5 Reasons Why We Procrastinate
Is procrastination the same as laziness? — NO
Is procrastination controlled by willpower? — NO
The word procrastination is derived from a Latin verb- “procrastinare”. Procrastination refers to the act of delaying action or work that needs to be done within a deadline. The phenomenon is known to mankind for a very long time now. The Greeks called it akrasia. The word akrasia refers to doing something against your better judgment. It is often confused with a matter of will-power, but it is much more complex than that.
So Why Do We Procrastinate?
1. Time inconsistency: This term is scientific and often is studied in behavioral psychology. The term indicates the tendency of the human brain to focus on rewards that can be received in the immediate time frame rather than the long-term rewards. Thus, the focus shifts from the long-term results to the short-term results. For example, suppose you want to lose weight and you have a plan of losing 5kgs in two months. You have a delicious but unhealthy meal in front of you. Now, the mind focuses on the immediate pleasure of having the food rather than the long term benefit of the diet. This is called time inconsistency.
2. Vague goals and difficulty in making decisions: When the goals are vague the chance of procrastination increases. If goals are vague there is a lack of motivation. Procrastination also increases if one is not confident enough to make a decision. Difficulty in making decisions effects the completion of the task because it delays the entire process.
3. Overwhelming tasks: Sometimes the goals set by us can be overwhelming and the process of completing them may create anxiety. These feelings trigger procrastination. Anxiety kicks in if the result of a task affects your goal immensely or when there are many tasks lined up. The key is to take baby steps and set small tasks for yourself.
4. Perfection: When someone is a perfectionist the thought of not reaching the same might cause procrastination and negative feelings. One may be so against making a mistake that he/she might not attempt a task at all. This can also be seen in a person who continuously reworks a particular project because of his fear of making mistakes. This leads to them missing deadlines.
5. Fear of evaluations and failure: The fear of an evaluation of a task often stops us from doing a job. This can be a result of the fear of negative feedback or negative comments. The fear of failure often leads to procrastination. This leads to either avoiding the task or not finishing the task within a timeframe.
How do we cope?
The key is to learn how to take criticism in a constructive way and learn from your mistakes. Whenever we start delaying a work, we should remind ourselves that delaying will only make things worse for us. Learn to take baby steps when the tasks gets too overwhelming and take it easy on yourself. Remind yourself of your potential and try to build confidence. Keep deadlines for your tasks and treat them very seriously.
So live now, do now………….
