By: Michelle Hua
Many people prioritize work over play, but end up procrastinating and feeling guilty when they have time to relax. However, there is a scheduling technique that helps reduce both the mentioned effects: The Unschedule. The Unschedule was made by Neil Fiore, a licensed psychologist, and helps to create quality work and guilt-free play.
The Unschedule uses reverse psychology. In most schedules, people center it around work, and feels resentful towards what they still need to complete. The Unschedule centers around play, so work feels easier to do. Instead of putting the work you need to do on your calendar, you only write down the plans you are already committed to (meals, sleep, appointments, school, etc.), play times, and quality work you have finished. You shouldn’t think about how long you need to work or focus on the amount of time working.
Setting down your breaks help motivate you. You may work for half an hour, and realize that you already have a break. This helps create quality work, as your more focused when you’re working, and feel satisfied when you relax because you’ve completed your assignments. As a result, you have a sense of pride and accomplishment, relax better, and finish work faster.
Using the Unschedule, you can relax and play, while still completing your work on time. This ‘play over work’ mindset results in feeling happier and stopping procrastination.
