Why you procrastinate even when it feels bad | Summary and Q&A

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October 27, 2022
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TED-Ed
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Why you procrastinate even when it feels bad

TL;DR

Procrastination is our body's response to avoid tasks that we perceive as threatening, driven by negative emotions, but it ultimately causes stress and negative consequences. Strategies to break the cycle include addressing underlying concerns, removing distractions, and cultivating self-compassion.

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Key Insights

  • 😓 Procrastination is a common cycle we all experience, even when we know it's bad for us. Responsible time management involves prioritizing tasks, but procrastination occurs when we avoid a task we should do, expecting negative consequences.
  • 😱 Procrastination is a result of our body's instinct to protect us by avoiding threatening tasks. When faced with a task, our brain reacts with a fear response, releasing hormones like adrenaline. This response overpowers our ability to think long term and regulate our emotions.
  • 😰 Procrastination is more likely to occur with tasks that evoke negative feelings, such as dread, incompetence, and insecurity. The perception of task difficulty also increases while procrastinating, making it harder to start.
  • 😢 People who struggle with regulating their emotions and have low self-esteem are more likely to procrastinate, regardless of their time management skills. Procrastination should not be confused with laziness, as it is often driven by a fear of failure and high standards.
  • 🌪️ Procrastination leads to anxiety, depression, ongoing feelings of shame, higher stress levels, and physical ailments associated with stress. Despite the negative consequences, procrastination temporarily reduces stress levels, reinforcing the behavior.
  • 🔨 The cycle of procrastination can be broken by addressing and reducing negative emotions. Strategies include breaking tasks into smaller elements, journaling about stressors, eliminating distractions, and cultivating self-compassion.
  • 🤔 Being too hard on ourselves can intensify the threat and exacerbate the stress response. Instead of strict discipline, it is important to focus on reducing negative emotions and adopting a self-compassionate attitude. ⏰ Cultivating better strategies to combat procrastination benefits everyone in the long term, as perpetuating the cycle of stress and procrastination harms overall well-being.

Transcript

It’s 5 p.m. and you’ve just realized that report you’ve been putting off is due tomorrow. It’s time to buckle down, open your computer... and check your phone. Maybe catch up on your favorite YouTube channel? Actually, you should probably make dinner first. You usually like cooking, though it’s hard to enjoy with this work hanging over your head... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: Why do people procrastinate even when they know it's bad for them?

People procrastinate because it is a response to perceived threats, triggering the brain's fear response. Procrastination is often driven by negative emotions associated with the task, such as stress, incompetence, and insecurity. It is a way for our bodies to protect us from the perceived threat, even though it is irrational.

Q: What factors make individuals more susceptible to procrastination?

People who struggle with regulating their emotions and have low self-esteem are more likely to procrastinate, regardless of their time management skills. Negative emotions play a significant role in motivating procrastination, making it more difficult for these individuals to start or complete tasks.

Q: Is procrastination a sign of laziness?

No, procrastination is not equivalent to laziness. Laziness is characterized by a lack of energy and motivation, leading to doing nothing. Procrastinators often care deeply about their work and have a fear of failure, which can cause them to postpone tasks in fear of not meeting their high standards.

Q: What are the negative consequences of frequent procrastination?

Frequent procrastination can lead to anxiety, depression, ongoing feelings of shame, increased stress levels, and physical health issues associated with high stress. Procrastination also reinforces itself as a coping mechanism for stress, making it challenging to break the cycle.

Q: How can one overcome procrastination?

Instead of focusing on discipline and strict time management, it is more effective to address and reduce the negative emotions associated with a task. Strategies include breaking tasks into smaller parts, journaling about underlying concerns, removing distractions, and cultivating self-compassion. Forgiving oneself and making a plan to improve in the future also helps break the cycle of procrastination.

Summary

Procrastination is the act of avoiding a task we said we would do, despite knowing that it will have negative consequences. It is a result of our bodies trying to protect us from tasks we perceive as threatening. When faced with a task we dread or find challenging, our brain releases hormones that induce a stress response, leading us to procrastinate. This response is driven by negative emotions such as fear of failure and can have detrimental effects on our mental health and overall well-being. However, contrary to popular belief, procrastination is not solely a result of laziness but rather a coping mechanism for dealing with stressful tasks. To break the cycle of procrastination, it is important to address and reduce these negative emotions while practicing self-compassion and adopting strategies such as breaking tasks into smaller elements and eliminating distractions.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is procrastination?

