#whyweprocrastinate

We’ve all been there — staring at a task, knowing it needs to be done, but still choosing to scroll, rest, or “start later.” 😅 But procrastination isn’t just laziness. It’s a psychological reaction rooted in emotions, motivation, and how our brain handles stress.

This article breaks down: • Why we avoid tasks • How emotions trick our brain • Why comfort wins over productivity • And the science behind breaking the cycle

If you’ve ever wondered why starting feels harder than finishing, this explainer is for you. 👇 Read the full breakdown:

Discover some practical ways to stop procrastination. We've all heard about the procrastination phenomenon. When we procrastinate, we waste our spare time and put off crucial chores that should be completed until it's too late. And when it is too late, we worry and wish we had begun sooner. Many years of a chronic procrastinator's life will be spent in this cycle. Delaying, putting things off, slacking, escaping from work, tackling work only when it's inevitable, and then repeating the cycle. It's a nasty habit that eats away at us and keeps us from obtaining more success in life. It's vital to realize that you're not alone if you procrastinate. Everyone has been there. Overcoming procrastination is a difficult task. But, with the correct tools, mentality, and techniques, I'm convinced you can effect the desired changes you wish for.   First, before reading about how to stop procrastination, you should consider reading my post on "Procrastination: Why Do We Engage In It & Reasons To Avoid It."

  Steps to stop procrastination.

  1. Break the habit by creating a better habit

Procrastination is a habit, a deeply entrenched behavioral practice. This implies you won't be able to break it overnight. Habits only cease being habits when you stop doing them, so try as many of the tactics listed below as you can to give yourself the best chance of success. Forgive yourself for previous procrastination. According to research, self-forgiveness might help you feel more positive about yourself and minimize the probability of future procrastination. Make a commitment to the job. Concentrate on doing rather than avoiding. Make a list of the chores you need to perform and set a time to finish them. This will enable you to approach your task more aggressively. If you finish a challenging project on time, treat yourself to a slice of cake or a cup of coffee from your favorite coffee shop. Also, take note of how satisfying it is to complete tasks! Peer pressure is also effective! This is the underlying idea of self-help groups. If you don't have somebody to turn to, an internet application like Procraster can assist you with self-monitoring. Rather than putting off tasks until another day, tackle them as soon as they arise. Internal dialogue. The words "need to" and "have to" indicate that you have no option in what you do. This might make you feel powerless and perhaps lead to self-sabotage. Saying, "I choose to," on the other hand, suggests that you own a project and can help you feel more in control of the situation. Every day, try to get those things that you hate done first and fast before anything else. This will give you the remainder of the day to concentrate on more fun work. If you're delaying because you dislike a task, attempt to think about the "long-time goal." According to research, impulsive people are more prone to postpone things, since they are focused on the present. To combat this, consider the long-term rewards of finishing the work. For example, an impact on your yearly performance evaluation or end-of-year bonus? Another technique for making a task more enjoyable is to identify the negative effects of avoiding it. For example, what will happen if you do not finish the work? What impact might it have on your personal life, team, or organizational objectives? It is also vital to recognize that we frequently exaggerate the discomfort of an activity. So give it a go! After all, you might discover that it's not as bad as you thought!  

