m incapable.

Depleted Energy: If I do hard tasks when I’m not inspired, the quality will be poor; If I do things when I have low energy and motivation, I’ll only make it worse; If I do things when I’m stressed/depressed, I’ll only make it worse; I must be energised and inspired to be able to do hard things; I must rest when my energy is low; I can’t do things when I’m not motivated/inspired; I can’t do things when I’m tired; I can’t do things when I’m stressed/depressed.

Other? Couldn’t find on the lists above? Add a Free-Form Rule or Assuption below. Add Manually (button)

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Welcome back, ____! The core reasons people procrastinate have something to do with the way they see themselves and the world. We all have rules and assumptions by which we live our lives.

So let’s dive into these rules today.

Helpful Rules & Assumptions

For instance, I might believe “if I commit a crime, I will be punished” or “it is necessary to be kind to people whenever possible.”

Such rules and assumptions appear to be quite helpful because they’re both:

• Flexible (i.e. it is not always going to be possible to be kind to others 100% of the time. but doing so whenever possible is reasonable): and
• Fairly accurate in capturing how things really are (ie. it is typically true that punishment follows a crime).

Unhelpful Rules & Assumptions

However, we may also have unhelpful or even destructive rules and assumptions that put our lives on a dangerous autopilot without us even recognizing.

Such unhelpful rules and assumptions guide our behavior-thoughts, actions, emotions-on a daily basis, resulting in us not becoming the best versions of ourselves and not enjoying our lives.

At the heart of procrastination, we see rules and assumptions that usually include expressions like “shoulds,” “musts,” and “can’ts.”