Procrastinating the Procrastination
“We weren’t designed to think ahead into the future because we needed to focus on providing for ourselves in the here and now,” said Dr. Hal Hershfield, a professor of marketing at the U.C.L.A. Anderson School of Management.
I have always wondered why I procrastinate so often. Is there anything wrong with me? Do I need medical attention? Do I require counseling? Do I have to change my habits?
We’ve all struggled with procrastination at some point in our lives. For as long as humans have existed, we have struggled with delaying, avoiding, and procrastinating on issues that are important to us.
According to Psychology Today, procrastination is a common human trait. For the occasional offender, finding the willpower to buckle down and power through is usually sufficient to increase productivity and focus on the task at hand.
Psychologists discovered that procrastination is not a time management issue but rather a coping mechanism. When we procrastinate, we avoid an unpleasant task by doing something else that temporarily improves our mood.
What is procrastination?
Procrastination is delaying or postponing tasks until the last minute or after the deadline. It isn’t just a time management issue. Researchers believe that our irrational behavior stems from a failure of self-regulation. We procrastinate, despite knowing that doing so will have negative consequences.
What Causes Procrastination?
“Procrastination is an emotion regulation problem, not a time management problem,” said Dr. Tim Pychyl, professor of psychology and member of the Procrastination Research Group at Carleton University in Ottawa.
Definitions are great, but why do we procrastinate? Why do we avoid things we know we should do? What is happening in our brains?
We frequently assume that projects will take less time to complete than they actually will, which can give us a false sense of security when we believe we still have plenty of time to complete these tasks.
The idea that we must be inspired or motivated to work on a task at a specific time is one of the main causes of procrastination.
If you wait until you’re in the right frame of mind to do certain tasks (especially unpleasant ones), you’ll most likely find that the right time never comes and the task is never completed.
According to the researchers, some major cognitive distortions contribute to procrastination.
- Overestimate the time they have left to complete tasks.
- Overestimate their motivation in the future.
- Underestimate how long certain tasks will take.
- Mistakenly assume that they must be in the right frame of mind to work on a project.
The present bias is a phenomenon in human behavior that can lead to procrastination. The present bias indicates that we are more motivated by immediate gratification or rewards than by long-term rewards.
For example, the immediate reward of lying in bed and watching TV is more appealing than the long-term reward of writing a blog post, which would take much longer to complete.
Procrastination can also be caused by depression. Feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, and exhaustion can make even the most basic tasks difficult to begin (and complete). Depression can also cause self-doubt. When you don’t know how to approach a project or are unsure of your abilities, you may find it easier to put it off.
Fear of success is another possible reason for procrastination. In this case, you procrastinate because you are worried about the consequences of your success. When you accomplish something, you get noticed. When you are noticed, there is always the pressure to perform better the next time. Inactivity or procrastination may be how you deal with the pressures.
Is procrastination considered a mental illness?
Procrastination is not a mental illness. However, in some cases, it may indicate an underlying mental health condition such as depression, OCD, or ADHD.
How to Overcome Procrastination?
When we find a way to stop procrastinating, we feel satisfied and accomplished. Today, we’ll discuss how to make those rare moments of productivity more routine. This guide aims to explain the science behind why we procrastinate, share tried-and-true frameworks for overcoming procrastination, and cover practical strategies for taking action.
1. Adjust your environment.
Although tempting, curling up with a blanket on your bed is not the best place to do your homework. Ideally, you want your study area to have good lighting and a clear surface with plenty of space to spread out your materials and laptop. You should also have one or two designated study locations where you can go regularly. If possible, choose locations where you won’t be doing anything else, such as napping or watching television. Your brain will soon realize that going to this specific location will allow you to focus on your schoolwork.
When doing schoolwork, make wise choices about where and with whom you work. Repeatedly putting yourself in situations where you don’t get much done, such as “studying” in your bed, at a cafe, or with friends, can be a form of procrastination or a way to avoid working.