2. Don’t let your emotions take over.

We shun tasks that elicit unpleasant feelings. In psychology, avoidance and its close relative, rumination, are known as transdiagnostic factors, which means that they represent indicators of a wide range of prevalent mental health issues. People who use avoidance methods to cope with stress are more sensitive to melancholy, anxiety, ADHD, and eating disorders, creating a vicious cycle. When their mental health deteriorates, so does their avoidance. Even people who only sometimes feel depressed, unsure, or nervous about their jobs—or who can't stand the monotony or tension they cause, still avoid projects or jobs that elicit such feelings. During times of uncertainty, this reaction is amplified. You are more inclined to postpone things when you are overwhelmed. Even basic chores, such as responding to emails, might appear intimidating in this condition. To determine whether your emotions are the major reason you put off work, ask yourself the following questions: What is the state of my mental health? Do the tasks I avoid elicit certain emotions? Are they boring, do they make me angry or worried, or resentful? Then try the following strategies: Disentangle your emotions. Accurately defining your emotions, referred to by psychologists as emotional granularity will assist you in managing them. When it comes to procrastination, it's also helpful to consider how each emotion influences your attitude toward work. For example, you may discover that making a presentation for your boss causes anxiety at a level of let's say 8/10, resentment at a level of 6/10, and boredom at a level of maybe 4/10. Once you've scaled it this way, you can effectively handle the emotions one by one. The rating system will assist you in determining how effective you are at minimizing them. When a task bores you, set a reward for finishing it or accomplishing it in a particular time frame. Find what you actually appreciate about a task when it makes you feel angry or frustrated. Perhaps you are irritated by having to make the adjustments that your boss requests, but you value mastering your art. You may be irritated by a teammate's request for technical assistance, but you value being a supportive colleague. When a task makes you nervous, start with the parts that make you the least nervous and work your way up. This is exposure therapy: progressively exposing yourself to what worries you the most. What seemed unachievable at first, will feel doable once you've completed the simplest tasks. Practice self-compassion. Compassionate self-talk has been shown in several studies to help heal emotional scars. Here's an example of how it may sound: "In the past, I've been dissatisfied with my performance, which makes me reluctant." That is a natural and understandable reaction. "But I was a novice back then, and I'm not today". It is acceptable to learn via experience. Discover and then repeat self-talk that works for you.   Check out my post on “Self-talk guide” here.  

3. Break Your Work into Little Steps

Part of the reason we procrastinate is that we unconsciously believe the task is too difficult for us. Break it down into small pieces, then concentrate on one at a time. If you still procrastinate after breaking the work down, break it down even further. Your work will soon seem so simple that you will think, "hey, this is so simple, I might as well just do it now!" For instance, I'm working on a new book (on How to change bad habits). Book writing is a massive undertaking that may be stressful. However, when it's divided into phases, such as: - extensive Research -  preferred topic - Craft outline - Draft content - Writing Chapters and many more It now appears to be fairly easy. Then I concentrate on the current step and complete it to the best of my abilities, without worrying about the previous phases. I move on to the next task after it is completed. Consider the prolific output of the well-known author Anthony Trollope. He wrote 47 novels, 18 nonfiction books, 12 short tales, 2 plays, and a variety of essays and correspondence. How did he manage it? Rather than assessing his progress in chapters or books, Trollope monitored his development in 15-minute increments. He established a target of 250 words every 15 minutes and stuck to it for three hours a day. This method enabled him to experience sentiments of happiness and achievement every 15 minutes while working on the big job of writing a book. List tasks out. Didn't you know I was going to say that? Lists are useful because they are enjoyable to create and much more enjoyable to discard once completed. If you can't stop procrastinating, lists can help you deal with at least two of the three factors that cause procrastination: risk aversion and rewards. Process: Making a list makes you feel like you're accomplishing something. It feels wonderful to cross something off your to-do list. Making a list minimizes the likelihood that you will forget to do anything, and therefore will mess up and fail.  

Make the Task More Achievable

As previously stated the exact cause of procrastination is generally aimed at starting something.  It's typically easy to continue working once you've started it. This is one solid reason to keep your steps modest and simple to begin; if your steps are small and simple to begin, you will be less likely to postpone things. The 2-Minute Rule, which states that "when you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do," is one of my favorite ways to make things easier. The goal is to make it as simple as possible to begin, and then to trust that momentum will carry you further into the task once you begin. It becomes very easy to continue doing anything once you start. The 2-Minute Rule eliminates procrastination and laziness by making it so simple to get started that you can't say no. Reasons why this is important. Small steps forward help retain momentum on the long run, which means you're more likely to complete enormous jobs easily. The sooner you accomplish a productive activity, the faster your day develops a productive and effective mindset. The rate at which you accomplish your first work of the day has proven to be soo important in overcoming procrastination and sustaining a highly productive output day after day.  

