Whether you are a chronic procrastinator or just a fan of last minute completion, there are some important things you should know about the phenomenon. For starters, the term "procrastination" is not a synonym for "laziness." Instead, it describes a form of behavior that focuses on avoiding unpleasant tasks and putting off important work. It is often seen as a bad habit, but there are reasons why procrastination isn't always a bad thing.
Many people believe that procrastination is an emotion-based problem. The limbic system, which is part of the brain, is responsible for guiding people to avoid unpleasant situations and seek immediate "mood repair" after stressful events. The limbic system has evolved to perform basic survival instincts, such as avoiding fires. But the limbic system also includes a pleasure center. It is when the limbic system wins out over the prefrontal cortex, which is a part of the brain that evolved more recently, that people begin to put off what they should be doing today. This leads to a cycle of avoidance and procrastination.
Procrastination is a symptom of an emotional problem. In fact, medical research has shown that procrastinators are more likely to experience higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Ultimately, procrastination leads to poor time management, lower quality of work, and decreased well-being. It is also often associated with poor academic performance.
Procrastinators also avoid tasks because they think they will be judged negatively by others. They put off important tasks because they think they are too hard or don't know how to do them. They may also have a preconceived idea of the difficulty of the task. Putting off the task gives them the time to process what they are thinking about. Then, they may make an excuse to get out of the task. This excuse usually means they will finish it when they're better equipped to handle their emotions.
In order to prevent the cycle of avoidance, procrastinators need to set personal deadlines and work towards completing their tasks. This helps to alleviate the self-blaming of procrastination. The study also found that those who set deadlines had more success in completing their tasks.
Studies have also found that procrastination can lead to cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and poor quality of life. Some medical research has also shown that procrastinators are at higher risk for depression and fatigue.
Procrastination also may be a way to cope with emotional distress. In some cases, people use procrastination as a last resort, putting off an unpleasant task because they are overtired or bored. However, the problem with using procrastination to cope with emotional distress is that the relief is short-lived. Eventually, the task will be back on the agenda, and procrastinators will make a mistake.
The best way to deal with the problem of procrastination is to understand why it happens. It may be a result of our natural bias towards the present. The limbic system can be tricked into thinking future events are more immediate, and it can be tricked into making the present seem more exciting.
Ha ha … yes I procrastinate every day.