To avoid procrastination and focus on tasks, remove all distractions from your work environment, including physical and digital ones.
If you are constantly checking social media, delete the apps from your phone or create a complex password with 12 digits rather than just five. Doing this makes the reward value of your temptation less immediate and adds friction to the procrastination cycle.
I used to set my iPhone to ‘Do Not Disturb’ and keep it on my desk while I worked, but the temptation to glance over and check it led me down the path of procrastination more frequently than the path of productivity. I now set my iPhone to ‘Do Not Disturb’ and store it in a drawer that requires me to get up to check it. This helps me focus.
2. Start with something small.
Want to know how to stop procrastinating? Learn to shift your focus. Shifting your focus to something your mind perceives as doable makes a significant difference.
Consider a task that you’ve been putting off, such as finishing a work presentation. Now focus on how it makes you feel whenever you consider how you will deliver that presentation. Consider how much work is involved. Sucks, right? How does it make you feel? Overwhelmed?
Now, focus on one simple thing you can do right now to bring this presentation even closer to being done. Perhaps you should search for images to include in the presentation. That is doable, right?
Many people procrastinate because the task at hand appears too large for them to handle or they are unsure where to begin. When you do something your mind perceives as doable, your energy will rise, your sense of direction and drive will dramatically increase, and you will be able to motivate yourself to complete whatever tasks you set out to do.
The idea is to begin a task with a simple, imperfect step. Begin with the basics, learn how to write pseudocode, and then break down your learning journey into manageable steps. By doing this, you are ensuring that you can see the results of your next small task while temporarily ignoring the larger picture. Once you’re at ease, you can revisit the big picture to serve as motivation and guidance.
3.Temptation Bundling
This term was coined by Katherine Milkman, Wharton’s professor. Temptation bundling is an application of Premack’s Principle, a psychological theory.
The principle, named after Professor David Premack’s research, states that “more probable behaviors will reinforce less probable behaviors.”
The process is simple. You are going to create a two-column list.
In column one, list the pleasures you enjoy and the temptations you want to pursue.
In column two, list the tasks and behaviors you should be doing but frequently procrastinate about.
The habit stacking and temptation bundling formula is:
After [CURRENT HABIT], I’ll do [HABIT I NEED]. After [HABIT I NEED], I’ll do [HABIT I WANT].
For example: 1. I will watch Netflix only after doing my homework. 2. I will play games only after fixing my wardrobe.
4.Minimize distractions
Have you ever tried to study but found yourself distracted by people approaching you or by every social media notification that appeared on your phone? This happens to almost everyone who does not try to hold themselves accountable. After you’ve found a suitable location, you should eliminate distractions by turning off or silencing your phone. Listening to classical music or white noise can also help students focus by drowning out other distractions.
According to data from 1.5 million Android App Locket users, the average person checks their phone more than 110 times per day.
Identify your common distractions and devise strategies to eliminate or reduce them. This could include turning off notifications on your phone or creating a dedicated workspace.
How do I eliminate distractions?
Proactively checking for information may keep it from disrupting a focused workflow. You may want to disable all notifications from smartphone and desktop applications. Consider checking email only four times a day and responding to each inquiry once. Controlling your devices rather than allowing technology to control you may help you reduce distractions and focus more effectively.
Big goals are great for motivational speeches, but they do not help anyone focus on completing important tasks. Consider breaking down all goals into smaller pieces that can be completed more easily. As a result, focus may be required for a shorter period, increasing the chances of completing the task.
Healthy adults require a good amount of sleep. Many small business owners sacrifice sleep to work longer hours and accomplish more. What’s worse, this “sleep debt” can accumulate over time. Sleep deprivation can be detrimental to staying focused and performing tasks at the highest level of skill. Getting some rest may help you focus better and improve your overall health.
Standing up—or, better yet, getting away from the office—can help you concentrate. Taking a short walk away from work can help to refresh the body and mind. Taking a break allows you to refocus on the next task when you return.
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