Procrastination has many faces. Sometimes it’s simply choosing pleasure over discipline. Sometimes it’s an attempt to avoid something negative. And sometimes it’s getting paralyzed by overwhelming expectations. Here are five different reasons why we procrastinate:
The task isn’t urgent
It’s a lot harder to prioritize things that aren’t urgent. The remedy is to take on a broader perspective rather than nit-picking the details. Look at everyday tasks through the lens of a bigger picture.
Some of us work better under pressure
There are two types of procrastination: passive and active. Passive procrastination is what we typically think of as procrastination. Active procrastination is more strategic—those of us who work better under pressure.
The lesson here is to know yourself. If the high-pressure intensity of all-nighters works for you, go ahead and make that pot of coffee and crack open the textbook at midnight.
We just don’t want to do our work
A study in the European Journal of Personality showed that many college students who procrastinated did so simply because there were fun alternatives. In their minds, they weren’t blowing off their work—they fully intended to study. Just not right now.
We don’t know how to start or what comes next
Too often, we find ourselves procrastinating, because we’re not sure what to do first. Build confusion into the task. Make “figure out steps” the first step. Add “scream into your pillow” to the top of your to-do list, if that gets you moving.
We’re afraid of failure
Perfectionism and procrastination are linked, but it’s not necessarily the sky-high standards that slow you down, but the sky-high standards mixed with a belief that your performance is tied to your self-worth. That combination can grind you to a halt.
Always remember the crucial difference between who you are and what you achieve. There’s so much more to your worth than your accomplishments,
