Procrastination: what is it, what are the causes and should it be fought?

When there is an important thing to do, but you procrastinate and come up with various excuses just to delay the deadline. This is it – procrastination.

The word is translated from English as “procrastination”. The Latin root “cros” means “tomorrow”.

Procrastination manifests itself in the fact that a person, realizing the importance of tasks, constantly postpones their solution for an indefinite period of time, distracted by everyday trifles and entertainment. Watching soap operas – instead of preparing reports for the manager. Correspondence with friends, when in the morning you need to hand in a chapter of the diploma, and there is still no horse. Cleaning instead of making edits to the article. All these are examples from life, vividly describing the behavior of a procrastinator.

There are many illustrations. To one degree or another, everyone is familiar with this condition.

Everyone can admit that periodically catches the state of procrastination. Psychologists do not see this as a difficulty and sometimes advise not to scold themselves for procrastination in the execution of any tasks. Sometimes in this way the employee gives himself time for rest and relaxation.

The problem arises when such processes become regular and become a habit. A person gets involved in a vicious circle, and the execution of any cases is delayed “until the last”. When deadlines pass, he or she abandons plans and is left with an unfulfilled task or tries to make up for lost time by doing everything at once.

Because of this, the quality of the completed task or plan suffers, there is dissatisfaction of colleagues and employer, and as a consequence – reduced efficiency, guilt, depression, stress, anxiety and dissatisfaction with life. In this case, the problem will require a solution and search for the causes of such states.

How to distinguish between procrastination and laziness?

There is a misconception that procrastination is similar to the manifestation of unwillingness to do something. It is often compared to banal laziness. However, there are significant differences between these states.

In the case of laziness, a person does not want to take on the execution of any project or task as a result of lack of initiative, indecisiveness, inertia. He is not ready to take on the burden of responsibility and does not bother to find ways to solve the intended plans. The origins of such a state also need to be found.

Procrastination is outwardly similar to the unwillingness to work, but here a person takes up a task, knows the ways of its implementation, is ready to take responsibility. Just at some point he loses motivation. The project is put on pause and instead of decisive actions, an endless thought process begins. Sometimes it takes too much time. Some people call such a state “slow start”.

A lazy worker is unlikely to take on additional tasks, will not look for new ways to solve, will not connect brain processes in his activities. Procrastinators, on the other hand, are ready to perform complex tasks, knowing in advance how to accomplish them. But the psyche fails, and procrastination is the only way out for it.

What do neurobiologists think about this?

In 2018, scientists from the University of Ruhr determined that procrastination to perform tasks is related to human physiology. The discovery sparked new controversy and an in-depth study of procrastination states.

Neurobiologists conducted a study using magnetic resonance imaging, which determined that people who constantly postpone things “for later” have an enlarged amygdala, a brain region responsible for many processes of human activity. During the experiment, 264 men and women were tested. After the examination, they also underwent a questionnaire, where they assessed the ability to control their actions.

In those who admitted to poor organization and independence, the amygdala in the brain was noticeably larger. In the subjects who did not hesitate and did not worry about the result, this was not observed.

Based on these data, scientists concluded that physiology can influence human behavior and its ability to show quick results, efficiency.

Types of procrastination

Psychologists distinguish several types of the state of “slow start” and procrastination on tasks. If in one area a person shows excellent performance, then in other processes can sag.

Domestic

The condition manifests itself in the constant postponement of routine mandatory household chores. The person looks for reasons and other activities instead of, for example, washing dishes, washing floors, cooking. When realizing the need for these activities, household chores are still postponed.

In decision making

In this case, there is no refusal to do things. A person realizes the significance of the conceived, but continues to procrastinate and delay the time to decide to act. It can be a call to the boss, a conversation with loved ones. Often this happens because of indecision, fear of taking responsibility or fear of consequences.

Neurotic

The process of procrastination in this case is based on obsessive, anxious thoughts. Postponing tasks is associated with the fear of losing something or failing to cope with assigned duties. A person can be pressured by the weight of responsibility for the company, family. At the same time, instead of gathering and beginning to act decisively, he hangs in a state of hesitation.

