Why Do We Procrastinate?

There's a deadline, a paper due, that gym workout, cleaning the house, doing the dishes. The list goes on and on. You see the couch and the TV and think, that looks way better. I think I'll just lie here and do nothing. So what makes us lose our will power?

Photo by Katie Barrett on Unsplash

"Just after this last episode," I tell myself as I stare at the clock which flickers to 8pm. My mind thinks about the exam looming over my head. I still have to do laundry, take a shower, and do the dishes. Or as my little conscious fiend who enters in my head, "who cares? Enjoy the show, kick up your feet, have a snack. Do it tomorrow." "Ok." I nod as if the choice was clear, and my intuition knows it's something I shouldn't do. Suddenly, the next episode jumps easily. "Damn you Netflix and your easily bingeable content."

Why is it that we can easily reason our way into doing the thing we want to do versus doing the things we need to do? Is it the fact that we are ensconced in our couch, and our thinking brain turns off, and we sit there "vegging out?"

" Procrastination in large part reflects our perennial struggle with self-control as well as our inability to accurately predict how we'll feel tomorrow," says PsychologyToday. What does that mean? Self-control is one of the main factors we decide what we decide. I mean, I would love to eat everyday french fries, my kryptonite but self-control says, think of the consequences if you did eat them everyday.

“Self Control is one of the main factors that we decide what we decide.”

Do you ever hear someone comment, "I don't have time for that?" Or have you said it yourself. Im guilty of this and I have said it at work sometimes. Who has time to work out? Although, if you find something you love to do, you already know it's not an excuse. (This is for another blog post.)

"The decision to work on something is driven by how much we value accomplishing the project in that moment – what psychologists call its subjective value." (Dr Berkman, 2015, PsychologyToday). Subjective value is how we rank things in order of what we believe are more valuable.

So maybe that Netflix show was your top priority and your "subjective value" on that show was at the top of your list. We truly do make time if we believe this is something we highly value even if it's not the best thing for us.

There's no real problems when we procrastinate from time to time. The real problem occurs when it starts to interfere with your daily living in your social personal life, relationships with others, and avoiding tasks that ultimately and consequently prevents us from living our lives at our best. Use this checklist to see if you procrastinate more often than not.

Setting Easy To Do Lists Combats Procastination

Ways To Help Kick The Procrastination Fiend

The best way I found to help me get out of my lazy rut is to start with the easiest task first. Also, I found that if I have something to put me in a better mood, I'll use that on immediately. For example, dirty dishes can be the death of me and they can sit there forEVER. So I immediately play some good music, or put up something mindless to watch, and head over to the sink.

When the environment becomes a game changer, your behavior adaptes more easily to do the things you feel like not doing but tolerate it so you can do it.

Here are some best ways to help you *POW *BAM your way through procrastination.

1. For every task that you don't want to do, follow it after a task that you do want to do.

Write things you want to do and things you have to do. Order them and andwhich them with something you need to do first followed after with something you want to do. Example: You have to study but you really want to watch your favorite show. Study for as long as the show is long (30 mins show, 30 mins studying).

2. Set up a checklist (not too long, otherwise it becomes deterring.) OR do a simple task that can be down in less than 10-15 minutes. Use a whiteboard and use RED, or some bright color to STRIKETHROUGH each task once completed.

3. Change the environment. Play your favorite song loud and do the tasks that needs to be done with some feel good engagement.

4. Get accountability. Grab a friend who also might be in a slump with procrastination. Let each other know your checklist and at the end of the day check-in to see if you got things done. Knowing at the end of the day that you have to tell a friend if you did it or not gives you a little more willpower to get it done.

Final Thoughts

Use a little self-reflection the moment you feel the procrastination bug stinging you.

Think of your consequence list and see if that will increase your willpower.

Know that it's okay if one day is harder than the next

Use planning tools (journal, whiteboard, visualization) to help you see through it

Use your lifeline -phone a friend- to help motivate each other