When do people procrastinate

In many cases, this form of optimism might occur as a result of underestimating the time it will take to complete the tasks in question; this phenomenon is known as the planning fallacy , and it can lead both procrastinators as well as non-procrastinators to assume that they will finish upcoming tasks earlier than they actually will.

Similarly, a person might decide, after struggling to get started on a task, to postpone it to the next day, because they believe that tomorrow they will be able to bring themself to work on it, even if they have postponed the same task in the exact same manner several times in the past.

People sometimes procrastinate because they are unable to make decisions in a timely manner. There are various factors that generally make it more likely that someone will get stuck over-thinking the situation while trying to make a decision, a phenomenon which is sometimes referred to as analysis paralysis or choice paralysis.

The main factors to consider, from a practical perspective, are the following:. Accordingly, the more decisions you have to make during a certain time period, the more you deplete your capacity for self-control, and the more likely you are to procrastinate in making future decisions, at least until you have a chance to recharge yourself mentally.

Finally, note that this form of procrastination is generally referred to as decisional procrastination , since it involves a delay in making a decision. People sometimes procrastinate because they feel overwhelmed with regard to the tasks that they need to handle. A feeling of overwhelm can occur due to a variety of reasons, such as having a single task that feels huge in terms of scope, or having a large number of small tasks that add up.

When this happens, a person might simply decide to avoid the tasks in question, or they might attempt to handle them, but then end up feeling paralyzed before those tasks are completed. For example, if you need to clean up your entire house, the fact that the task will take so long and involve so many parts might cause you to feel overwhelmed, in which case you might avoid getting started on it in the first place.

People sometimes procrastinate because they feel anxious about a task that they need to handle. People often procrastinate because they are averse to the tasks that they need to perform. This occurs because, in general, the more people find a certain task unappealing, the more likely they are to want to avoid it, and therefore the more likely they are to procrastinate.

Note that there are many things that can make a person averse to a task in a way that causes them to procrastinate on it. For example, a person might procrastinate because they perceive a task as frustrating, tedious, or boring, or they might procrastinate because they believe there is a gap between the difficulty of the task and their own competence, which means that they feel that the task is too difficult for them to handle.

People sometimes procrastinate as a result of their perfectionism. For example, someone might delay working on their book, because they want every line that they write down to be perfect from the start, which causes them to not write anything at all.

People sometimes procrastinate because they are afraid of being evaluated or because they are afraid of receiving negative feedback from others. Whether the influence of this fear is positive or negative depends on a variety of factors, such as how anxious a person feels about the upcoming evaluation, and how confident they are in their ability to successfully handle the task at hand. This fear of failure can promote procrastination in various ways, such as by causing people to avoid finishing a task, or by causing them to avoid getting started on a task in the first place.

For example, someone might be so worried that their business idea will fail, that they end up continuing to work on it indefinitely, without ever making it available to the public.

Furthermore, certain personality traits , such as low self-esteem and low self-confidence, are associated with an increased fear of failure, which makes people who have these traits more likely to procrastinate. Moreover, fear of failure is an especially serious issue among those who suffer from high levels of self-doubt, and particularly among those who are prone to having negative, irrational beliefs about their abilities.

Conversely, when people feel that they are well-equipped to deal with a certain task, fear of failure can serve as a motivating factor, that encourages people to avoid procrastinating. For example, someone might be confident in their ability to perform a task well but still worry about receiving unjustified negative feedback from others, or they might worry about failing at something even if no one else will know about it.

People sometimes procrastinate as a way of placing barriers in their own way , so that if they fail their failures could be attributed to their procrastination rather than their abilities, a behavior which is referred to as self-handicapping. For example, a student might procrastinate instead of studying for a test, because they prefer knowing that they failed due to their procrastination, instead of knowing that they failed because they were unable to understand the material well.

