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Are you in a complicated relationship with procrastination? Me too!

“I like work: it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours.”
— Jerome K. Jerome

When I started thinking about writing this article I was just stuck as to how to put it into words. I kept wondering if it would be good enough for the readers and if they would understand what I am writing. And just like I did with this article, there are circumstances when we all tend to keep work or tasks pending until the last minute but end up spending far too much time thinking about how to complete it and get done on time. So, why do we do this and can we find ways to overcome this? Well, our relationship with procrastination can be complex and like all other relationships, needs effort and time put into it so make sure it’s working favourably …..

Procrastination is the act of delaying or putting off tasks until the last minute, sometimes even past a deadline or time limit. Stell (2007) explains that the act of procrastination is “ to voluntarily delay an intended course of action despite expecting to be worse off for the delay”. Some researchers also say that procrastination is a form of failure characterized by a delay in the completion of tasks despite potentially negative consequences. For example, you have a presentation in a week, you tell yourself, ‘I won’t be able to do it in front of my seniors’ or ‘ I will be mocked.’ You’re probably aware that you need to prepare well, but you delay preparation.

Do you put the “pro” in procrastination?

People assume procrastination is simply a matter of willpower, but it is a far more complex situation in reality. Sometimes it just so happens that despite how well organised or dedicated to your work you are, there are chances that you find yourself throwing away hours on unimportant things like watching TV, social media etc when you should have spent that time on completing the task.

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We come up with a lot of excuses to justify our behaviour. Some of the things we tell ourselves when procrastinating can be:

• “ I am unclear about things that need to be done”
• “ I don’t want to be doing something”
• “ I don’t know how to do the task”
• “ I don’t care if the task has to be done”
• “ I don’t feel like getting started with my work”
• “ I need the pressure to complete the task at the last minute.

Thinking about not being able to do a task or delaying the task by worrying about how to do it are factors of procrastinating. There are a lot of reasons to procrastinate. Sometimes we procrastinate things that may be actually beneficial and sometimes we procrastinate things we perceive might be harmful or unfavourable to us — really there are no hard and fast rules here.

What’s more, several factors can come in the way of us completing tasks that only facilitate procrastination. This is known as a hindrance — a state of being interrupted or the obstructions, barriers that are caused in the way to complete something. It can make things difficult and harder to complete the tasks. Hindrance factors are the reason for a person or individual procrastinating as it is associated with low conscientiousness and self-regulatory failure and can have a negative effect on the overall health (oxford learning). Hindrance factors look like:

• A disconnect from the future itself
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Anxiety
• Perfectionism
• Fear of failure
• Fear of negative feedback

These factors interfere with our self-control and motivation and can cause us to fail or consciously self regulate our behaviour causing us to postpone our tasks unnecessarily.

So, why do we procrastinate?

In truth, it’s not one size fits all …. procrastination is a result of an interplay of various factors that affect us all differently!

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Here are some common causes of procrastination though:

• Underestimating: Underestimating things can make an individual mindset careless and lethargic. It’s one of the reasons for people to procrastinate these days. It makes the task that you have to do less important and this, in turn, makes an individual postpone and ignore things. Eg: When we try to start a task underestimating ourselves sometimes by saying we won’t be able to complete it and it’s very difficult
• Overestimating: Overestimating things can also make an individual procrastinate. It brings a feeling of disconnect and leads to a feeling of disconnect with the project/work that’s to be done.
• Poor time management: Managing time is an important thing when you have to get things done. Poor time management leads to procrastination in students and young professionals who are starting their career. Eg: students especially when they have poor time management will not be able to complete tasks on time.
• Lack of interest: If an individual has no interest in a task or work that needs to be done, they start to procrastinate. Eg: When an individual lacks the interest to do something and keeps it behind like a topic for a presentation that doesn’t interest the individual.
• Voluntarily delaying: It’s the most common reflection of procrastination. People know that the work has to be done, but still, get distracted by other things that are not important. This leads to voluntarily delaying things and procrastinating for the same reason. Eg: when you have a presentation tomorrow and need to prepare, still end up going out for dinner with friends.
• Fear of failure: In today’s world many struggles to accept failures. So, they delay tasks or leave them incomplete because of their fear of failure, which becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy! Eg: Before any task is even completed start thinking about failing in it.

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Is procrastination a mental health diagnosis???

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Ferrari’s research indicates that as many as 20% of adults worldwide are true procrastinators, meaning that they procrastinate chronically in ways that negatively affect their daily lives and produce shame or guilt.

