Why we procrastinate and how to make starting easier
CareOps editorial team · · 3 min read
Mental wellness information and service guidance published by CareOps.
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Read our full editorial standards →A deadline is close, yet you tidy the desk; one email remains unwritten all day. Then comes 'Why am I so lazy?' Procrastination often has more to do with emotions than laziness.
At a glance
- Procrastination is often less about laziness and more about briefly avoiding the uncomfortable feelings a task brings up (anxiety, uncertainty, boredom). That is why simply resolving to be tougher rarely works.
- Naming the feeling you are avoiding, choosing a first action that takes under two minutes, and writing down your next step when you stop can make starting easier.
- In one study, students who forgave themselves for procrastinating did it less next time. The Pure Procrastination Scale (PPS) can show where you get stuck, without signing in.
Procrastination can be a way to avoid feelings
Research describes procrastination as prioritizing how you feel right now. Thinking about a task brings anxiety, uncertainty, boredom, or fear of failure; postponing briefly removes those feelings. That relief encourages postponing again.
Simply resolving to be tougher often fails because the difficulty involves the feelings that appear when starting, not only willpower.
Procrastination can look different
People do not fit neatly into fixed procrastination types, but where they get stuck varies. That can guide what to try first. If wanting to do it perfectly is what delays the start, see lazy perfectionist meaning and signs. For perfectionism beyond procrastination, see perfectionism signs and how to ease it.
| Getting stuck deciding | Getting stuck acting | |
|---|---|---|
| What it looks like | Cannot decide what to do or how | Know the task but cannot begin |
| Typical thought | There may be a better choice | Starting will feel difficult |
| What to try first | Narrow the options to two or three and set a decision deadline | Break the start into a very small action |
Practical approaches informed by research
Name the feeling
When you want to delay, try 'I feel lost' or 'I am anxious about failing.' Noticing the feeling you are avoiding can make it less controlling.
Make the start two minutes long
Instead of 'write the report,' choose a first action that takes under two minutes, such as opening the file and writing one heading. A smaller start can feel less uncomfortable. Give yourself permission to stop afterward; you may choose to continue.
Leave one next action in writing
When stopping work, write down the next action. Returning becomes easier when you do not first have to decide where to begin. For staying with a task once you start, see how to improve focus.
Do not attack yourself for delaying
In a study of university students, those who forgave themselves for postponing study for the first exam procrastinated less for the next. Self-criticism can make the task more frightening; kindness leaves energy to restart.
When to look beyond procrastination
If delaying comes with persistent distractibility and unusual difficulty starting and finishing, attention difficulties may be involved. If low motivation lasts for weeks, consider depression too. Discuss these patterns in counseling or medical care.
Explore your own pattern
Do you delay decisions, postpone action, or miss deadlines? The Pure Procrastination Scale (PPS) can help you explore where you get stuck, without signing in.
Try a self-assessment without signing inPPS · ProcrastinationIf putting things off keeps getting in your wayStart the check →Frequently asked questions
- Is procrastination part of personality?
- There can be an underlying tendency, but procrastination is also a learned way of avoiding uncomfortable feelings. Practice noticing those feelings and making the start smaller can change the pattern.
- I only work right before deadlines. Is that okay?
- If the results are good and stress is manageable, that pattern may work for you. If every deadline brings exhaustion or lost sleep, try small ways to start earlier.
Sources
- Sirois & Pychyl (2013), Procrastination and the Priority of Short-Term Mood Regulation, Social and Personality Psychology Compass
- Wohl, Pychyl & Bennett (2010), I forgive myself, now I can study, Personality and Individual Differences
- Steel (2010), Arousal, avoidant and decisional procrastinators: Do they exist? (original PPS paper), Personality and Individual Differences
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