In this post I’m going to go through a few core ideas that have drastically improved how I learn — whether it’s for university, work, or life in general.
It's really interesting how little known these 2 techniques are.
FWIW, Eb's "Forgetting Curve" has came a long way since he coined it. You might be already familiar with FSRS, but for more reading on an even more efficient (closed-source) algorithm you can take a look at some of Dr Wozniak's work below:
I freeze when I try the “pick one small task and set a timer” approach. It’s shame-driven perfectionism. As soon as I sit down, my inner critic shouts “Way too easy to screw this up and be judged,” and I panic. I’m not overthinking the timer itself; I’m terrified the timer will expose my slowness or imperfection. That fear spirals into rushing through or avoiding entirely, and I end up scrolling or escaping, not studying.
I’m caught in a vicious cycle of future-focused overwhelm—every time I sit down to study or apply for a job, my mind floods with visions of worst-case scenarios (failure, judgment, ending up broke or homeless), and I freeze. I don’t just procrastinate; I ruminate, scroll endlessly, or shop to numb the terror. I also battle compulsive distraction—shopping, planning, doom-scrolling—often unconsciously, just to escape the pain of trying and risking shame. And though I have bursts of rage that fuel me briefly, it’s too unpredictable to rely on. By the time I try to harness it, the anger’s gone, and I’m left paralyzed again.
I think this is a very honest reflection and if you're this self-aware, you're probably already further ahead than you think.
Here are some ideas you could try:
Start even smaller than small. Ridiculously small. Like view even reading one sentence as a win.
Work in “low-stakes” mode: Use a timer, but not for rushing, but just to contain the task (eg. just sitting there for 10 minutes to be with the task. No expectations).
Interrupt the cycle manually, whether physical, mental or digital
It's really interesting how little known these 2 techniques are.
FWIW, Eb's "Forgetting Curve" has came a long way since he coined it. You might be already familiar with FSRS, but for more reading on an even more efficient (closed-source) algorithm you can take a look at some of Dr Wozniak's work below:
- https://help.supermemo.org/wiki/Features
- https://supermemo.guru/wiki/SuperMemo_Guru
Thank you for sharing, I will gladly take a look!
💪🏻📈😍
Hey,
thank you for your comment.
I’ve been there.
I think what’s helped me isn’t fighting the feeling, but rather systemizing around it.
I don’t rely on motivation or confidence. I try to build small systems I can trust even on bad days like these:
• A 25-minute timer and a dumb goal like “open the book and take notes for just one page.”
• A spaced repetition routine (Anki) so I don’t have to remember what to study.
• Templates and checklists so I don’t have to figure everything out from scratch.
Over time, this reframes the work and makes it automatic to do at least something .
Let me know if that makes sense.
I freeze when I try the “pick one small task and set a timer” approach. It’s shame-driven perfectionism. As soon as I sit down, my inner critic shouts “Way too easy to screw this up and be judged,” and I panic. I’m not overthinking the timer itself; I’m terrified the timer will expose my slowness or imperfection. That fear spirals into rushing through or avoiding entirely, and I end up scrolling or escaping, not studying.
I’m caught in a vicious cycle of future-focused overwhelm—every time I sit down to study or apply for a job, my mind floods with visions of worst-case scenarios (failure, judgment, ending up broke or homeless), and I freeze. I don’t just procrastinate; I ruminate, scroll endlessly, or shop to numb the terror. I also battle compulsive distraction—shopping, planning, doom-scrolling—often unconsciously, just to escape the pain of trying and risking shame. And though I have bursts of rage that fuel me briefly, it’s too unpredictable to rely on. By the time I try to harness it, the anger’s gone, and I’m left paralyzed again.
I think this is a very honest reflection and if you're this self-aware, you're probably already further ahead than you think.
Here are some ideas you could try:
Start even smaller than small. Ridiculously small. Like view even reading one sentence as a win.
Work in “low-stakes” mode: Use a timer, but not for rushing, but just to contain the task (eg. just sitting there for 10 minutes to be with the task. No expectations).
Interrupt the cycle manually, whether physical, mental or digital