The Psychology of Procrastination

What is procrastination? Procrastination is the act of avoiding something through delay or postponement. You might be procrastinating when: There is a gap between your intention and action You feel like avoiding something You find yourself easily distracted You feel overwhelmed by tasks at the last minute You always feel rushed to complete a project You’re hesitant to truthfully update someone on your progress It usually brings about feelings of: Shame Guilty Anxiety Regret Anger Inauthenticity Why do we procrastinate? We procrastinate because our brains receive a reward for avoidance. Avoidance brings immediate relief from the distress associated with the task. Although we may experience discomfort in the final moments before a task is due, we rarely think about the past or future when procrastinating. This creates a problematic cycle, one that erodes at our self-confidence. It also causes us to keep up a steady stream of “I should be…” in our subconscious minds. The ingredients for procrastination Personal & System Based Factors of Procrastination There are fixed factors related to procrastination, things that are innate to each of our different psychological experiences. For example, someone with ADHD is more likely to procrastinate. The fixed personal factors are: Higher Impulsivity Lower conscientiousness—lower drive to be organized and accomplish. Limited attention-span Boredom / Low Interest The variable personal factors are: Willpower Distress tolerance Willingness to ask for help Task-focused vs value-focused Self-consciousness & anxiety The variable task or system-based factors are: Unclear goals & expectations Unrealistic goals & expectations Distractions Lack of accountability or mentors By listening to this episode, you can earn 0.75 Psychiatry CME Credits. Link to blog. Link to YouTube video. Join David on Instagram: dr.davidpuder Twitter: @DavidPuder Facebook: DrDavidPuder