By: Nina Melka
We’ve all been there before. That time when you were given an important assignment with a deadline in a few weeks. At first, the deadline seems so far out of reach that you decide to postpone the work for a few days and busy yourself with other tasks. Soon those days turn into a week and still, you are no closer to getting anything done. You know how crucial this project is yet somehow you just feel the need to start a new journal entry, and then wash your hair since it is getting kind of greasy, and then clean your room because you noticed that pile of clothes on your chair, and then watch that new show on Netflix everyone has been talking about, and then go shopping for some groceries because the fridge looks empty, and then you suddenly realize that there is no more time left for your project. So, just like me, you open another can of coke and finally start that task, trying not to feel guilty about how much you have postponed it, while racing against the clock to get it done.
If you feel like this is a common part of your daily routine, you are probably, just like me, a master in the art of procrastination. You have fallen into the cycle of excuses to delay work followed by guilt and panic which is what finally gets you to start working. This behaviour is often associated with laziness. However, while laziness is the unwillingness to work despite the ability to do so, procrastination is the habit of delaying an urgent and important task and focusing on simpler and more enjoyable tasks instead. The word procrastination originates from the Latin word procrastinare, where the prefix pro means “forward” and crastinus translates into “belonging to tomorrow”. Although not many people would casually characterize themselves as procrastinators, we’ve all caught ourselves unnecessarily delaying tasks that we weren’t looking forward to.
Procrastination is caused by your brain responding to negative emotions surrounding a certain task. For example, when you receive the date of an exam, it is normal to feel stressed and anxious about how you perform on it. Even though you know this exam is important, you might find yourself in a situation where you are subconsciously trying to avoid studying by busying yourself instead with unnecessary tasks. The fancy biology behind this is that your amygdala, usually responsible for detecting and responding to physical threats, suddenly reacts to psychological stress as well. This small, almond-shaped part of the brain begins releasing hormones such as adrenalin and cortisol into your bloodstream when you are stressed. It also takes over the rational, decision-making prefrontal cortex by releasing dopamine and serotonin. This process, called the “amygdala hijack”, is what causes individuals to distract themselves with less stressful tasks, which is what we call procrastination.
Since we procrastinate to temporarily avoid negative emotions, the stronger these emotions towards a particular task are, the more likely we are to procrastinate. Briefly focusing on something less stressful not only creates a more relaxed environment but also helps us make better decisions. At first sight this seems like a golden ticket to a stress-free life, however, it comes with a price. In the long run, procrastination can result in serious damage to our well-being. Multiple studies have associated procrastination with increased anxiety, depression, shame and stress levels as well as a general decrease in confidence.[1] It should also be of no surprise that procrastination harms our overall performance. Chronic procrastinators are more likely to miss out on opportunities, achieve poorer results than expected and have difficulties with time management.
Although it is obvious that the downsides of this habit outweigh the benefits, in reality, it’s becoming much easier to fall into the vicious cycle of procrastination. Especially now that we have entered the digital age. Suddenly, we have a whole new set of endless possibilities available on a small metal device. It’s all so tempting that there are moments when I find myself scrolling on Pinterest or searching for answers to deep questions on Google, when I am supposed to be focused on writing an article for the school magazine. Technology isn’t the only factor that has increased procrastination in recent decades, though. Just like how stress, anxiety and depression are increasingly reported amongst the younger generations, the correlated habit of procrastination has also become more prevalent in this demographic.[2] An analysis in 2016 revealed that people between the ages of 14 and 29 procrastinate the most.[3] Another 2007 study found that between 80 to 95 percent of university students have admitted to procrastinating when completing their assignments.[4]
It looks like procrastination has become a part of our day-to-day lives. Although it’s not always a bad thing, it’s often hard to fight that little voice whispering “just five more minutes” without falling down the rabbit hole of procrastination. But do not lose hope, because there are ways to avoid this vicious cycle! It used to be commonly believed that the best way to fight this urge was through strict time management, discipline and practice. However, recently psychologists have found that those tactics just increase the negative emotions that your brain want to suppress. Instead, it’s now often recommended to break down a complex task into simpler ones. Changing our mindset towards a complicated, dreadful or even boring task is the first step to avoiding procrastination. While complex tasks can often seem overwhelming, breaking these down into smaller steps doesn’t only make it easier, but it also provides you with a feeling of satisfaction with every step you take to get closer to achieving your goal. Even basic strategies such as removing distractions or moving into a quieter working space can really help you get things done. It’s also crucial to remember to take breaks. Taking short breaks has been continuously proven to increase motivation, productivity and most of all, focus.[5] Finally, stay aware of the rabbit hole. Notice when you start coming up with excuses and bear in mind the guilt you ended up feeling. Don’t let yourself go through that again! Remember, if not now, then when?
This is your sign to stop procrastinating by reading this feature. Thank you for prioritizing this article. I appreciate you letting me take up some of your precious time, but you should really start that assignment now, or maybe… yeah, it can wait until tomorrow.
