The Psychology of Procrastination: Understanding the Causes and Overcoming the Habit

Introduction

So basically, procrastination is when you choose to do something less important or more fun instead of the thing you really should be doing, and then end up waiting until the very last minute to get it done. Sometimes folks put off dealing with personal stuff like bringing up a tough topic with their partner, taking care of their health by seeing a doctor or dentist, fixing up their crib like patching a leaky roof, or handling their school or job responsibilities.

Yeah, we all procrastinate sometimes. We procrastinate because we don't feel like doing it or because we got too much going on. Yeah, we all procrastinate sometimes, no matter how big or small the task is. It's just part of being human. Hey, if you're checking out this handout, it's probably because you're having some trouble with procrastination. You know what? You could totally be a better writer if you didn't procrastinate so much. It's like, you finally get into the groove of writing a paper, and then bam, it's due. So, you never really have a chance to go back and double-check everything. You know that feeling of excitement you get when you finish a paper just in time, but let's be real, your body is over all those late nights. It's cool to put things off in college, but you're stressing that you'll keep doing it when you start working.

Prevalence

So, like, apparently 20% of adults are chronic procrastinators. So, like, apparently half of the college students are chronic procrastinators, and like, 75% of them admit to being procrastinators. And get this, like, almost all college students procrastinate, like 80% to 95% of them. Crazy, right? So, like, in this study with grown-ups, 74% of them said they end up staying up later than they meant to at least once a week, even when there's no reason for it.

So, apparently, 15% to 20% of grown-ups are always putting things off. Like, almost all college students procrastinate to some extent, and half of them think it's a big deal. So, like, in this study, almost 90% of peeps said they put things off for at least an hour every day. Crazy, right? Dude, way more people deal with procrastination than alcoholism, substance abuse, and depression combined.

Impact of Procrastination

Dude, putting things off all the time can be super risky. It's been connected to bad mental and physical health stuff. Dude, did you know that procrastinating all the time can seriously mess with your head, make you super stressed, and just make you feel crappy in general? Dude, like 94% of people in this survey said that procrastination totally bums them out. If you're a chronic procrastinator, you're more likely to have problems like headaches, colds, and tummy troubles. Oh, and there's this study from 2015 that says if you're always putting things off, you might be more likely to have high blood pressure and heart problems. Dude, putting things off can really mess you up. It's been connected to not doing as well, money problems, and feeling bad about yourself.

Causes of Procrastination

People put things off for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes it's just because your fam can be hella intense, you know? Like, if you grew up in a strict household or something. Like, when parents expect you to do really well, it can make you procrastinate on stuff because you're scared of messing up or getting criticized.

Some people might just not do something to rebel. You're like, "Nah, I'm not doing that right now. You can't make me."

These are some of the most frequently cited causes of procrastination:

Perfectionism:

Being perfect might seem like a cool thing. Perfectionists are always trying to be the best at everything and have really high standards. But, like, trying to be perfect is just not gonna happen. It's like setting yourself up for disappointment, you know? So, they end up being scared of failing. They end up procrastinating because they think they won't do something well or do it right. They just keep waiting for that perfect moment when they can't mess up, but it never seems to come.

Avoidance:

Finishing a big job project, doing your taxes, or studying for a final exam can induce anxiety, worry, and inadequacy. Unconscious avoidance involves procrastinating and focusing on low-priority chores. George Loewenstein, a Carnegie Mellon University economics and psychology professor, told The New Yorker that you are "led astray by the ‘visceral’ rewards of the present" instead of focused on critical tasks. Procrastinators value pleasure over development. They procrastinate by doing something more useful, easier, or fun. They don't want future rewards since they're disconnected from the future. Because the cake tastes so excellent, people may want to devour it now. They sacrifice the long-term benefits of regulating sugar levels and eating healthful foods to nourish the body. Rather than working through challenges and facing painful feelings, which leads to healing, someone may self-destruct by drinking too much.

Thus, procrastination is a default avoidance defensive mechanism for many. It shields you from negative emotions like guilt and anxiety. You become depressed, anxious, or demoralized.

Low Self-Esteem:

Procrastinators have worse well-being, increased stress and anxiety, lower self-esteem, and sadness, according to a study. Procrastinators are more self-deprecating than non-procrastinators. They may consider:

What if I misdiagnose?