Change your mindset and thinking pattern

Some cognitive variables that contribute to procrastination are quite universal—for example, most of us underestimate the complexity of activities with extended deadlines—while others are highly individualized. Here's an example of one of my own troublesome patterns: When people tell me they like a particular piece of my writing, I tend to assume that my other work is bad, which causes me to tangle when it's time to write again—even though I've just received praise for one! To determine whether cognitive blockages are contributing to your procrastination, ask yourself the following questions: Is the work seen to be more difficult than the stages truly are, given my abilities? Do I like a task once I begin it? If you answered yes, it means you have a tendency to think about work in a way that makes it appear more unpleasant than it is. To overcome your mental or mindset blocks, try the following methods: Brainstorm in reverse. Although I have never used reverse brainstorming before, it's one of my favorite strategies. It is imagining what you would do to make your work impossible to do or something you would really like to avoid doing. Once you have those solutions, you then come up with their opposites to feel less blocked. It's pretty simple, think of a problem you can create if you don't want to do something, then think of the solution to that problem you just created. boom you're off For example, a task may appear insurmountable if I anticipate needing to execute it perfectly the first time or in the exact same manner as a colleague whom I admire. The work will appear easier if I accept that mistakes and faults may occur and tackle them in my own unique way, leveraging my own strengths. Another fast reframing strategy is to consider how the work you're putting off is similar to the one you can or have complete easily and successfully. For example, I am completely at ease writing blog articles but definitely not presentations. Both, however, include expressing a few points fast, keeping the language conversational, and providing the listener with a personal feeling. The trick here is to specify the situation precisely, as I have done, making yourself aware that this is the problem and solution or this is the same as this that I always do easily. Accept activity that every project is filled with its own unique issues/problems. Some projects are more likely to be completed effortlessly and hence seem more fulfilling than other projects that are more challenging but potentially more valuable. That's why we frequently prefer to cross little tasks off our to-do lists rather than tackle larger projects at once. Remember that if you show up to perform an essential project and approach it as strategically as possible, you will make progress, even if it doesn't seem like it. The more tolerant you are of a difficult project, the less likely you are to postpone them. Commit to executing the work with the most potential for a period of time each day, even if it results in turbulent sensations and ideas. Limit your working time to small bursts. When a task is critical or we have been putting it off for a long time, we frequently assume that marathon work hours are required to complete it. Most of the time, this thinking is motivated by self-criticism fueled by guilt over lost productivity. However, the prospect of slaving away on a difficult task all day tends to increase procrastination. You should try the two approaches below to solve this: - Set aside 10 minutes today to work on whatever you're avoiding and pick it up again tomorrow. Doing something little today can help you get over the emotional hurdle of starting. - Set a time limit of 90 minutes for yourself today. If you're used to doing serious work, you should be able to get yourself to accomplish practically anything for that period of time. It's a reasonable objective. This idea is also adaptable. For example, you could try increasing the time you spend on the task by 10 minutes each workday until you reach two hours total. It's similar to preparing for an endurance race.  

Eliminate Your distractions.

Discover why people engage in procrastination and 5 reasons to avoid it.

Procrastination. We’ve all done it at one time or the other. We start watching an entertaining series on youtube and keep clicking the “next” button. While we say to ourselves, “No worries, I will stop after the next series” Boom it's 4 a.m. in the morning, and we realize we have a meeting the next day at 7:00 a.m. So we make a pledge to ourselves that we would never procrastinate again! Until next time. "Tomorrow is generally the busiest day of the week," says an old Spanish proverb. Procrastination is one of the most powerful problems we face in the twenty-first century. All the distractions around us have made it much simpler to procrastinate on a task and put it off until the last minute, or perhaps abandon it entirely. Once we start procrastinating, it's difficult to quit. Worse, we occasionally give ourselves a kick in the butt and sit down to complete our task... Then we can't even concentrate! Yikes. Don't be deceived; persistent procrastination can linger with you and drain your productivity levels for several years.  

Why do we engage in Procrastination?

