Have you ever sat down to complete an important task or study and then suddenly felt the urgent need to empty the dishwasher or read the Wikipedia article on Chernobyl? If so, you may be suffering from procrastination. In this article, you'll learn exactly what this means and how you can actively combat it!
How to tell if you suffer from procrastination
You urgently and absolutely have to complete this one task, but then you spend a few hours on Facebook and remember, for example, that your ceiling lamp could use a dusting. If you next realize that the day is already over and you haven't completed any important task, then you are definitely suffering from procrastination (from the Latin procrastinare, "to postpone"), a work-related disorder that is widespread among the population. Many people perceive procrastination as a powerful force that prevents them from completing the most important tasks. It often even leads to failure at school or university, underperformance at work, and thus the person putting obstacles in their own way that can hinder their future. A study at the University of Münster found that students who suffered from procrastination experienced more stress at the end of the semester, became ill more often, and had lower grades.¹ So, procrastination obviously leads to poorer performance and even a decline in their well-being. The reasons why many people still procrastinate, however, are not so obvious. In social research, work disorder is often equated with other dysfunctions that affect self-regulation, such as gambling addiction, eating disorders, etc. This deliberately sets one apart from those who associate the disorder with something like laziness or simply poor time management . Modern research, on the contrary, assumes that procrastination can also be the result of a neurological defect related to the perception of oneself and time.
Take-Home Message #1: Procrastination is a serious work disorder that is often accompanied by extreme performance difficulties and the fear of failure. Constant procrastination can become a problem in school, college, or at work, as it is closely linked to a decline in performance.
The true origins of procrastination
Most psychologists view procrastination as a coping mechanism gone wrong, where people give up rather than persevere in order to feel good. This is what Timothy Pychyl, a researcher at Carleton University in Ottawa, says.² It usually happens when people are afraid of an important task. To get rid of this negative feeling, people procrastinate. Instead, they open a video game or distract themselves in some other way. This makes them feel better temporarily, but unfortunately, reality always returns. Usually in the form of a deadline that must be met, which then escalates into stress. This deadline only reinforces the procrastination, combined with extreme feelings of shame and guilt. It's a vicious cycle that many people can't escape. Tim Urban, the author of the blog "Wait But Why," addressed the problem of procrastination in an interesting and entertaining way in a TED Talk:
Urban, who calls himself a master of procrastination, describes what happens in the brain when you procrastinate. First, he describes the brain of a non-procrastinator, in which a rational decision-maker is firmly in control of their decisions. The brain of a procrastinator looks similar, except that it also includes the "instant gratification monkey." The monkey looks like it brings fun, taking over the wheel and thus interrupting any meaningful activity. In reality, it means a lot of trouble. The monkey is in control until almost everything seems lost. The prospect of career ruin, for example. Then something Urban calls the "panic monster" sets in, which finally spurs you to action. Beyond that, there are different types of procrastination. Some people waste time doing useless things, like watching funny cat videos. Others actually get things done. They clean the apartment, go shopping, but never do what's truly important. Urban's ideas actually correspond to psychological research on the topic. Researchers agree that procrastination is linked to immediate rewards. The reward creates an immediate, good feeling and displaces the guilty conscience of actually having to get something important done right now. People prefer to focus on immediate, hedonistic pleasure rather than working toward long-term, ambitious goals. A few simple tips and tricks, which you'll read about in the next paragraph, can help.
Take-Home Message #2: If you suffer from procrastination, you find it extremely difficult to meet deadlines. Instead of working toward those goals, you distract yourself with short-term, fun activities.
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5 effective tips against procrastination
What can you do about procrastination? It's not that simple, as those who suffer from it find it uncontrollable. Nevertheless, there are a few tips that can help you get started studying for college or your next project presentation.
1. No regrets
Interestingly, research has found that the most effective way to be productive is to forgive yourself for procrastinating. One study surveyed college students on this topic. The results showed that those who forgave themselves for procrastinating and truly enjoyed their free time without regret were much less likely to procrastinate on the next important goal. This works because procrastination is associated with negative emotions. Forgiving yourself can reduce the guilt you feel while doing it. This breaks the vicious cycle, as your own guilt often reinforces procrastination and only makes you more incapable of taking action.
2. Start simple!
The second, important tip: You don't have to be in "the right frame of mind" to be productive. You don't have to feel well-rested and focused to start a task. Some tasks you'll never feel in the mood for, but they still need to be done. So just get started, ideally by making a plan to guide your next steps.
3. Step by step to the goal
Instead of always focusing on the big picture, it helps to think in small steps. The smaller the tasks ahead of you, the easier it is to imagine accomplishing them. Even if it's an extremely small action, a small step forward will typically make you feel better about the task and boost your self-esteem. This, in turn, reduces the feeling of having to procrastinate to feel better.
4. Work in flow
Flow is probably the exact opposite of procrastination, because in flow, you are maximally productive and practically in a creative frenzy. You forget space and time and are 100% focused on your task. You too can get into flow, because there are certain triggers that promote it. You can read all the tips in our article on the flow state .
5. FOCUS for maximum productivity
A proper diet can significantly improve your concentration. BRAINEFFECT FOCUS contains vitamin B5, which helps you combat fatigue and thus have energy for all your projects. An alert brain can better remember important information, allowing you to work with greater focus.
Studies
1. https://www.uni-muenster.de/Prokrastinationsambulanz/prokrastination.html
2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4974242/
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