Procrastination is the act of avoiding a task we said we would do, for no good reason, despite expecting our behavior to bring negative consequences.

Q: How does procrastination affect our bodies and brains?

Procrastination triggers a stress response in our brains. When we perceive a task as threatening, our amygdala releases hormones, including adrenaline, which initiates a fight, flight, or freeze response. This stress-induced panic can overpower the rational impulses from our prefrontal cortex responsible for long-term thinking and emotional regulation.

Q: Why do we choose to procrastinate instead of facing the task?

Procrastination is our body's way of protecting us from tasks that evoke negative emotions, such as dread, incompetence, and insecurity. By avoiding the task, we temporarily reduce our stress level, reinforcing procrastination as a coping mechanism for dealing with stressful tasks.

Q: Does everyone procrastinate equally?

No, some individuals are more susceptible to procrastination than others. People who struggle with regulating their emotions and those with low self-esteem are more likely to procrastinate, regardless of their time management skills. Procrastinators are not necessarily lazy, as laziness is marked by low energy and apathy, whereas procrastinators often care too much and fear failure.

Q: What are the consequences of frequent procrastination?

Frequent procrastination can lead to anxiety, depression, ongoing feelings of shame, increased stress levels, and physical ailments associated with high stress. It also reinforces procrastination as a coping mechanism, making it harder to break the cycle in the long run.

Q: How can we overcome procrastination?

Instead of relying on discipline and strict time management, it is more effective to address and reduce the negative emotions associated with the task. Strategies such as breaking tasks into smaller elements, journaling about the underlying concerns causing stress, removing distractions, and practicing self-compassion can help break the cycle of procrastination.

Q: Why is it important to practice self-compassion when dealing with procrastination?

Being too hard on ourselves when we procrastinate can intensify the negative emotions associated with the task. Practicing self-compassion involves forgiving ourselves for procrastinating, understanding that everyone faces challenges, and making a plan to do better next time, rather than dwelling on past mistakes.

Q: Why is it necessary to address the underlying concerns causing stress when trying to overcome procrastination?

Addressing the underlying concerns helps reduce the negative emotions associated with the task and makes it easier to start and complete it. Journaling or reflecting on the reasons why the task is stressing us out allows us to identify and resolve any fears, insecurities, or misconceptions we may have.

Q: How can breaking a task into smaller elements help overcome procrastination?

Breaking a task into smaller, more manageable elements makes it feel less overwhelming and daunting. By focusing on completing one small element at a time, we can build momentum, increase our sense of accomplishment, and reduce the stress associated with the task.

Q: Why is it important to eliminate distractions when trying to avoid procrastination?

Distractions make it easier to impulsively procrastinate and divert our attention from the task at hand. By removing nearby distractions, such as smartphones or social media, we create an environment that promotes focus and reduces the temptation to procrastinate.

Takeaways

Procrastination is a common habit that can have negative consequences on our mental health and well-being. Understanding the underlying reasons for procrastination, such as fear of failure and negative emotions, is crucial to breaking the cycle. By incorporating strategies like breaking tasks into smaller elements, addressing underlying concerns, removing distractions, and practicing self-compassion, we can overcome procrastination and improve our productivity and overall satisfaction with our work. It is essential to prioritize self-care and create a culture that encourages empathy and understanding instead of perpetuating the cycle of stress and procrastination.

Summary & Key Takeaways

  • Procrastination is the act of avoiding a task that we know we should do, despite expecting negative consequences, and is often driven by feelings of stress, incompetence, and insecurity.

  • Our brain's fear response, triggered by perceiving a task as threatening, leads us to procrastinate due to the release of stress hormones that override long-term thinking and emotional regulation.

  • Procrastination is not necessarily a sign of laziness; many procrastinators are motivated by a fear of failure and high standards, causing them to postpone tasks they care about.

Q: Why do people procrastinate even when they know it's bad for them?

People procrastinate because it is a response to perceived threats, triggering the brain's fear response. Procrastination is often driven by negative emotions associated with the task, such as stress, incompetence, and insecurity. It is a way for our bodies to protect us from the perceived threat, even though it is irrational.

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