Getting to Grips with Why I Procrastinate?
Are you someone who puts off till tomorrow what could be done today? Time is ticking by, yet you find yourself with an ever increasing to-do list, whilst simultaneously wondering why you just can’t seem to get started. Even though you know there are tasks to be completed, somehow beginning seems the hardest thing in the world. If so, you are not alone. Research has shown 84% of Brits procrastinate, with 20% of us procrastinating every single day. Procrastination can lead to feelings of poor self-worth and self-criticism.
If you are someone who procrastinates, my hope this blog will help you better understand some of the psychological factors at play with procrastination. We’ll also consider some simple steps you can take to help manage the desire to do it later, and also explore ways to embrace and accept yourself and your process if you’re a serial procrastinator.
Procrastination affects many people
The challenge of tackling challenges and getting started can make life difficult for chronic procrastinators
What is Procrastination?
The word “procrastination” comes from the Latin verb “procrastinare,” meaning “to put off or postpone until another day”. Procrastination, then, is the avoidance or delaying of a task that needs to be accomplished by a certain deadline. You may be familiar with the teenager plea of: “I’ll do it in a bit…..” Yet, many of us find ourselves making deals with ourselves, in a bit to avoid tackling something in the moment. Procrastination can involve avoiding getting started or avoiding finishing a particular task. Procrastination is a common human experience, and people often report procrastination in relation to things they'd rather avoid. Perhaps you recognise some of your own procrastination hot spots?
Do you:
Avoid completing chores: the hoovering can wait till another day?
Attending medical appointments: you tell yourself you don’t really need to bother the dentist or the GP, and that you can wait a bit longer till you book the appointment?
Completing work or study tasks: the project doesn’t need to be started just now – you’ll get round to it eventually.
Having a difficult conversation with a friend or acquaintance: it just seems to much for today – you’ll wait till you feel in the mood.
Procrastination is an avoidance or a delaying in starting or completing something
Procrastination can lead you to doubt your self-worth
Psychological impacts of procrastination
If you’re a procrastinator, how does your tendency to delay or put off tasks impact you? Does procrastination help you? In the short-term? How about the long term Does procrastination enhance your self-belief and confidence? Is procrastination a form of self-care? There are no right or wrong answers to these questions but exploring them can help you to find out more about the role of procrastination in your own life, to find your own why around procrastination and to make meaning of your experience. For many people who seek counselling or therapy as a result of procrastination, these are questions you may like to consider and explore with your therapist.
Isn’t procrastination just laziness?
No matter what others around you might say, or even what you might be telling yourself, I don’t regard procrastination as being lazy. Procrastination is an active process – you choose to do something else instead of the task that you know you should be doing. It can be an unpleasant wrestle with self as you battle the feeling of “ought”. In contrast, laziness suggests apathy, inactivity and an unwillingness to act. Again, self-reflection and consideration of the role of procrastination in your life can help you to discover more about what it is you are gaining from procrastination.
The benefits of procrastination?
It is possible to think of procrastination as a negative trait, in that it prevents us from being productive and can lead to feelings of failure, inadequacy and guilt. It certainly can result in these feelings. Many people who seek counselling to explore patterns around procrastination feel guilt and shame about their procrastination. However, procrastination can be a useful short-term strategy. Procrastination can also be considered a wise response to certain demands that could present risky or negative outcomes or require waiting for new information to arrive. Consider the school pupil who is scared of failing their assignment. Somehow, there is a logic in the process of “if I don’t start, I can’t make a mistake”. In this way, procrastination serves a protective function and a useful short-term strategy, acting as a safeguard against fears of failing.
Some people, including ADHD folk, may procrastinate as a way of building momentum and urgency - their brain works best when there is a short deadline and a sense of time ticking. Feeling the pressure of an imminent deadline can help to promote creativity and an energy through that last minute adrenaline rush.
Why do I procrastinate, and how can I procrastinate less?
