So right now it is a Tuesday, I have a large break between clients, and I knew this would be the perfect time to sit down and do some writing. However, I felt like putting it off to scroll through my phone or do one of the other perfectly legitimate tasks on my to-do list. Unfortunately, I remembered that I was writing this one about procrastination. I really do enjoy irony, but I don’t like being a hypocrite, so I decided to get started. I was inspired to write this one after reading a really great article by Krissy Bradley, and I definitely encourage everyone to check it out because I’m only going to be able to hit the highlights.
First off, let’s go ahead and cut procrastinators a little slack because research shows us that there are actual brain-structure differences* associated with procrastination. Procrastinators will tend to have a larger amygdala (think of it as the alarm bell in your brain that drives people into fight or flight), and their brains will sometimes treat a boring, unappealing, or difficult task as though it was a threat. In a battle between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex (the top-level thinking/planning part of the brain), the amygdala is typically the winner. This is actually the way our brains are supposed to function under threat because, “The prefrontal cortex is too slow to save our lives” (Dr. Sue Johnson). However, unappealing tasks usually don’t put us in actual danger, and procrastinators have created cycles that reinforce the behavior. The first step* in reinforcing procrastination actually begins as soon as they put off the task because they will instantly feel a sense of relief. The brain then rewards them with dopamine, making it more likely that they will continue the avoidance behavior later. I see this with people who struggle with social anxiety too because they avoid doing the things that make them feel anxious, which provides instant relief. However, it also increases their social anxiety because avoiding the things that they fear makes those things seem scarier. For the procrastinator, avoiding unappealing tasks makes those tasks seem even bigger and more daunting than they were before.
There are a variety of reasons* why people procrastinate, such as: boredom, perfectionism, overwhelm, sensory overload, fear, anxiety, or depression. We should also consider that larger amygdalas aren’t just associated with procrastinators, this also happens when people have experienced trauma. The consequences* of procrastination are that tasks tend to feel more stressful to the procrastinator, and the quality of their work tends to suffer as well. Get this, it turns out that the actual act of procrastinating isn’t as bad as when they beat themselves up about it afterward because that extra pressure they put on themselves also increases stress and leads to–you guessed it–more procrastination. All of the extra stress from this cycle can lead to health complications from digestion to heart problems.
Does all delaying count as procrastination? The good news* is that it doesn’t, but putting off a task because you think you perform best under pressure still counts as procrastination. Even when procrastination works out Bradley calls it a “hollow win” because the feelings afterward are simply relief, not pride or accomplishment. When we intentionally delay a task out of prioritizing it amongst other tasks, taking breaks instead of completing something all in one-go, or step away to let our unconscious mind work on a problem for which we feel stuck, we are making logical decisions about how to best complete the task. Bradley suggests that if we step away from something because we need to allow our thoughts to grow, we are probably intentionally delaying the task, but if we step away because we feel too much angst, it’s probably procrastination.
Maybe I haven’t been convincing enough. Maybe you’re still thinking, “Yeah, that makes sense and all, but…I’ll do something about it tomorrow.” I’m going to go ahead and quote Bradley because she put the next sentence so perfectly, “When you put off tasks out of avoidance and coping-by-not-coping becomes your autopilot, this self-destructive loop can seriously mess with your quality of life, not to mention your long-term health.” Remember, your brain is actually trying to protect you through procrastination. However, just like all forms of maladaptive coping strategies, something that we started doing at one point to protect ourselves from the dangers of the world can take on a life of its own and create other problems. If you are a procrastinator, spend some time reflecting on why and what your brain is trying to protect you from. Come back next week to check out some advice on a series of steps that can help people stop this pattern of procrastination.
*https://www.livestrong.com/article/13775289-is-procrastination-bad/