As a result of this defense mechanism, certain procrastinators spend more time procrastinating if they believe that they are likely to fail when it comes to the task at hand, especially if they feel that failure will reflect badly on them. People sometimes procrastinate due to their tendency to engage in self-defeating behaviors , which means that they actively try to sabotage their own progress.

There are various reasons why people engage in self-sabotage, and individuals who procrastinate for this reason tend to also engage in other types of related behaviors , such as pushing away people who treat them well.

Note that people can have different levels of self-efficacy with regard to different domains in their life. Procrastination prevents you from reaching your full potential—in your relationships, career, and beyond. It impedes teamwork, decreases self-esteem, and even leads to depression and job loss.

On top of that, people avoid important wellness habits like going to the doctor or regular exercise. When you pinpoint the root causes, you can develop solutions and strategies to overcome procrastination. Perfectionism might seem like a desirable characteristic. Perfectionists strive for high standards and to be the best at everything. But perfection is impossible to achieve, and aiming for it sets unrealistic expectations. As a result, they develop a fear of failure. This leaves you with no in between or gray area or middle ground.

Making mistakes is far better than not doing something altogether. When you approach a passion project, whether writing your book, taking a dance class, or starting your own business, expect to make mistakes. That process of trial and error will teach you important lessons. Learn how to set boundaries , so the first step will be less intimidating. Statista reports that the average global internet user spends at least 2 hours on social media every day! Unpleasant or stressful tasks like finishing a large work project, preparing your taxes, or studying for a final exam cause unpleasant feelings like fear, stress, or inadequacy.

Dragging your feet to do something and focusing on low-priority tasks is a form of unconscious avoidance. Procrastinators tend to prefer pleasure over progress. They are task averse, putting off important tasks by doing something else that feels more productive, easier, and enjoyable. For example, they might want to eat the cake right now because it tastes so good.

They give up the long-term gain of getting our sugar levels into a regulated pattern and eating healthy foods that fuel the body. When faced with difficult emotions, someone may engage in self-destructive patterns that feel good at the time, like drinking too much alcohol, instead of working through problems and feeling painful emotions which ultimately leads to healing.

So for many, procrastination results as a default defense mechanism in the form of avoidance. It acts as a coping mechanism, to protect yourself from unpleasant feelings like guilt or anxiety. You become demotivated and disillusioned, or in extreme cases, develop depression or anxiety. Like other types of defense mechanisms, procrastination happens in the unconscious mind, so you may not even realize that you do it.

You must figure out what causes procrastination before you can start changing those habits. For example, do you avoid a certain task because you find it boring or unpleasant? If so, focus and get it out of the way quickly. Then take a break or move on to tasks that you find more enjoyable. You can also tackle the hardest tasks at your peak times.

If you notice that you avoid tasks because you feel incompetent when you do them — get help, outsource, or find a workaround. Letting go of some hated tasks, you will not only stop feeling guilty, but the necessary work will get done. These are key leadership characteristics — collaboration and problem solving. It starts with a brain dump into your Daily Planner.

To say it is exhausting on all levels would be a gross understatement. Perhaps you can point me us to articles that will help me begin to better understand — and help to end — such cycles of negative patterns. Thank you for addressing the psychology of procrastination. Avoiding trying to take care of this test, etc.

I never expected to do anything as good as it should be. I saw her as a guardian angel…. I wrote a post I aim to publish on the subject. I was the worst procrastinator. When I ceased depriving myself of all the things I love to do.

It made it easier to tackle any task I dreaded. Try to strike a balance between work and play. Familiarise yourself with prioritizing important and urgent tasks.

And getting them done. The emotion that underlies the prolonged periods of procrastination the chronic procrastinator is prone to feeling. Wow this was great how they took this one concept that sometimes cripples most of us, and turned it into a science! Wonderful and highly informative reading! I even posted this to Facebook!

This was an extremely helpful AND educational article! And I think I can speak for many! And I thank all the contributors to this piece who offered there insight along with case studies that actually break down this human nemesis that has plagued the human race since man learned to walk upright! But there is one thing that I do that most other people do and maybe you could do an article on this subject also. And that is impulsivity. Before I finish one task I jump to do something else!

