The Psychology Behind Why We Procrastinate

Why do we procrastinate? We have all done it at some point! Everyone is familiar with the feeling of putting off a necessary task, even though we know completing it will be beneficial. Some might argue that they perform better under pressure, but this is not an effective long-term strategy, as it can adversely affect physical and mental health.

Therefore, we need to learn to manage it more effectively, and understanding why we procrastinate is key to doing so. In this post, we’ll outline some of the causes of procrastination, as well as other insights into the psychology behind procrastination. 

Why do we procrastinate?

In a previous SACAP blog post, Procrastination: The avoidance of tasks (and how to avoid it), we defined procrastination as the delay between an intention and its execution. In other words, we might fully intend to do something and have the time to do it. But, for various reasons, we choose to engage in a more enjoyable activity instead.

As Fuschia Sirois, a researcher interviewed on the American Psychological Association (APA) podcast, shares, there are many reasons why we might delay working on a task. Not all delay is procrastination, but procrastination is a specific type of delay, which is both unnecessary and voluntary.

The unnecessary and voluntary nature of procrastination suggests that something underlies our refusal to engage in a task. As Sirois confirms, it isn’t about laziness or poor time management, but rather trouble with managing negative emotions. To understand the causes of procrastination, we need to examine its relationship with emotion regulation. 

Emotional versus practical procrastination

As Sirois notes, emotions are central to procrastination. When we delay a task, it’s often because we find it unpleasant or tedious, or because thinking about doing it brings up negative emotions. Procrastination and anxiety, for example, are frequently linked. Therefore, procrastination is more about struggling to regulate or manage our emotional responses than it is about the task itself. 

However, while we might put off a task because it stresses us out or bores us, we might also procrastinate because we lack the information we need. It can also happen that the task we are avoiding doesn’t have a clear timeline, such as sorting out our cupboards, decluttering, or eating better.

Ultimately, procrastination involves avoiding tasks we perceive as essential but lack the emotional or practical resources to complete. Without these resources, we may delay tasks associated with negative emotions, especially when we are experiencing stress in other areas of our lives. Unfortunately, this can create a vicious cycle in which we repeatedly postpone tasks because we get immediate relief from avoiding them.  

The short-term relief trap

As mentioned above, one of the difficulties with managing procrastination is the short-term relief we feel when we avoid a task associated with negative emotions, such as stress and anxiety. By avoiding tasks, we reinforce procrastination, as we continue to prioritise short-term relief over the sense of accomplishment that comes with finally completing a task.

Perfectionism, fear and self-criticism

As Sirois confirms, there are two types of perfectionism. The first is self-critical perfectionism, characterised by intense anxiety about meeting perceived external standards and fear of failure or disappointing others. The second type of perfectionism is driven by our own internal standards, preventing us from savouring our achievements.

Sirois confirms a correlation between the first type of perfectionism and procrastination, which involves a perceived zero tolerance for mistakes. For this reason, perfectionists may withdraw from engaging in challenging tasks when the “road gets bumpy.”

Importantly, however, due to what psychologists call “affective forecasting”, we are not good at predicting future emotional states. Therefore, the anticipatory anxiety that we feel may be worse than the actual anxiety we actually feel while completing the task. 

Why should we stop procrastinating?

When we think about procrastination, we often view it from the perspective of productivity, which makes it problematic for the following reasons:

• Procrastination affects our ability to progress professionally, as we might miss out on advancement opportunities
• Delaying tasks can lead to job insecurity and more financial stress as we limit our earning potential

On a more sobering note, the stress and anxiety that come with procrastination can lead to long-term cumulative physical and mental health ailments. These include:

• Poor mental health and experiencing challenges like anxiety and depression
• Poor heart health, e.g. hypertension and cardiovascular disease
• Impaired immune function

Interestingly, we often procrastinate about our health, which can be detrimental, underscoring the need for more manageable ways to achieve wellbeing.

Tips for managing procrastination

Sirois’ research focuses on self-compassion and forgiveness as strategies for managing delayed tasks that elicit negative emotions. If we are kinder to ourselves, we can avoid self-criticism for not completing a task and identify manageable ways to get started. In fact, taking the first step toward completing a task is often all that we need to progress.

Other tips for managing procrastination, as shared by the academic support team at Johns Hopkins University, include the following:

• Identify daily goals: by listing what you want to achieve that day, you hold yourself accountable and break down tasks into daily, actionable activities
• Set specific, realistic goals: To avoid delaying tasks, it’s essential to set clear time frames and know precisely what you want to achieve. For example, “I want to finish the introduction to my year-end report” instead of “I want to finish my year-end report”.
• Be kind to yourself: While holding yourself accountable is essential, remember that some level of procrastination is inevitable. However, you can manage it more effectively if you set realistic daily goals and continue working toward them.  

Learn more about psychology and human behaviour at SACAP

If you’re interested in finding out more about the psychology behind why we procrastinate and other aspects of human behaviour, here are some of the degree programmes and short online courses in applied psychology that we offer:

Degree programmes

• Bachelor of Psychology
• Bachelor of Applied Social Science (Majoring in Psychology and Counselling)
• Bachelor of Social Science Honours in Psychology 

Short online courses

• Motivation Mastery: Unlock Potential & Achieve Goals
• Stress Management and Building Resilience
• Intro to Human Behaviour
• Managing and Preventing Anxiety