Picture this: you’ve got a report due, but a new video game launch is calling your name. Or, the laundry basket is full, but Netflix has just released the series you’ve been waiting for.
When this happens, it’s easy to fall for the myths surrounding procrastination. In this article, Intellect’s clinical psychologist, Nistha Singh, delves into the truth and shares how to stop procrastinating.
Myths about procrastination
1. “I procrastinate because I am lazy.”
For a long time, procrastination and laziness were considered synonymous. Even today, these terms are often confused. While individuals who feel unmotivated may procrastinate from time to time, it is inaccurate to label them as lazy. Why is that?
Well, procrastination tends to be specific to certain aspects of our lives; you might avoid one task but be very diligent in another. To delay starting on a report, we might choose to tidy our room instead. Conversely, to put off tidying our room, despite it looking like a tornado flew around it, we might choose to bury ourselves in work. In either scenario, we are being productive and it certainly isn’t fair to call ourselves lazy.
2. “I procrastinate because I am ill-disciplined.”
Often, we respond to this belief by being tougher on ourselves. However, this is as effective as asking to quit smoking by going cold turkey. It fundamentally misunderstands the problem and, like shouting into the wind, is often futile. While discipline can aid in our fight against procrastination, it alone is not the be all and end all.
Consider an individual who is used to taking smoke breaks with his colleagues in the middle of a work day. Although his New Year’s resolution to quit smoking may initially prevail, he eventually caves when he considers the social interactions he’s missing out on, or when the craving becomes overwhelming on a particularly stressful afternoon. Our habits and environment are often more powerful than sheer will, and they usually win.
3. “I procrastinate because I can’t prioritise.”
How often do we catch ourselves or others saying that prioritisation is the answer to procrastination? If I start managing my time more effectively, surely I can stay on top of my deadlines. Yet, making plans without executing them can become another form of procrastination. Organising our schedule keeps us busy, but we’re not being productive.
Even if we prioritise well, we may still procrastinate. Paradoxically, prioritisation can sometimes fuel procrastination. When we designate a goal as our top priority, we sometimes feel so anxious or afraid of failing that we do not attempt at all. For example, we might want to get back into shape, but we avoid the gym because we’re hesitant to face our current fitness level and the amount of effort needed to improve.
In the scenarios above, it is tempting to mistake procrastination for laziness, a lack of discipline, or even poor prioritisation. However, in reality, it is driven by:
- Neuroscientific factors: Our brain is wired to seek instant rewards. When your limbic system, (the “pleasure centre”) takes over, your prefrontal cortex (the “planning centre”) may be uncooperative, making it difficult to integrate information and make decisions.
- Personality factors: An individual who is impulsive may jump into things (e.g. splashing out on a gym membership) but struggle to stick with long-term projects (e.g. exercising thrice a week).
- Motivation factors: Procrastination may also indicate a lack of genuine interest. When our goals are driven by the expectations of others, rather than our own desires, we are not intrinsically motivated to meet them.
- Cognitive factors: Confronting our imperfections and the challenges that await can be daunting. If you’ve just landed a big project, the fear and anxiety of messing it up can stop you from starting altogether.
- Behavioural factors: Ingrained habits, however unhealthy, can be powerful. When an individual is so used to reaching for a cigarette whenever they feel stressed, substituting smoking with a healthier habit overnight can be difficult. (Read about the science of habit formation here.)
What is discomfort avoidance?
At the heart of procrastination lies the desire to avoid discomfort. Whether it’s boredom, fear, anxiety, or other unpleasant emotions, we procrastinate to escape the unpleasant emotions associated with a task. Instead, we cling onto what is comfortable despite knowing it does not serve us in the long run.
These behaviours, when repeated, are self-reinforcing because avoidance deprives us of the exposure needed to learn that the discomfort may not be as bad as we think. In other words, it robs us of opportunities for personal growth.
Let’s say you want to get fit, but you procrastinate about hitting the gym as you’re new and worried about appearing like an amateur. When you imagine struggling with the equipment, you think “that’s too difficult” and focus on avoiding the unpleasant emotion that is embarrassment. The more you avoid it, the stronger is your belief that you “don’t belong.”
But if you did go, you may discover that the equipment is more user-friendly than you think. And if it isn’t, maybe you’d find the courage in you to ask for help, and feel pleasantly surprised by how willing others are to lend a hand. In this case, you not only complete the task (i.e. exercising); you also walk away with a different view of yourself and others.
How to stop procrastinating
1. Start small
Suppose you haven’t been working out, of course your brain will protest against your joining a marathon. Instead, start with simple tasks that are low in difficulty. After you do these for some time, slowly ramp up the difficulty and increase the duration of the activity.
