The real reasons you procrastinate – and how to stop, according to science
Faced with a task or project, do you repeatedly tell yourself that you’ll do it “tomorrow”, “soon”, or “after watching just a few more videos”?
If so, as someone who has studied the science of procrastination for years, I can reassure you that you are not alone. Around 20% of adults procrastinate regularly.
Those of us who do this – myself included – may also experience a range of issues and outcomes that research shows are linked to procrastination, including worse exam grades, lower income, lack of sleep, and poor mental and physical health.
Procrastination can be painful and frustratingly difficult to deal with. A key reason is that a lot of what we hear about this common behaviour is wrong.
Perhaps the biggest misconception is that it comes from not caring enough, or from being lazy. By this false reading, people who procrastinate just need to “try harder”. Such misperceptions can lead to feelings of guilt and shame.
In reality, procrastinators usually intend to work every bit as hard as their peers – if not harder. But a defining feature of procrastination is the gap between intentions and actions. Not only does “just trying harder” not work, it often backfires by sidetracking us from solutions that do.
What really causes procrastination?
Essentially, our brains are hardwired to prioritise what will make us feel better right now, over what will make us feel better in the long term and overall.
So, when we worry that doing something might be painful or difficult, our brain nudges us to put it off as a defence mechanism, to postpone the pain we expect it to bring.
This can happen when we feel that studying will be frustrating, or an upcoming exam will be stressful. Or, we may be worried that our writing or presentation won’t be perfect.
Perfectionism can be especially problematic when we worry our work will be criticised by others – whether or not that’s likely to happen in reality.
Our brains can be further confused when we’re faced with tempting alternatives that we know will be immediately gratifying, such as social media feeds that are hyperoptimised to capture our attention for as long as possible.
Additional issues can make it even harder for us to course-correct our brains when procrastinating about a deadline. A key one is being tired – or worse, burned out – from working too hard for too long on tasks that are draining.
This can then end up in a vicious cycle. We are too exhausted to do what we need to, so we procrastinate on it, which stresses us out and drains us further, tightening procrastination’s grip.
Studies have also linked procrastination with ADHD, a neurodevelopmental disorder that can make it harder for people to stick to one particular task.
Fortunately, just as misunderstanding procrastination can set us on the wrong path for overcoming it, understanding the real reasons can help us figure out how to stop.
How to stop procrastinating
There are lots of reasons for procrastinating, each of which may call for a different solution. Start by asking yourself why you are procrastinating this time? (It may not always be for the same reason.)
Are you exhausted? Are you getting distracted by your phone? Are you afraid you’ll make mistakes? Or is it some other issue, or combination of issues, that’s getting in your way of achieving the goal or task you’ve been set, or set yourself?
If you’re unsure, try comparing cases where you took action with ones where you put it off endlessly. What was the difference?
Alternatively, pretend that a friend is in a similar situation and reflect on their problem instead. Adding this psychological distance could help you see things more clearly.
Next, try asking what one change you can make right now that will make you more likely to complete the task. Some are easier than others, admittedly.
If you’re getting distracted by your phone, for example, turn it off before you start the task. If you’re working in a library or cafe, put away your phone inside your bag when you sit down.
If fear of a particular outcome is the problem, that’s harder. But try asking yourself: how likely is it, really, that whatever you’re most afraid of will actually happen? Often it’s a lot less likely, or less scary, than you think.
Another strategy is to work through this worst-case scenario, considering how you could lessen the negative impact if it does happen.
I discuss other causes of procrastination, and more solutions to them, in my new book, Solving Procrastination: The Science of Why We Put Things Off and How to (Finally!) Stop. Briefly, these include suggestions such as:
Unpack unclear tasks into manageable micro-steps, to make your path forward feel clear and attainable.
Build your self-belief by identifying and achieving consistent wins, to silence the inner pessimist that’s holding you back.
Structure your schedule according to your productivity rhythms, to work with your natural preferences, not against them.
Above all, overcoming procrastination is never simply about “trying harder”. Rather, it’s about figuring out the real reasons you tend to put things off – and then addressing them using the techniques that are right for you.