To Do, Or Not To Do — The Psychology of Putting Things Off

“Procrastination is, hands down, our favorite form of self-sabotage.” — Alyce Cornyn-Selby.

If you’ve ever experienced the stress that comes from constantly feeling as though there is never enough time in the day, you will know the feeling of being perpetually?overwhelmed?by your things to do.

Getting things done can be a challenge. The daily routine, the hectic schedule, and the many things we must do in a short time can feel overwhelming.

Procrastination has a significant influence on our daily habits and routines. However, staying productive is key to getting ahead in life.

The science of procrastination is fascinating and sometimes insanely worrying. The topic has taken on a life of its own, with so many essays devoted to it that you’d be forgiven for thinking it was an epidemic rather than something we can do something about.

Procrastination, “in psychological terms, is what happens when the value of doing something else outweighs the value of working now,” argue Elliot Berkman and Jordan Miller-Ziegler of?The Conversation.

It’s understandable, as putting things off has such a?profound?impact on our lives and our psyche.

“One of the most serious human defects in all ages is procrastination, an unwillingness to accept personal responsibilities now,” says Spencer W.?Kimball.

Why do we keep putting things off even though we are very much aware of the consequences?in the long run?

There’s more to delaying tasks than you think: even if necessary, we tend to do something more enjoyable or less challenging.

Why Do We Procrastinate?

We procrastinate for various reasons, but two primary drivers generally contribute to procrastination: task avoidance and task?craving.

Task avoidance and task craving

Many people have difficulty completing tasks they don’t find interesting or that don’t have?immediate benefits. This is called?task avoidance.

When we avoid tasks, we often find ways to make them seem less burdensome or more rewarding by adding extrinsic elements like a reward system or social pressures like peer approval. However, these tactics rarely work to complete tasks we don’t enjoy.

“Whilst we deliberate how to begin a thing, it grows too late to begin it,” says Quintilian.

Many people also experience an intense need to perform specific tasks that must be completed no matter what (we call this impulse). It’s called?task cravingbecause it makes us feel compelled to finish whatever we are working on for it to be considered finished.

Immediate vs. delayed gratification

Putting things off also stems from a conflict between the desire for immediate gratification and the need for delayed gratification.

Immediate gratification feels good in the moment but can be detrimental?in the long run.

Putting essential things off can also result from fear of failure or the desire for perfection.?Some people may put off starting a task because they are afraid of not doing it perfectly or because they?feel overwhelmed?by the scope of the task.

However, delaying the task will only increase the pressure and make it harder to achieve the desired outcome.

While procrastination can provide a temporary sense of relief, it can also lead to negative consequences, such as increased stress, missed deadlines, and poor performance.

“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there,” says Will Rogers.

Self-regulation difficulties

Delaying responsibilities is also linked to difficulties with self-regulation. That means challenges with time management, distractibility, and difficulty focusing on tasks.

People who struggle with self-regulation may find staying motivated and focused challenging, contributing to procrastination.

Procrastination can be?reinforced?through both positive and negative feedback.?For example, if you procrastinate and can complete successfully under pressure, you may feel a sense of accomplishment and reward.

Alternatively, if you can avoid an unpleasant task by procrastinating, you may feel relief and prevent the negative consequences of doing the task.

Psychological resistance

Procrastination can also stem from a more complex phenomenon known as psychological resistance.

The habitual ways of thinking about things — what you feel when you think about tasks, how you look at them, how they make you feel when you start doing them.

This internal process works against what you want to do.

Even if procrastination is a time management problem, it might actually have a deeper root cause that deserves more attention than mere time management training would provide.

The quality of your life largely depends on how you prioritise your time and activities.?If you’re constantly focusing on the things keeping you from doing real work, it’s only a matter of time before they negatively affect your quality of life.

So How Do You Break the Cycle of Procrastination?

Marcus Aurelius, a Roman emperor, said, “In your actions, don’t procrastinate. In your conversations, don’t confuse. In your thoughts, don’t wander. In your soul, don’t be passive or aggressive.”

Start with why

Identify the reasons behind your procrastination.

Is it due to fear of failure, lack of motivation, anxiety about the task, poor time management skills, or doubts about your ability to complete the task?

Understanding the root cause of your procrastination can help you design the best habits to overcome it. For example, if you procrastinate due to lack of motivation,?find ways to make the task more enjoyable,?such as listening to music or working in a new environment.

More things that can help you avoid procrastination

• For every task, set clear and achievable goals. Break them into smaller, manageable tasks you can work on regularly without getting overwhelmed.
• Make it insanely easy to take action daily. It will help you build momentum and feel a sense of accomplishment, which can motivate you to keep going. “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step,” Martin Luther King, Jr. once said.
• Prioritise tasks on your to-do list based on their urgency and importance. It can help you focus on the most critical tasks and avoid getting sidetracked by less important ones.

“In a moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing to do, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing,” Theodore Roosevelt said.

• Identify and eliminate the common that might keep you from being productive; phone notifications, emails, conversations, noisy environment, mind wandering and rumination.
• Set a timer for a specific amount of time and work on the task without any distractions until the timer goes off.?Most tasks can be completed in a fraction of the time if you set a timer and reward yourself for sticking to your schedule.
• Establish a schedule for your tasks. Make sure that every task has a specific time and date that it needs to be completed, and don’t let yourself get sidetracked. If you stick to your schedule, you’ll be less likely to procrastinate because you’ll know what’s waiting for you when you return to your task.
• And finally, be patient?— it may take a few tries before you break the cycle of procrastination, but with a bit of effort, you’ll be on your way to a successful and efficient life.

Jack Kornfield was right when he said; "The trouble is that you think you have time." You don’t. So stop procrastinating!

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To our common journey,

Until the next issue,

Be epic!

Thomas