I am just now learning to recognize mine, and am making a strong effort to an alias and correct it. This was quite an article! Never before have I read anything so descriptive about a long time human nemesis such as this, what it actually is and how it can be dealt with. I certainly did not know that this is an issue that dates back hundred of years before Jesus Christ was born! But not until now has this problem been looked at and broken down.

I will definitely apply these principles! Thank you! This article is more helpful than others I have read, but my own reasons for procrastination are still elusive to me. Sometimes I will work on a project for a little while, which relieves anxiety. Then I set it aside, saying that I want to see it with fresh eyes a day or two later. Other times I have had the experience of doing something too early, like prepping a presentation, and when I go to make it, I have lost the train of thought.

Oddly enough, I have no trouble downloading bank and credit card statements and balancing the checkbook. I really liked this article.

Just by reading this article and seeing that I am not alone in this fight has given me the desire to get it done! I pray that everyone that struggles with this nemesis gets closer to defeating our life long enemy. Never give up! I hit an all time low at one point, where I basically never did my homework. For many years, I tried and failed to come up with a reason for that.

I very much enjoyed school and my work, I was more than capable of completing the work, and I did have enough time on my hands. I have concluded that the only plausible reason is that, like now, there is something in my brain that simply cannot get work done. People never seemed to understand how much I desperately want to be able to just get it done. Even the act of procrastinating is not enjoyable in the slightest — I feel too guilty and self-loathing. I have looked at a number of resources for my speech regarding why we procrastinate, and have disagreed with every one, knowing that I did not fall under those reasons.

I agreed with Every. Where has this been all my life. Blew me away. Thank you so so much for your work. Procrastination is a thief, a liar, a destroyer. I thank God for people like you that are able to gather info and better help all of us. Everything is coming together now, I now know why I am the way that I am. Thank you so much for this article.

I just turned I clean it off and slowly over time it magically piles up again. Am I just lazy? I work better at keeping my home cleaned up when someone is there helping me. Anyone else feel this way? My procrastination started to get worse from the day I began doing my practical research. I am unsure but it felt overwhelming because researches are usually long, I think that is why and because of that, I..

I tried to fight it off for several months. I try to find my way out of this because it severely affects my academic performance and my social life. I am still finding my way out of this by doing research on procrastination.. Anyway, I wish the very best for anyone who is struggling with procrastination.. Before you do any work, you should know the benefit of doing it.

I have been coaching productivity for a long time and I am still amazed at how much many people waste large chunks of time completing work which does not need to be completed. In addition, prioritisation should be based on importance i. Unless you understand the benefits of completing the task, you cannot accurately estimate its importance. For smaller tasks or projects, understanding the benefits of completing the task is usually enough to motivate you.

For larger projects, it is important that you build in a means to measure your progress so that you can gain the confidence and motivation from your achievements. The factors mentioned above are usually quiet obvious to you e. However, there will be times when you procrastinate but the reason behind your procrastination is not so obvious. This is due to deep-rooted thinking errors which cause you to view the tasks in a manner which is usually inaccurate and does not serve you.

There are many people for whom fear of failure is devastating. They see it as a final result which cannot be altered or rectified. They see each failure as a permanent stain on their reputation which means that each time that they do not achieve their objective; their self-esteem takes a big hit.

Thus procrastination becomes a frequent occurrence and an endless spiral. On the other hand, there are individuals that treat failure as a stepping stone towards learning and ultimately success in life. They understand that mistakes will be made. They have an attitude of realistic optimism which allows them to believe that they will successfully complete their tasks, even if it requires more than one attempt.

As you might imagine, these people are far less likely to procrastinate. Instead, they approach each new challenge with a degree of relish and a level of preparedness to cope with setbacks. Learning and growth are an essential component of a successful life. It is not realistic to think that you can succeed without experiencing a few setbacks along the way.