Should I mess up?

What if I fail?

Low-self-esteem people's minds battle these limiting thinking patterns like machines. Believing their negative self-talk causes procrastination. Self-criticism hinders motivation and causes delay.

Waiting Until the Last Minute:

Procrastinators claim they "perform better under pressure" and delay chores. They wait till the last minute to feel the thrill of finishing a task on time. This rarely goes as planned. “I’ll get around it” People don’t give themselves enough time to do things correctly. Last-minute effort causes mistakes that lower quality. Procrastinators often underestimate work duration. They hope the task will go away or tell themselves they'll do better under pressure and put it off until the last minute.

Trouble Focusing:

Procrastination and difficulty concentrating are strongly linked by psychologists . ADHD sufferers have trouble starting projects. They struggle to focus, plan, and keep on track afterward. Professional support may help 4% of adults with ADHD. Try these methods if you have problems starting boring or concentration-intensive chores.

Confronting Challenges:

When something seems too hard, people procrastinate. Fearing failure, a person avoids challenges. They may feel inadequate, anxious, or guilty, which makes them avoid the task. Procrastinators say:

§?It'll happen.

§?Should I fail?

§?It'll happen when it's right.

Avoiding bad feelings seems excellent. Real growth can hurt. Comfort zones imprison people. They procrastinate and can't handle challenges. Thus, you avoid challenging yourself to develop meaningful relationships or pursue your passions for fear of failure or rejection.

Overcoming Procrastination

Procrastination has deeper psychological causes than bad time management. Schools that continuously evaluate pupils, especially colleges where grades matter, exacerbate these processes. Students procrastinate to protect themselves. Procrastination gives you the excuse of "not having enough" time if you fail, so your self-confidence is never endangered. It's little wonder students procrastinate when there's so much pressure to achieve a good score on a paper. Fear and anxiety about failing, succeeding, losing control, seeming stupid, or having one's self-concept challenged are the main reasons we delay and avoid. We avoid employment to avoid judgment. Success makes us "smarter." How can we stop procrastinating? There are a few steps:

First Step: First, you need to understand why you procrastinate and what it does for you. You can't solve a problem without understanding it. Awareness and self-knowledge are crucial to stopping procrastination, as with other issues. For many people, understanding how procrastination prevents them from feeling inadequate and remembering it when they're tempted to fall into old, unproductive behaviors solves the problem. "Understanding the hidden roots of procrastination often seems to weaken them," write Jane Burka and Lenora Yuen in "Mind Games Procrastinators Play" (Psychology Today, January 1982). Knowing why we procrastinate helps us stop.

?

Second Step: Time management tools and practices help fight procrastination, but they are not enough. Not all-time management approaches assist procrastination. Time management can help or hurt procrastination. Those that lessen worry and dread and promote task fulfillment and rewards function best. Inflexible, anxious, and task-focused managers can induce procrastination and are counterproductive. Making a long list of "things to do" or scheduling every minute of your day may increase stress and procrastination. Instead, make acceptable goals (e.g., a manageable list of things to do), break huge activities down, offer yourself flexibility, and reward yourself with time for things you enjoy.

Third Step: You need productive motivation to overcome procrastination. constructive motives for studying and attaining lead to positive, constructive, satisfying feelings and activities. These motives are different from doing something to avoid failing, making your parents mad, seeming stupid, or "showing off." These are compelling reasons to do something, but they cause maladaptive, frequently harmful attitudes and behaviors. If you're afraid of looking stupid, you may not ask questions, explore new topics, attempt new approaches, or take chances to learn and grow. Goal-setting is a fantastic approach to motivate yourself. Write down your reasons for joining and use a goal-setting chart to track your progress. Remember your motives and ambitions. Others' ambitions for you are obligations, not goals.

Final Step: Engaging in class is another way to beat procrastination. Passivity in class means you're not "getting into" the course, which lowers motivation. Additionally, if you're passive, you may not understand the course and contents. Nonsense and uncertainty are tedious. We don't like tedious tasks. Instead of memorizing or "getting through" course material, try to understand it. Instead, find what's intriguing and relevant to you in the course materials, create your own purpose for every reading and class session, and ask yourself (and others) questions about what you're learning.

?

?

?

?

?