The Secret Power of ‘Read It Later’ Apps and Researchers Discover Best Way to Avoid Procrastination

The Secret Power of ‘Read It Later’ Apps and Researchers Discover Best Way to Avoid Procrastination

Reading is a powerful tool that allows us to delve into the thoughts of others and expand our own paradigms. In today's fast-paced world, the ability to sit quietly and direct focused attention for sustained periods of time is becoming increasingly valuable. The physical, emotional, attentional, and mental capability to read deeply is a source of competitive advantage.

In our digital age, where distractions are abundant, it's no wonder that our attention spans are dwindling. Google found that increasing the number of search results per page from 10 to 30 resulted in a 20% drop-off in users. We are easily swayed by the allure of instant gratification and have difficulty focusing on long-form content.

One of the main challenges is the cognitive dissonance we experience when faced with the task of completing a long article or book. Uncompleted tasks take up mental space and limit our clarity and focus, as research by Dr. Roy Baumeister has shown. This fear of not being able to finish what we start keeps us from even beginning.

This is where "Read It Later" apps come into play. These apps, such as Pocket, allow us to save articles and other content for later consumption. They serve as a task manager for our reading materials, differentiating themselves from reference apps like Evernote. By using a Read It Later app, we can avoid the overwhelm of a never-ending "To Read" pile and focus on what truly matters to us.

But these apps offer more than just a way to manage our reading materials. They also provide a solution to the powerful force of procrastination. Procrastination is the enemy of progress, always finding a way to derail our intentions. By utilizing a Read It Later app, we can create a pool of options drawn from a longer time period, allowing us to make decisions from a higher perspective.

One of the advantages of Read It Later apps is the ability to increase consumption of long-form content. These apps make it easier to access and read longer articles, which are often more substantive and thought-provoking. By having a curated collection of articles ready for consumption, we can dive into deeper topics and expand our knowledge.

Another benefit of these apps is better filtering. With the overwhelming amount of information available to us, it's crucial to have a system in place to filter out the noise and focus on what is truly valuable. Read It Later apps allow us to save and organize articles based on our interests and priorities, making it easier to access the content that aligns with our goals.

But how do we avoid the trap of procrastination altogether? Research has shown that setting shorter deadlines or no deadlines at all is the best way to encourage action. When asking someone for help, specifying a shorter deadline creates a sense of urgency and increases the likelihood of a timely response. On the other hand, setting a longer deadline or no deadline at all removes the sense of urgency and gives people permission to procrastinate.

A study on procrastination found that responses to a survey were lowest when a one-month deadline was specified, and highest when no deadline was given. This highlights the importance of creating a sense of urgency when seeking assistance or trying to complete a task. If there is no deadline, people are more likely to put off the task or even forget about it altogether.

So, how can we apply these findings to our own lives and overcome procrastination? Here are three actionable tips:

1. Set shorter deadlines: When you have a task that needs to be completed, set a shorter deadline to create a sense of urgency. This will help you avoid the temptation to procrastinate and increase the likelihood of timely completion.

2. Utilize Read It Later apps: Incorporate a Read It Later app like Pocket into your workflow to manage and organize your reading materials. By having a curated collection of articles ready for consumption, you can avoid the overwhelm of a never-ending "To Read" pile and focus on what truly matters to you.

3. Embrace the power of ideas: Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, learn from the experiences and ideas of others. Ideas are high leverage agents that become even more powerful when arranged in highly cross-referenced networks. Use your Read It Later app to assimilate and build on the ideas of others, saving you time and allowing you to learn faster.

In conclusion, Read It Later apps offer a solution to the challenges of information overload and procrastination. By utilizing these apps, we can increase our consumption of long-form content and better filter the information available to us. Additionally, by setting shorter deadlines and embracing the power of ideas, we can overcome procrastination and make progress towards our goals. So why not give it a try and see how Read It Later apps can enhance your reading experience and productivity?