Have you ever put off something that needed attention? Have you ever panicked at the last moment to get your work done instead of tackling it before the deadline? If so, you have engaged in procrastination, and it is quite common.
We all have procrastinated a few times or many times in our lives. In fact, about 20-25 percent of the general population procrastinates, according to a published study from the National Institute of Health.
Have you ever wondered why we procrastinate? Well, oftentimes it has less to do with being lazy and having time management issues and more to do with a lack of emotional regulation. Many see procrastination as an escape from negative emotions, often functioning as a coping mechanism.
People tend to procrastinate on tasks that evoke negative emotions. So, to avoid them, we delay the tasks that make us feel negative.
“When we look at procrastination then in terms of emotion regulation, what one way to think about is that we’re not avoiding the task per se, what we’re avoiding is the negative emotions associated with that task,” said Dr. Fuschia Sirois, a professor of psychology at Durham University in the United Kingdom.
It can look like, for example, a report you need to write for a class. Then you are overthinking whether you will do a good job that will get you a 90, that you need to do a lot of work to find resources for it, or how you will start it. This causes anxiety and stress, and you think of putting it off to do something that feels rewarding, and you get an immediate sense of relief. Something complex and uninteresting might cause a sense of discomfort and a desire to delay the task.
Difficulty in concentrating, finding something else more relevant, or setting high expectations can lead to procrastination. Delaying the task avoids confronting feelings of inadequacy and negativity that come with it.
Procrastination can affect our lives negatively. Those who procrastinate chronically can have reduced performance at work, bad grades due to not focusing and putting in better effort, losing time for valuable things. It can even lead to depression or other anxiety disorders.
Burnout is another cause of procrastination. Procrastinating can overwhelm the brain with stress, anxiety, guilt and shame. The brain is getting overloaded so that it needs recovery, but the constant cycle prevents that, leading to burnout. Burnout can also cause more procrastination, as our brains are too drained to put in any work, making other tasks feel exhausting. Not only that, but all these can take a toll on our physical health, like on our immune systems.
So, how do we break free from this vicious cycle of procrastination? In some cases, chronic procrastination can benefit from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. There is a different approach as well.
It is very important to identify why and what is causing you to procrastinate on different tasks. Identifying and acknowledging those emotions would be the first step. Next, would be to go easy on yourself. Many of us feel guilty about it, but we never acknowledge it. Acknowledging it and validating what we feel is necessary. Or else it can become a feedback loop.
Practicing self-compassion is also necessary as it helps to validate what we go through and understand that it is okay to be like that sometimes. This practice prevents rumination and negative feelings and helps us regulate emotions better.
If a task feels complex or daunting, breaking it into smaller chunks over time until the deadline might help make it less complex. Taking small steps at a time to finish a project might help reduce negative feelings towards complex work and reduce procrastination.
Finally, it is important for society to be aware of the psychology behind procrastination and what it is to reduce the stigma towards procrastination. Society must also allow for a space where those who procrastinate feel less shame and more compassion, not only from themselves but from others too.