Academic

Familiar with this type of procrastination to all students and those who have ever been trained at school, university and other educational institutions. That period of writing a thesis in the last week before the defense or preparing for exams the day before the exam.

Compulsive

The process blocks all plans and actions at once. A person in this case postpones both decision-making and work. All spheres of life suffer at once. In this type of procrastination, it is important to notice so that the process does not pass into an established form and does not become a habit.

Causes of Procrastination

Postponing things has nothing to do with banal laziness, as we found out earlier. Therefore, it is worthwhile to carefully approach the question of finding the origins of the state of procrastination. They can be associated with psychological traumas, diseases, nervous exhaustion.

Business psychologist, clinical psychologist of “Clinics of Dr. Anikino”

Up to a certain level, procrastination is considered normal and allows you to take a break. But when unproductive pastime becomes the main focus of the working day, a problem is indicated. Procrastination can have different causes: fear of failure (on the contrary – success), perfectionism with the desire to do perfectly, low motivation and self-esteem.

A person’s temperament, their ability to control their impulses and regulate emotions also affects their ability to procrastinate. Procrastination can lead to a variety of negative consequences for health, well-being, and success. Procrastinators often realize they are wasting time and experience guilt.

What else can cause the condition of not being able to finish what you have started?

1. Illnesses

Health disorders due to the effects of injuries, intoxication, hormonal disorders, neurological, psychiatric diseases can negatively affect the ability to complete tasks on time. It is important to check your health and eliminate these factors in case of chronic procrastination.

2. Guilt

This condition is similar to perfectionism, but here the reluctance to act instantly is related to the fear of letting others down. The person thinks that by doing the project badly, he will let down his colleagues. These feelings eat him up inside.

3. Fatigue

Sometimes procrastination is due to physical or emotional overload. In a state of fatigue, it is difficult and sometimes simply impossible to proceed with plans. If you have such symptoms in your life, it is worth reconsidering your workload.

4. limited circumstances

It is necessary to adequately assess the conditions in which you have to fulfill the tasks. In a noisy, crowded place is unlikely to be able to concentrate and write a scientific report. It is also difficult for a mom with a young child to work continuously throughout the day. It is worth considering and understanding the proposed circumstances to avoid procrastination.

How to beat procrastination?

There are basic ways to defeat your inner procrastinator. The effectiveness of each depends on the individual characteristics of a person, therefore, and apply them according to the principle – “like it or not”.

1. Categorize your tasks

Use the well-known Eisenhower matrix for this purpose. It will help you divide your tasks into four quadrants by importance and urgency, which will allow you to deal with them in the appropriate order. For example, tasks that fall into the “important and urgent” quadrant should be done first, while minor tasks can be postponed or even canceled.

2. Cultivate a diligent work ethic

Get into the habit of doing your chores regularly and systematically without excuses or false excuses. This can be done by adopting various self-motivation techniques such as setting specific and realistic goals, rewarding yourself for your achievements, seeking support from others or using positive self-talk.

3. Plan things to do

A list of actions for the day, week, or month, considering priorities, resources, and possible obstacles, is disciplining. Plans should be flexible and adaptable to changing circumstances, but not too complicated or confusing. This process helps you control time, your progress on tasks, and avoid chaos and stress.

4. Spread the effort

To stop wasting time looking at a huge task with fear, break down each large and complex task into smaller and simpler ones. It is also important to distribute efforts according to your biorhythm and energy, choosing the most appropriate time to work on certain tasks. This will help reduce the fear of a large amount of planned work, increase concentration and productivity.

5. Manage goals

The formulation of goals should be specific and the outcome should be achievable. Mark your progress and adjust your plans if necessary. Task management helps to increase your motivation, self-esteem and job satisfaction.

By going through these techniques, you can find the right way to beat the procrastinator in you, stop putting things off and start being efficient and productive.