“Everyone procrastinates, but not everyone is a procrastinator.” — Ferrari (2014)

While a known characteristic feature of mental health issues, procrastination itself is not a mental health diagnosis. Individuals who procrastinate though, might in some cases, be suffering from an underlying mental health problem. For example:

• Individuals with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD) have extreme difficulties with time management and organizing which makes them procrastinate more than other people.
• Depression has an effect on procrastination that causes low self-esteem in an individual. They tend to keep doubting themselves, which leads them to delay their task and cannot complete them. This can be leading to low motivation, low interest to do the task. Low self-esteem can also be linked to procrastination.
• Those who experience anxiety tend to have a preoccupied fear of failure. Lack of ability in an individual to complete what they have to do can lead to procrastination.

Psychological studies have shown procrastination as an effect of reduced mental health, high level of stress and low level of well being. Some of the common ways that chronic procrastination may affect an individual:

• Poor grades or underperformance (fewer marks in tests or exams)
• Financial problems in putting up important responsibilities. (not taking up the responsibility thinking of the finances)
• Feeling of anxiety, guilt or shame.
• Poor health condition, if nutrition and exercise are avoided. (low stamina, headaches, insomnia)

I really want to be able to do things and complete work on time and not procrastinate about it! Is it possible?

Yes, some strategies can help you to effectively cope with procrastination!

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Procrastination is a self-defeating behaviour that turns into frustration when you cannot complete what you have to complete and delay it. When you want to stop procrastinating and deal with the address the primary cause of the behaviour. There are certain strategies to avoid and overcome procrastination. Some of these are:

• Make a to-do list: Making a list of things helps you keep things organised and finish the task before the due time. You can even use it to motivate yourself — it always feels great to check something off that list!
• Address the trigger: Lack of structure, ambiguity, absence of personal meaning, and level of difficulty can trigger procrastination. Dealing with the trigger can help start doing what’s been delayed.
• Take baby steps: Small steps to start is the best way to deal with procrastination. Breaking down the tasks into small steps and completing them can be helpful and manageable.
• Establish goals: Set a clear set of goals and define them. Make sure the goals are achievable and significant enough to make progress. For eg: if you have “to sort out your clothes in the cupboard” try and be more specific on setting those goals like “try to sort one drawer per day for the week” or “arrange the clothes on the first rack today”.
• Eliminate distractions: Avoid all the distractions that come your way and delay your work. Avoiding distractions during work can help you concentrate better and keep attention on that particular task.
• Work with a therapist or counsellor: If any mood issue or mental health concern has an impact on chronic procrastination, seeing a therapist or counsellor can be a step towards overcoming procrastination.

When procrastination is a symptom of a psychiatric condition, medication and therapy to help deal with the underlying condition can help reduce a person’s tendency to procrastinate. If procrastination occurs so frequently, in the absence of mental health to the extent that it negatively interferes with daily functioning, therapy can help identify why and when they procrastinate, replace self-defeating thoughts with more productive thoughts, and build new behavioural strategies to cope with stress.

It’s okay to not be productive continuously and to put off tasks sometimes, but one should make sure that it doesn’t cost your well-being. So, we should be mindful as to how we are feeling and how procrastinating about certain things is affecting us. We should make sure that it doesn’t affect us in a way that will cause problems and interfere with daily functions. When you find it difficult to deal with it by yourself, reach out for help from mental health experts who can be able to find you a way to deal with them.

References
Ferrari, J & Diaz-Morales, J. (2014). Procrastination and mental health coping: A brief report related to students. Researchgate. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256475556_Procrastination_and_mental_health_coping_A_brief_report_related_to_students

Jones, S. (2020). Learn from blogs, 8 Common reasons why people procrastinate https://learnfromblogs.com/8-common-reasons-why-people-procrastinate

Procrastination. (2019). Goodtherapy.org. Retrieved from https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychpedia/procrastination

Psycom.net. (2020). Procrastination: Why We Do It and What It Says About Our Psyche. Psycom.net. Retrieved from https://www.psycom.net/procrastination-why-we-do-it

Phillips, L. (2019). Procrastination: An emotional struggle. Counseling Today. Retrieved from https://ct.counseling.org/2019/10/procrastination-an-emotional-struggle/

Swanson, A. (2016) The real reasons you procrastinate. Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/04

Why People Procrastinate: The Psychology and Causes of Procrastination. (2020). Medium. Retrieved from https://medium.com/swlh/why-people-procrastinate-the-psychology-and-causes-of-procrastination-4302cac49815