The Procrastinator's Digest

1. Procrastination is voluntary delay that harms us

Procrastination is the voluntary delay of an intended action despite the knowledge that this delay may harm the individual in terms of the task performance or even just how the individual feels about the task or him- or herself.

Not all delay is procrastination. Delay is a necessary part of life as we prioritize tasks and make decisions. However, procrastination specifically refers to voluntary, needless delay of intended actions that ultimately harms us. It's when we deliberately put off tasks we know we should do, even though it will likely lead to poorer performance or negative feelings.

Procrastination undermines goal pursuit. By needlessly delaying important tasks, we become our own worst enemy. We waste time we could be using to make progress on meaningful goals. Since time is our most finite resource, procrastination essentially means putting off our lives and failing to author our own story.

Recognize procrastination habits. To start addressing procrastination, it's crucial to identify which delays in your life are truly voluntary and unnecessary. Look for patterns in the tasks you tend to put off and the emotions or thoughts associated with them. This self-awareness is the first step to making positive changes.

2. Recognize the true costs of putting things off

Procrastination is failing to get on with life itself.

Procrastination has serious consequences. Research shows that chronic procrastinators report lower overall achievement, more negative emotions, and even more health problems compared to non-procrastinators. By putting off important tasks, we create stress, compromise our performance, and neglect key areas of our lives.

The costs compound over time. While delaying exercise or saving for retirement may not seem impactful in the short-term, these choices accumulate to have major long-term effects on our health, finances, and wellbeing. Small daily procrastinations can derail our most important life goals.

Acknowledging costs increases motivation. To strengthen your commitment to change, take time to reflect on how procrastination has negatively impacted various areas of your life, including:

• Happiness and stress levels
• Health and energy
• Finances and career progress
• Relationships and social life
• Self-esteem and confidence
  Really examining these costs can provide powerful motivation to overcome the procrastination habit.

3. Don't give in to feel good now at future expense

Feeling good now, comes at a cost.

Short-term mood repair drives procrastination. When faced with an aversive task, we experience negative emotions like frustration, anxiety, or boredom. Procrastination provides temporary relief from these feelings. However, giving in to feel good in the moment comes at the expense of our long-term goals and wellbeing.

Practice emotional intelligence. Recognize when you're tempted to procrastinate to avoid negative emotions. Instead of running away from the task, acknowledge your feelings without being controlled by them. Choose to stay put and work from other parts of your "inner landscape" like curiosity or desire to succeed.

Focus on higher-order goals. When the urge to procrastinate strikes, pause and reconnect with why the task is important to you. How will completing it serve your bigger life goals and values? Maintaining this broader perspective can help overcome momentary discomfort.

4. Challenge the myth of feeling more like it tomorrow

I won't feel more like doing it tomorrow.

We're poor forecasters of future mood. Due to a bias called affective forecasting, we tend to believe we'll feel more motivated to do a task in the future. However, research shows we're not good at predicting our future emotional states. When tomorrow comes, we're likely to feel just as reluctant.

Current mood influences predictions. When we make intentions for future action, we focus on our current positive feelings without considering how we'll actually feel when it's time to act. This leads to overly optimistic predictions about our future motivation.

Act despite feelings. A key misconception is that we need to feel motivated to act. In reality, our motivational state doesn't need to match our intention. We can take action even when we don't feel like it. Waiting to feel ready often means never getting started.

5. Just get started to overcome procrastination

A job begun is a job half done.

Getting started changes perceptions. Research shows that once we begin a dreaded task, our perception of it changes dramatically. Tasks we avoided all week suddenly seem less stressful, difficult, and unpleasant once we engage with them. Starting builds momentum.

Progress fuels wellbeing and motivation. Studies demonstrate that making progress on our goals increases happiness and life satisfaction. These positive emotions then motivate further goal-directed behaviors, creating an upward spiral of productivity and wellbeing.

Lower the bar for getting started. Instead of thinking about completing the entire task, focus on just taking the first small step. This could be:

• Writing the title page of a report
• Putting on workout clothes
• Opening the relevant file on your computer
• Making a list of subtasks
  The key is to make the barrier to entry as low as possible. Once you begin, continuing becomes much easier.

6. Prepare for obstacles and distractions in advance

I need to be prepared to deal with distractions, obstacles and setbacks.

Anticipate challenges. Procrastination can occur at many stages of goal pursuit, not just the beginning. Be prepared to face setbacks, distractions, and changes in motivation throughout the process. Recognize that your initial enthusiasm may wane.

Use implementation intentions. Create specific if-then plans to deal with potential obstacles. For example: "If I get stuck on my work, then I will stay put and list what I do know before seeking help." Or "If my friends invite me out, then I will immediately decline and remind myself of my deadline."

Minimize distractions proactively. Before beginning work:

• Shut off phone notifications
• Close unnecessary browser tabs
• Clear your workspace
• Inform others you'll be unavailable
• Use website blockers if needed
  Creating a distraction-free environment makes it easier to stay focused when motivation dips.

7. Use willpower strategically as a limited resource

Willpower is a limited resource that I need to use strategically.

Willpower depletes with use. Research shows that exercising self-control diminishes our capacity for further self-regulation in the short-term. After resisting temptations or pushing through difficult tasks, our willpower is temporarily weakened.

Strategies to boost willpower:

• Get adequate sleep and rest
• Tackle important tasks earlier in the day
• Use positive emotions to replenish energy
• Create implementation intentions to automate behaviors
• Maintain stable blood glucose levels
• Be aware of depleting effects of social interactions

Motivation can overcome depletion. Even when willpower feels exhausted, focusing on our values and goals can help us push through. Reminding ourselves why a task matters can provide the necessary motivation to keep going.

8. Work with your personality to reduce procrastination

My personality provides both risk for and resilience against self-regulation failure.

Key traits influencing procrastination:

• Conscientiousness (−): organization, diligence
• Neuroticism (+): anxiety, self-doubt
• Impulsiveness (+): acting without thinking
• Self-efficacy (−): belief in one's abilities
• Perfectionism (+): unrealistic standards

Act out of character strategically. While personality traits are relatively stable, we can learn to act against our natural tendencies. Use implementation intentions to plan how you'll overcome trait-based obstacles. For example, highly impulsive individuals may need to be extra vigilant about removing distractions.

Challenge irrational beliefs. If anxiety or perfectionism fuel your procrastination, practice questioning and reframing unhelpful thoughts. Ask yourself: What's the real risk of trying and not succeeding? Are my standards realistic? What's the worst that could happen if I start now?

9. Beware the slippery slope of "it will only take a minute"

"It will only take a minute" puts me on a slippery slope towards procrastination.

Technology enables effortless procrastination. The internet and smart devices provide endless opportunities for distraction. What starts as "just checking email" can easily turn into hours of wasted time as we fall down digital rabbit holes.

Rational decisions over irrational timeframes. We justify small delays by telling ourselves they won't impact our overall productivity. However, these minutes quickly add up, and before we know it, we've lost significant time to low-value activities.

Set clear boundaries for technology use. To avoid unintended procrastination:

• Establish specific times for checking email/social media
• Use website blockers during focused work periods
• Turn off non-essential notifications
• Practice mindful technology use
• Set time limits for recreational browsing
  By being more intentional with our digital habits, we can harness technology's benefits while minimizing its potential for distraction.

Last updated: August 20, 2024