Taking time to explore factors that make procrastination more or less likely can help to understand your own experience of procrastination
Psychologists have been studying some of the drivers behind our desire to procrastinate. Research has looked at why we procrastinate more in some situations than in others and what causes or leads to procrastination. An important piece of research (Steel, 2007) looked at almost 700 studies, and combined the ideas and findings. This study identified four main factors that make procrastination more likely. As with so many things in life, effecting behavioural change begins with better understanding of the reasons for that behaviour. Once we have a handle on what makes procrastination more likely, we can opt to make changes to reduce the urge to procrastination if that’s important to us. So, let’s take a look at the four factors that can lead to procrastination:
Low Self-Efficacy:
Self-efficacy relates to how effective a person believes they are. When we have low-self efficacy, we don’t have much confidence in our ability to complete a task or to complete it well. As a result, our likelihood of procrastinating increases. We are then less likely to get a positive result that shows us we can achieve! It’s a vicious circle, or a self-fulfilling prophecy. Finding ways to believe in our abilities and success as a result can help us to procrastinate less.
So, if you’re looking to procrastinate less - how can you come to believe more in your own abilities and talents? What are your strengths? What are you good at, when you are given chance to shine? What can you begin to affirm in yourself to help support and foster a sense of self-efficacy?
2. Low Value:
When we need to do something that we perceive as boring, too easy or of little importance or little value, then we’re more likely to procrastinate. We can procrastinate less by making sure we have enough challenge in what we do, and really getting to understand “why” certain tasks matter, so they have more value for us.
So, if you’re looking to procrastinate less - how can you see the task as having value? Can you change or adapt the task for it has more value, or more importance? Can you do the task in a different way to make it more interesting or rewarding for you? Can you work out why the task matters and keep the why in mind, so you hold on to its importance?
3. Impulsiveness:
When we have lots of distractions, then we’re much more likely to procrastinate. Distractions hamper focus and will appeal to any impulsiveness and love of novelty that exists in us. We can procrastinate less by turning off notifications on tech, finding a quiet space and telling others that we need space to work without disturbance.
So, if you’re looking to procrastinate less - what changes can you make to notifications to support yourself? Do you want to enlist anyone else to help hold you accountable for this? What times of the day, and what spaces will involve less distractions that may hook you into impulsiveness?
4. Delay:
If we sense we have a long time to complete a task, we are more likely to procrastinate. We can procrastinate less by setting ourselves goals and deadlines, rather than relying on other people’s deadlines.
So, if you’re looking to procrastinate less - can you be clear about your own timeline, and set more immediate goals that have a shorter deadline. Some people find using a countdown timer in short timed and breaking larger tasks into smaller targets bursts help to create a series of mini deadlines, rather than a more open-ended stretch of time.
Bringing it all together:
We’ve seen that procrastination can be a creative response to a situation or feelings that are difficult to face. Whilst procrastination can lead to negative long-term results, it may offer some short-term gains. Increased awareness about the role of procrastination in your life, as well as factors that make procrastination more likely. can be fruitful in making meaning of the role and function of your procrastination, opening up increased choice about the steps you take in response.
Counselling for procrastination:
If procrastination is causing you difficulties or getting in the way of relationships and your work or studies, and you’d like to explore your own patterns further, you could consider speaking to a work or study skills coach, or a professional counsellor.
I often have scope for new clients looking to begin counselling or psychotherapy. If you’d like to explore how counselling can help with supporting self-esteem and self-efficacy, and exploring the roots and impact of procrastination, I welcome you getting in touch with me, Claire Law
I’m a BACP Senior Accredited Psychotherapist offering professional counselling and psychotherapy in Preston, Lancashire and online for adults based in the UK.
I offer a simple, no-pressure approach to people who are considering therapy - and can chat through how I work, and to share with you my availability for new clients for either:
In person counselling at my therapy room in Preston.
Online counselling via MS Teams.
References:
Steel P. (2007). The nature of procrastination: a meta-analytic and theoretical review of quintessential self-regulatory failure. Psychological bulletin, 133(1), 65–94.