If going on walks is comfortable for now, start there. If walking is easy, go for a hike or jog for a mile or two. If running five kilometres isn’t that hard, go for six. No matter where you are, you can challenge yourself. The trick here is to introduce discomfort in small doses so your brain can get used to it.
2. Find your “productivity combos”
Often, we are made to choose between what feels like work and what is fun. But why can’t we have the best of both worlds? Take it from the gym-goers who run on a treadmill while watching a drama series on their phone—or what we call a “productivity combo.” By pairing comfort with discomfort, we can “trick” our brains into checking tasks off and even entering what Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi describes as a state of “flow”.
Here are some examples:
- Cycling while listening to a podcast
- Doing household chores while watching a movie
- Designing a deck while listening to a new album by your favourite artiste
Avoid pairing activities that require the same cognitive resources. For example, writing a report while watching a webinar may not be effective. Instead, pair activities that engage different parts of the brain, such as listening to audio while doing visual or manual work.
3. Focus on the goal, not the discomfort
Say, you’re preparing for a presentation, and you can’t stop thinking about how nervous you are and visualising yourself messing up. Rather than fixating on these thoughts and imagery, try shifting your focus to your purpose. That is, why you are making the presentation in the first place.
Maybe you’re doing it to share your expertise with junior team members who are eager to learn, or you’re getting your managers’ buy-in for a cause you’re deeply passionate about. Keeping your eye on your goal doesn’t make your feelings of anxiety disappear, but it might keep them from running the show. The discomfort is still there, but it’s no longer in the driver’s seat.
4. Connect your goal with your values
Now, it can be hard to feel motivated when you don’t have a personal reason to do so. If you are doing the presentation only because you “have to,” you might view it as a chore. Yet, the reality is that many tasks at work need to be done whether we see value in them or not. In such instances, it helps to look within ourselves for a compelling reason to complete, rather than procrastinate, on the task.
Imagine that you’ve been putting off processing your staff’s expense claims. Yes, it is boring. And yes, your goal is to simply verify and approve (or reject) them. To get this administrative task over and done with, you might remind yourself of its importance. Maybe you pride yourself on being a caring manager, and your prompt action can alleviate your team members’ stress ever so slightly. Keeping your values in mind, you’ll have an easier time pushing through.
5. Reflect on what you’re avoiding
You probably have a list of the tasks you’ve been avoiding. Do they have anything in common? When we dig deep into the discomfort we’re trying so badly to avoid, we might start to see patterns.
- “I’m not trying new activities because I don’t want to be bad at them initially.” – avoiding the discomfort of being a beginner, rather than enjoying new experiences and learning new skills.
- “I’m not applying for this promotion because I may not get it” – avoiding the discomfort associated with uncertainty and failure, rather than taking action to advance my career.
- “I’m not addressing my friend’s hurtful behaviour because I don’t want to create conflict.” – avoiding the discomfort of confrontation, rather than addressing issues that could strengthen the relationship.
When we identify these common themes, we can treat our discomfort at its root, rather than merely treating the symptom of procrastination, by working with a mental health professional.
How Intellect can help
1. Coaching
Intellect’s coaches can help you structure your goals in a non-intimidating manner, develop strategies backed by behavioural science, and hold you accountable in ways that suit you.
If you’re struggling with procrastination, our coach may introduce the Eisenhower Matrix, a time management system that helps you prioritise tasks by urgency and importance. Tasks are categorised as either urgent, important, both, or neither. Depending on their status, you may choose to do it now, schedule a time to do it, delegate it, or do away with it altogether.
2. Counselling
Through counselling, you can gain deeper insight into your avoidance behaviours. For instance, you might discover that your discomfort with uncertainty and failure stems from harsh parenting in childhood, allowing you to address those underlying issues effectively.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can help you identify core beliefs (e.g., “I always mess things up”) and assumptions (e.g., “If I make a mistake, it will be a disaster”) that were cemented in childhood and understand how they fuel procrastination today.
Meanwhile, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can offer coping strategies for managing discomfort. Visualisation, for example, involves imagining unhelpful thoughts as bubbles floating in the air and watching them drift away.
3. Clinical Psychologists
Procrastination is sometimes linked to specific mental health conditions. For example, individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may struggle to sustain their attention as a result of impaired executive function. Those experiencing depression may lack energy and motivation and feel a sense of hopelessness. This impacts their functioning and leads to procrastination which, in turn, reinforces feelings of guilt and shame and perpetuates the depressive cycle.
If you suspect that there is more than meets the eye to your procrastination behaviours, Intellect’s clinical psychologists can help. Our team is not only equipped to conduct comprehensive assessments and diagnose mental health conditions; they are also trained to deliver psychotherapy to help you cope.
When necessary, Intellect’s clinical psychologists can refer clients to psychiatrists, ensuring a comprehensive approach to treatment that combines psychological therapies with medical support.
