Procrastination is the act of putting something off or ignoring an unpleasant task and pursuing a more pleasurable activity instead (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). Very often we catch ourselves procrastinating without having an explanation for such behaviour. By examining the cycle of procrastination, we can identify our own mechanisms that may be contributing to this behaviour.
Cycle of Procrastination
- A goal or task needs completing: These tasks and goals can be personally chosen or assigned by others.
- Activation of unhelpful rules and assumptions about ourselves: We may begin to think in ways that hinder our ability to complete the task such as a fear or failure, over exaggeration of things that could go wrong, underestimation of our capabilities, lack of self-confidence, desire to avoid unpleasant situations, or focusing on pleasure seeking activities instead.
- Activation of Discomfort: As humans, we tend to gravitate toward pleasure and avoid discomfort as much as possible. If we cannot control or find a solution for tolerating this discomfort, we are more likely to procrastinate.
- Making Excuses: We often create excuses for ourselves to support our procrastination habits. This behaviour is based on previous assumptions about ourselves.
- Actively Procrastinating: We often engage in this stage subconsciously, when we are already entrenched in procrastination and feel we deserve to have a break.
- Consequences: After procrastinating, we are faced with both negative and positive consequences which continue to drive our procrastination.
Active vs Passive Procrastination
Active procrastination is deliberately deciding to procrastinate, as one thinks they work better under pressure. For example, an active procrastinator is one who actively chooses to start working on their essay the night before because of the assumption that they work better last minute/under pressure. Passive procrastination is the common kind we think of, where individuals find they are unable to work on things until the last minute. In talking about procrastination and the reasons behind it, we’ll be focusing on passive procrastination.
Why do we procrastinate?
Procrastination is not a character flaw or simply an inability to manage time, but a way of coping with challenging emotions such as boredom, insecurity, guilt, frustration, or anxiety. There are several reasons that lead us to procrastinate including:
- Absence of Structure: When we have a lack of structure, it becomes very easy to give in to impulses like checking Facebook or playing video games. Additionally, we do most of our work on computers, which gives us easy access to a whole internet of possibilities.
- Anxiety: Procrastination has been associated with high levels of stress (Heshmat, 2016). Therefore, in order to decrease this stress and anxiety, we often shift our attention away from the task at hand and onto something else (also known as avoidance).
- Low Self-Confidence: When tasks are difficult, individuals with low self-confidence can easily doubt their ability to accomplish the tasks.
- Having Abstract Goals: When goals are vague or abstract, it can make them difficult to accomplish as there is no clear indication of when the goal has been accomplished and/or how to go about working toward accomplishing it.
- Perfectionism: When a person thinks they must produce only “perfect” work, they may procrastinate for fear of making mistakes.
- Feeling overwhelmed, fearful, fearful of failure, or a lack of control
- ADHD: People who have ADHD may have difficulties with procrastination due to problems staying focused and being easily distracted
- Depression, lack of motivation, or lack of energy may also affect one’s confidence and sense of ability to complete a task or activity
Procrastination is not a character flaw or laziness; instead, it can be caused by many emotions, thoughts, and behaviours. Additionally, sometimes procrastination can signal more serious concerns rather than just poor work habits. Some more serious concerns can be:
ADHD,
OCD,
depression, and
anxiety.
Now that we have an understanding of some of the factors that contribute to procrastination, how do we improve these habits and get things done? Check out our blog “How to Fight Procrastination” for more.
Written By: Angela Povar, M. Psy. and Chantal Legere, M. Psy
Edited/Reviewed by: Dr. Stacy Lekkos, C. Psych
References
Heath, M. (2020, August 18). Why Do We Procrastinate? 9 Psychological Reasons Behind It. Retrieved from https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/9-common-reasons-why-procrastinate.html
Heshmat, S. (2016, June 17). The 5 Most Common Reasons We Procrastinate. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/science-choice/201606/the-5-most-common-reasons-we-procrastinate
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Procrastinate. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2020, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/procrastinate
Vicious Cycle Of Procrastination. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/Resources/Looking-After-Yourself/Procrastination



