Don’t Underestimate Procrastination
Let’s be honest; procrastination isn’t just about scrolling TikTok or binge-watching Netflix when you should be working.
It’s a shape-shifting monster that sneaks into your life under the guise of “self-care” or “I’m just waiting for the right time.”
But here’s the catch: procrastination isn’t just about wasting time — it’s about avoiding life.
Yeah, I said it.
Every time you put something off, you’re not just delaying the task; you’re delaying yourself. Your goals. Your dreams.
The version of you that actually gets sh*t done and feels good about it.
And the worst part? Procrastination doesn’t come with a warning sign. It doesn’t say,
“Hey, if you don’t stop this now, your life’s going to be a mess in five years.”
Nope.
It just sneaks in, steals your time, and leaves you wondering why you’re stuck.
So, let’s figure out how to stop treating procrastination like it’s a cute little quirk and start dealing with it like the thief it is.
Acknowledge Procrastination
The first step to tackling procrastination is admitting that it’s happening.
No sugarcoating, no excuses. Just an honest,
“Yeah, I’m avoiding that thing I should be doing.”
Sounds simple, right?
But here’s the catch: most of us are pros at justifying procrastination.
We dress it up in fancy disguises like:
“productive procrastination.”
“I’m not avoiding my project; I’m just reorganizing my desk first!”
Or we convince ourselves that we work better under pressure. Sure, Jan. That adrenaline rush at 2 AM might feel like brilliance, but it’s just survival mode dressed as creativity.
Acknowledging procrastination means calling yourself out. It’s looking at your Netflix binge, your endless email-checking, or your sudden urge to clean the fridge and saying, “I see you, procrastination.”
It’s uncomfortable, but it’s the only way forward.
And here’s the thing: procrastination doesn’t make you a bad person or a failure. It makes you human.
But pretending it’s not there? That’s where the real damage happens.
When you ignore procrastination, it festers, turning simple tasks into mountains and your confidence into a puddle.
So, stop running. Face it. Name it. Because once you do, you can start figuring out what the hell to do about it.
Dots We’re Missing About Procrastination…
You know what’s wild? We often talk about procrastination as if it’s just a lazy choice. It’s simply,
“I don’t feel like doing this, so I won’t.”
But that’s only part of the picture. Here’s the thing that nobody talks about:
procrastination isn’t just about avoiding work; it’s about avoiding the discomfort that comes with it.
What do I mean by that? Well, when you procrastinate, you’re not avoiding a task. You’re avoiding the emotions attached to it — the anxiety, the fear of failure, the dread of looking incompetent.
And those feelings? They’re real. They’re part of the human condition. We all feel them.
Procrastination is a coping mechanism. It’s a way to temporarily escape those negative emotions. But like all quick fixes, it’s just a band-aid.
The longer you put it off, the worse it gets. The task looms larger, and so do the negative emotions. The longer you avoid it, the more it starts to feel like a monster under your bed.
And here’s where it gets tricky: procrastination doesn’t just steal your time. It steals your energy, your focus, and — most importantly — your mental peace.
That looming task doesn’t just sit there waiting for you to finish it; it sits in the back of your mind, taking up space, making everything feel just a little bit heavier.
So, the next time you procrastinate, remember this: you’re not just avoiding the work. You’re avoiding a feeling. And it’s time to face that feeling head-on.
Why We Make It Works
So, why the hell do we procrastinate?
You’d think that after years of schooling, countless deadlines, and a lifetime of working toward things, we’d be experts at getting stuff done.
But nope, we’re still procrastinating like it’s our full-time job.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: we procrastinate because our brains are wired to avoid pain. Simple as that.
The task in front of us? It’s perceived as unpleasant, boring, or even overwhelming. Our brain says,
“Nope, that feels uncomfortable, let’s avoid it and do something that feels more pleasant — like checking our phone for the 15th time today.”
It’s like being a toddler who doesn’t want to eat their vegetables because the chocolate bar is so much more appealing.
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But here’s the kicker: this avoidance behavior is reinforcing itself. Every time you avoid the task, your brain feels a brief sense of relief.
“Ah, I made the right choice. I’m safe.”
But in the long run, it just builds the pressure, making the task seem even more intimidating and the procrastination cycle that much harder to break.
But why does this happen with the important stuff? Well, we’re also terrified of failure.
When the stakes are high, the fear of not being good enough, not living up to expectations, or even just being judged kicks in. And that’s when our brain defaults to avoidance.
Better not to try than risk failure, right?
So, why do we procrastinate? Because, at its core, we’re wired to seek comfort and avoid discomfort. And the first step to breaking this cycle is recognizing it.
Take a Break. Please.
I know I know — telling a procrastinator to take a break might sound like handing a bottle of whiskey to an alcoholic and saying,
“Hey, just one drink won’t hurt.”
But hear me out. Sometimes, the best thing you can do when you’re stuck in the procrastination loop is to step away and… take a damn break.
Here’s why: Procrastination is often a sign that your brain is fried. It’s like trying to run a car on empty — nothing’s going to get done until you refuel.
And if you’re pushing through, hoping you’ll somehow break through the wall of resistance, guess what? It’s probably just going to make you feel worse. It’s like trying to squeeze out a drop of water from a rock.
Not gonna happen.
So, instead of trying to muscle through, take a breather.
You’d be surprised how much clarity can come from a quick break. It’s like pressing reset on your brain.
When you come back, you’ll be refreshed, and guess what? You’ll actually want to get back to work.
But here’s the trick — don’t use this as an excuse to procrastinate even more.
Your break should be a brief but intentional reset, not a 3-hour spiral down a Netflix rabbit hole. Take a breather. Regroup. And then hit it with a clear head.
It’s not about avoiding the work; it’s about giving yourself the mental space to tackle it better. Trust me, you’ll be more productive.
What Do I Do About My Procrastination as a Psychologist?
Let me be brutally honest: procrastination isn’t just some bad habit you can “hack” your way out of.
It’s emotional. It’s messy. It’s tangled up in your self-worth, your fears, and sometimes, just sheer laziness.
But as a psychologist (and someone who procrastinates like a champ), I’ve realized that the secret to overcoming it isn’t about fighting it. It’s about understanding it.
See, procrastination is your brain’s way of saying,
“I don’t feel safe doing this right now.”
Safe from what, though? Safe from failure, embarrassment, boredom — whatever emotional weight you’ve attached to the task.
The problem is, the longer you avoid it, the heavier that weight gets. It’s a vicious cycle, and you’re stuck in the middle, Netflix remote in hand.
Here’s what I figured out:
(P = E2 + B — D) → A
Here’s how it breaks down:
To stop procrastinating, tackle the emotions behind it. Break tasks down, build belief in your ability to succeed, and eliminate distractions.
Once you make the task feel manageable and achievable, the procrastination disappears.
It’s not about pushing harder — it’s about shifting your focus and making progress one small step at a time.
The Point
Procrastination is not your enemy.
It’s just a signal that you’re avoiding something — usually because you’re afraid or doubting yourself. But the more you avoid, the stronger it gets.
Breaking the procrastination cycle isn’t about finding the perfect productivity system. It’s about showing up — even when you don’t feel like it.
One small task, one tiny promise kept to yourself, and you start to rebuild trust in your ability to get things done.
So, stop making it a bigger deal than it needs to be. Face your fears, take that first step, and watch the momentum build.
Procrastination will always be there, but it doesn’t have to control you. And the moment you realize that? You’re free.
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