Subskill: Don’t express emotions as policy decisions. (Anna.) Find some other outlet for the emotion besides the policy decision, i.e., screaming. (Eliezer.)
Keep in mind that the current psychology literature indicates that cathartic release is actually undesirable—while catharsis might improve affect in the short term, this is largely because it represents giving in to one’s anger, and in the long run it actually makes you more likely to experience anger in the future.
I therefore advise that, in the event that one needs to make a particularly important decision and is currently angry, cathartic screaming may be effective, but its use should be restricted only for cases where it is strictly necessary.
(and this is coming from the ex-leader of a cathartic screaming club :P)
Or, more generally, what you do reinforces your mental state at the time. Acting in anger (even just a cathartic release) reinforces your tendency toward (the likelihood of future) anger; the same with acting from fear and most other emotions. Also, whatever the cause of your procrastination, acting on it, letting yourself get away with procrastinating, increases your problems with it in the future. As a poster I made for my study wall many years ago said: “Commit through Action: Do It”.
Exercise: Recall acts you’ve done while your emotions were running high, in cases where it seems like something that might be worth optimizing. Of those acts, ask whether the action/policy/response can best be interpreted as maximizing a worthwhile criterion, or as direct expressions of the emotion.
Subskill: Don’t express emotions as policy decisions. (Anna.) Find some other outlet for the emotion besides the policy decision, i.e., screaming. (Eliezer.)
Keep in mind that the current psychology literature indicates that cathartic release is actually undesirable—while catharsis might improve affect in the short term, this is largely because it represents giving in to one’s anger, and in the long run it actually makes you more likely to experience anger in the future.
I therefore advise that, in the event that one needs to make a particularly important decision and is currently angry, cathartic screaming may be effective, but its use should be restricted only for cases where it is strictly necessary.
(and this is coming from the ex-leader of a cathartic screaming club :P)
Or, more generally, what you do reinforces your mental state at the time. Acting in anger (even just a cathartic release) reinforces your tendency toward (the likelihood of future) anger; the same with acting from fear and most other emotions. Also, whatever the cause of your procrastination, acting on it, letting yourself get away with procrastinating, increases your problems with it in the future. As a poster I made for my study wall many years ago said: “Commit through Action: Do It”.
Exercise: Recall acts you’ve done while your emotions were running high, in cases where it seems like something that might be worth optimizing. Of those acts, ask whether the action/policy/response can best be interpreted as maximizing a worthwhile criterion, or as direct expressions of the emotion.