Understanding and Overcoming Procrastination

Study Notes

Procrastination is when we avoid a task we said we would do, for no good reason, despite expecting our behavior to bring negative consequences.
Procrastination is the result of our bodies trying to protect us, specifically by avoiding a task we see as threatening.
When you realize you need to write that report, your brain responds like it would to any incoming threat.
Your amygdala, a set of neurons involved in emotional processing, releases hormones including adrenaline that kick off a fear response.
This stress-induced panic can overpower the impulses from your prefrontal cortex, which typically help you think long term and regulate your emotions.
And it’s in the midst of this fight, flight, or freeze response that you decide to handle the threat by avoiding it in favor of some less stressful task.
People who have difficulty regulating their emotions and those who struggle with low self-esteem are much more likely to procrastinate, regardless of how good they are at time management.
However, it's a common misconception that all procrastinators are lazy.
In the body and brain, laziness is marked by no energy and general apathy.
When you’re feeling lazy, you’re more likely to sit around doing nothing than distract yourself with unimportant tasks.
Procrastinators often report a high fear of failure, putting things off because they’re afraid their work won’t live up to their high standards.
Procrastination often results in negative consequences, such as anxiety, depression, and a decreased ability to handle stress.
There are ways to break the cycle of procrastination, but it takes effort and perseverance.
traditionally, people thought that procrastinators needed to cultivate discipline and practice strict time management in order to overcome their laziness, but today many researchers feel that this is not the case.
The key to overcoming procrastination is to address and reduce negative emotions, such as stress.
Some simple strategies include breaking a task into smaller elements, journaling about why it's stressing you out, and addressing the underlying concerns.
It is also important to cultivate an attitude of self-compassion, forgiving yourself, and making a plan to do better next time.