We are too scared to fail (we fear failure so much that it leads to procrastination). Fear, in general, induces procrastination by acting as a powerful emotional barrier, making individuals more averse to particular jobs and causing delays in taking action just to delay whatever they're frightened of. For example, if a person is scared of failing at a task, they may postpone the activity to avoid dealing with their fear. “Fear is the mind-killer” - Frank Herbert Coping with fear through avoidance might assist the procrastinator to safeguard their mood in the short term by postponing the project they're frightened of. However, in the long run, this often harms them more than it benefits them, for a variety of reasons: - Procrastination does not eliminate fear; rather, it postpones the time at which the procrastinator must confront it. - Procrastination allows the fear to develop and worsen, which can amplify the bad feelings connected with it. - Procrastination can lead to the development of new negative emotions such as frustration, guilt, and shame. - Procrastination can result in a variety of problems, including increased stress, increased interpersonal conflicts, and failure to achieve goals. We fear failure not because it puts us in danger, but because it makes life more difficult. - If you make a mistake, you must invest resources to correct it. - If you didn't make any progress while working for a longer period of time, it suggests you need to put in more effort to see results. That is less than you anticipated. - If you have a poor day and then slack off till tomorrow, you will wake up with a lot of time squandered. low self-esteem leads to procrastination Your brain genuinely wishes the best for you. It is always hunting for rewards (anything that feels good) and seeks to keep you out of potentially risky situations. For each action or scenario, your brain is continually calculating the possible reward and danger. This equation decides whether you will proceed with an activity or postpone it. Procrastination arises from the emotional component of the brain, which lacks the ability to think long-term or in sophisticated ways, instead reacting exclusively to learned patterns and impulses. Self-esteem is about believing in yourself and your potential to achieve. With strong self-esteem, you may feel confident that you can complete a task and be successful. When you have poor self-esteem, you don't believe that you will be successful at anything. And without an expected reward (which can only be obtained by completing the task successfully), your emotional brain is not driven to undertake the project or task. why devote time and energy to a task if you're going to fail anyway? Where is the joy and satisfaction in that? This type of poor self-esteem is frequently caused by procrastination, creating a positive feedback cycle. Depression often leads to procrastination Most depressed people find it difficult to be productive. Work—and here is where Depressed folks are notorious procrastinators. Procrastination is defined as putting off till later what "should" be done now. The "should" might come from outside, as with the youngster who procrastinates on homework, or it can come from within, as with me planting my garden. It's easy to perceive the rebelliousness that procrastination shows when it originates from without. When it originates from within, it's difficult to understand what function procrastination serves—but it might serve many. It is pretty normal for young adults to purposefully postpone doing things they don't want to do until the last minute, even if this causes them extra worry. People who procrastinate may be aware that they are "spending time," but they don't always realize what is preventing them from keeping on track. When people are sad, they frequently lose interest in activities that they used to like. They may profess interest in an activity but hesitate to commit if they are concerned that they are not up to it at the time. When someone is sad, tasks appear to demand more energy. When people take a step back and try to plan something that they may normally do without thinking, it might feel or look scarier. People who suffer from depression sometimes don't know where to begin when little pressures add up. The initial step appears to be as daunting as the larger vision, making it difficult to prioritize. They may begin several "projects" and then abandon them when they become bored or frustrated. A "why" mindset is related to depression. many people fail to grasp how completing one task might lead to new chances. They sometimes wonder, "Why am I even doing this?" or "What is the point of this?" They are more likely to express cynicism and feel disconnected from their values in their search for meaning. Procrastinators have several major misconceptions about how labor works. They believe that highly productive people are always in a happy, enthusiastic frame of mind that allows them to dive right into heaps of paper and do what has to be done. On the contrary, inspiration comes after action rather than the other way around. When we force ourselves to confront the work at hand, we generally find that it isn't as horrible as we thought, and we begin to feel good about the progress we are making. Work comes first, followed by a pleasant attitude of mind. Depressed people believe that people with high job abilities are constantly confident and easily achieve their goals; because they do not feel this way, they believe they will never be successful. However, most individuals who are truly successful anticipate difficulties, disappointments, and failures along the path. Knowing this in advance, they aren't caught off guard and fall into self-blame anytime there is a problem. We will waste a lot of our life if we wait until we are perfectly prepared and highly motivated to get started with things  

5 reasons to stop procrastination